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US Electric Car Sales Report

cleantechnica.com

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Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#71

Post by gcb0 »

maxxxxx wrote: post #13
imglorp wrote: post #6

> large automakers aren’t even trying Despite the Bolt being MT car of the year in 2017, I found it very hard to get a test drive. Some local Chevy dealers pretended not to know about it, which is ludicrous: their business, and maybe their only value as middleman, is to know every vehicle in the catalog forward and backward and then to leap to get me what I ask for. When I pointed out they were sitting on MTCOY the r…

The service part of is a good observation. As far a I know dealers make a lot of their money from service and they will certainly be unhappy to lose that income. A while ago someone posted the maintenance schedule of their electric car and it was almost laughably short. Not much money to make there for the dealers.

saying the EV requires less service when all data you have is a couple years of very low production runs, sold mostly at markets where the car will be a 2nd or 3rd car... is a little far fetched.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#72

Post by gcb0 »

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #30
themistocle wrote: post #2

The only people I know who have an electric car own or have pre-ordered Teslas. They are all status symbols. I don’t know anyone who needs an electric car. Maybe the problem is just as much lack of demand as it is lack of big auto commitment?

I have a plug-in hybrid (Toyota Prius Prime) which may not exactly count (though if the Volt does...), but here in Portland OR I see a huge number of Nissan Leaf-s. They can be bought used for a song, making them an ideal in-town car.

that isn't true for a year. leafs with 3+ years still sell for 7-10k. it's been a while you can't find them for a song

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#73

Post by mikeash »

gregimba wrote: post #55
freehunter wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. If you're buying anything more expensive than the $13k Nissan Versa, you're buying features you don't need . So saying people don't need an electric car so there's no point in buying them is kind of a silly statement.

I think you are vastly underestimating what some people use their vehicles for. Where I drove today would have totaled a Nissan Versa. Trucks and other utility vehicles have their place.

Indeed, and that's why I was careful to say "most." There certainly are legitimate needs for fancier vehicles. But I'd guess 95% of personal vehicles purchases go beyond what the buyer needs. Which is totally fine!

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#74

Post by maxxxxx »

gcb0 wrote: post #71
maxxxxx wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The service part of is a good observation. As far a I know dealers make a lot of their money from service and they will certainly be unhappy to lose that income. A while ago someone posted the maintenance schedule of their electric car and it was almost laughably short. Not much money to make there for the dealers.

saying the EV requires less service when all data you have is a couple years of very low production runs, sold mostly at markets where the car will be a 2nd or 3rd car... is a little far fetched.

I was talking about the manufacturer recommended maintenance schedule which is much something than the one for a gas car.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#75

Post by themistocle »

mikeash wrote: post #12
themistocle wrote: post #2

The only people I know who have an electric car own or have pre-ordered Teslas. They are all status symbols. I don’t know anyone who needs an electric car. Maybe the problem is just as much lack of demand as it is lack of big auto commitment?

Most cars beyond the bare-bones econoboxes aren’t about needs . Nobody needs an electric car, but they can be really nice to own in various ways.

No need for me to quibble with your sentiment. The question is: if they don't solve a problem, why buy one? Prius offered people clean hands, and not much more. When gas is cheap the price of fuel isn't a big motivator, and Detroit is happy to churn out SUVs. So unless the state changes current market conditions I see no reason why people would choose to buy these electric cars.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#76

Post by themistocle »

grecy wrote: post #46
themistocle wrote: post #2

The only people I know who have an electric car own or have pre-ordered Teslas. They are all status symbols. I don’t know anyone who needs an electric car. Maybe the problem is just as much lack of demand as it is lack of big auto commitment?

> I don’t know anyone who needs an electric car I imagine you live in the USA where gas is insanely cheap? think about people paying > $6USD/gallon.

The article is about US Electric Car Sales, US gas prices are therefore assumed.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#77

Post by themistocle »

dbcurtis wrote: post #33
dmode wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have an electric car and I know many people have electric cars. Each have their own motivations, for some people it is to save on gas. Others for carpool access, while still others are for environmental reasons. I doubt Nissan Leaf is a great status symbol

For sure. I see a lot of leafs around town and around the neighborhood. Its an unapologetic econobox. No problem with that. If I had to drive 101 upstream everyday, I'd go get a cheap used leaf in a heartbeat. A friend had a Bolt and likes it a lot. Of course lots of Teslas around, too. Tesla has range, and is stylish. Bolt has range. Leaf goes from point A to B for a modest subset of points.

> Leaf goes from point A to B for a modest subset of points

That could be great for some people, but for more people a 10-year old Toyota Corolla would also be great. That's the problem, there isn't a compelling reason beyond interest in new technology or eco-sensibility to buy one of these cars.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#78

Post by mikeash »

themistocle wrote: post #75
mikeash wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most cars beyond the bare-bones econoboxes aren’t about needs . Nobody needs an electric car, but they can be really nice to own in various ways.

No need for me to quibble with your sentiment. The question is: if they don't solve a problem, why buy one? Prius offered people clean hands, and not much more. When gas is cheap the price of fuel isn't a big motivator, and Detroit is happy to churn out SUVs. So unless the state changes current market conditions I see no reason why people would choose to buy these electric cars.

They are super fun to drive, and never having to go to the gas station is nice.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#79

Post by oneshot908 »

greglindahl wrote: post #70
oneshot908 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this is why I listen to car people about cars, not techies. I drove a Bolt, I like the Bolt, but it's no sports car. To put this into perspective, do you make your SW/HW decisions based on the suggested content from Twitter/Facebook?

The person I responded to did not ask for a sports car.

Yes he did, apparently you didn't read the bit about wanting the torque, which electric cars have from 0-20, and then peter out (except Teslas).

For a mainstream electric car, the Bolt is exceptionally good in driving more like a 2009ish Rav4 than a 2017ish Kia Soul, but it's no sports car, even in sports mode. But in a world where people think a Scion FRS is a sports car, I can understand the confusion.

Re: US Electric Car Sales Report

#80

Post by oneshot908 »

WorldMaker wrote: post #68
oneshot908 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this is why I listen to car people about cars, not techies. I drove a Bolt, I like the Bolt, but it's no sports car. To put this into perspective, do you make your SW/HW decisions based on the suggested content from Twitter/Facebook?

Did you try its Sports mode?

Indeed I did. I like the Bolt. If I lived in a city, I'd probably buy one right now. But sport mode != sports car. Just like Elon Musk != Skunk Musk...
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