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Topic: Electric Vehicle News Items

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Cincydawg

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2450 on: April 22, 2025, 01:22:09 PM »
Maybe when you get my age they will start to appeal more to you.  Maybe.  Of course, I'm like 150.
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FearlessF

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2451 on: April 23, 2025, 08:31:51 AM »
Quote from: utee94 on April 22, 2025, 12:02:10 PM
Do not like that Blazer.

But obviously I'm not their target buyer, because I don't like ANY of those little station wagon/SUV/crossover looking things.
leads me to believe aerodynamics is not a concern
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Cincydawg

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2452 on: April 23, 2025, 08:58:33 AM »
I was thinking a bit more about aerodynamics, and I think overall it is a minor concern, at least for cars typically driven under 80 mph.  Above that down force is a concern.

Below that, interior room is a concern.  Americans appear to like SUVs and CUVs, I can understand the attraction (now that I own one).  The raised height vs a sedan is perhaps the biggest ero negative, air under a vehicle is bad in all sorts of ways.  This Blazer has a Cd of maybe 0.35, it wouldn't really help much if it was 0.30.  All these boxy SUVs trade off lowering Cd against interior volume and ride height.

Anyway, I'm fine with the look of the vehicle, I'm not interested in buying one.

Somewhat related, I've found our Tuscon is very speed dependent on mpgs, in part because it's heavy and in part because of its high Cd (probably about 037).  It's EPA rated at 37 mpg highway, but that has to be at 55 or 60 mpg with some periods of slowing down, akin to the EPA highway cycle.  Around 80 mph, it gets about 28 mpg leading to a lot of compaints on line.

If you want  low Cd vehicle, look for sedans or sports cars, not SUVs.

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betarhoalphadelta

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2453 on: April 23, 2025, 10:13:10 AM »
A lot of modern CUVs aren't that bad. They don't actually have a lot of ground clearance. They're taller, yes, but they're not that much further off the ground. 

True SUVs (meaning built on a truck chassis) tend to have that extra ground clearance, which is one of the many reasons they get poor gas mileage.
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utee94

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2454 on: April 25, 2025, 07:26:53 AM »
https://www.theverge.com/electric-cars/655527/slate-electric-truck-price-paint-radio-bezos


Quote
Meet The Slate -- The $20,000 American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, and no touchscreen




Quote
Meet the Slate Truck, a sub-$20,000 (after federal incentives) electric vehicle that enters production next year. It only seats two yet has a bed big enough to hold a sheet of plywood. It only does 150 miles on a charge, only comes in gray, and the only way to listen to music while driving is if you bring along your phone and a Bluetooth speaker. It is the bare minimum of what a modern car can be, and yet it’s taken three years of development to get to this point.

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Cincydawg

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2455 on: April 25, 2025, 08:03:19 AM »
Quote from: betarhoalphadelta on April 23, 2025, 10:13:10 AM
A lot of modern CUVs aren't that bad. They don't actually have a lot of ground clearance. They're taller, yes, but they're not that much further off the ground.
The Tucson is enough taller to make a difference on egress, maybe the seat is taller more than ground clearance.  This was my wife's main complaint about the GTI which was slung pretty low.

It's an old man's complaint of course.  It is a lot easier to egress for me, I find.  

As for being bad or good, I'd opine they are pretty practical, if pretty boring to drive, and most drivers don't push their car at all, so that doesn't matter, it could even be considered good.
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betarhoalphadelta

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2456 on: April 25, 2025, 05:00:29 PM »

Quote from: utee94 on April 25, 2025, 07:26:53 AM
https://www.theverge.com/electric-cars/655527/slate-electric-truck-price-paint-radio-bezos






Hmm. Cheap, functional, transportation. What's not to like? 

And apparently it's going to be a modder's dream: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/slate-introducing-the-bezos-backed-ev-pickup-for-the-masses-022141712.html

I'm probably too old, coddled, and addicted to creature comforts to be into a vehicle like this at my age... But this is the vehicle that 25 yo me that bought the Ford Ranger would have jumped at. 
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utee94

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2457 on: April 25, 2025, 05:05:19 PM »
Yup that was my exact same thought-- it's basically a modern EV version of an old-school Ford Ranger.

IF they actually get 150 mile range it looks interesting.  But just like MPG ratings on ICE vehicles, I suspect that number is inflated.  If it's <100 in real life then it's a lot less interesting.

Still, I could see it working for some urban fleet applications and pool service companies and things like that.

Also, I have my doubts about their aspirations for high quality safety ratings, given its plastic construction.  I'll allow that it's possible but I'd have to see to believe.

Overall though, I like the idea.  Cars are crazy expensive and auto manufacturers don't seem to want to service the low end, but that's where a ton of growth is going to be over the coming years.

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betarhoalphadelta

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2458 on: April 25, 2025, 05:16:35 PM »
Quote from: utee94 on April 25, 2025, 05:05:19 PM
Yup that was my exact same thought-- it's basically a modern EV version of an old-school Ford Ranger.

IF they actually get 150 mile range it looks interesting.  But just like MPG ratings on ICE vehicles, I suspect that number is inflated.  If it's <100 in real life then it's a lot less interesting.
Apparently there's another higher-capacity battery option with more range. I'd be more inclined to that. Of course, I say that not knowing what the price tag is for the bigger battery...

That said, 150 miles of range for a vehicle like this makes some sense. If it's an around-town runabout, something you use for commuting and the occasional times you have to do "truck stuff", and you're a multi-vehicle family... It fits what it might need to fit. 
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utee94

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2459 on: April 25, 2025, 05:38:10 PM »
Well yeah but we know a ton of the cost of these is tied up in the batteries.  If this version is "sub 20K with subsidies" well then the longer-range one will not be.  And if it's creeping up to $30K then you're just back in the territory of, "why would I get this when I can get a better-equipped ICE that does all the same stuff but better?"  Which leaves you back with the market segment that wants an EV just because it's an EV.  Which is fine, but that segment isn't currently moving a ton of sales, and I'm not sure it ever will.
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betarhoalphadelta

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2460 on: April 25, 2025, 05:43:23 PM »
Quote from: utee94 on April 25, 2025, 05:38:10 PM
Well yeah but we know a ton of the cost of these is tied up in the batteries.  If this version is "sub 20K with subsidies" well then the longer-range one will not be.  And if it's creeping up to $30K then you're just back in the territory of, "why would I get this when I can get a better-equipped ICE that does all the same stuff but better?"  Which leaves you back with the market segment that wants an EV just because it's an EV.  Which is fine, but that segment isn't currently moving a ton of sales, and I'm not sure it ever will.
True. Ultimately it's all a bit of a non-starter until battery costs come down. 

And then there's the issue that the typical consumer of a stripped-down cost vehicle is probably NOT the same consumer who owns their own home, has a garage, and can easily install a charger. Which blunts a lot of the advantage of EV. 

But I appreciate the idea. 
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utee94

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2461 on: April 25, 2025, 06:01:43 PM »
Quote from: betarhoalphadelta on April 25, 2025, 05:43:23 PM
True. Ultimately it's all a bit of a non-starter until battery costs come down.

And then there's the issue that the typical consumer of a stripped-down cost vehicle is probably NOT the same consumer who owns their own home, has a garage, and can easily install a charger. Which blunts a lot of the advantage of EV.

But I appreciate the idea.
Yeah another good point.

But I, too, like the idea.  I think it's a move in the right direction, because I think there's a growing severely underserved market at the low end of auto manufacturing, whether it's ICE or EV.  I think if the quality on this is decent, and the range is decent, then there's a lot to like about it, and it's going to be very popular with younger millennials and zoomers.

And add to that, if they can really make the customization/mods work, at a decent price point, that's another huge win with the younger buyers who are VERY into unique, bespoke articles.
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Cincydawg

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2462 on: April 25, 2025, 07:49:26 PM »
A positive about PHEVs is they can be plugged into 110 v outlets.  I'd be more interested in one with a 15 mile range on battery (if I could access such an outlet).  It would be lighter and cheaper and cover most of our trips.  Then I wouldn't bother with renting an ICE car for longer trips, or even muse about it.

Until the cost of recharging away from home somehow comes down, I'm not interested in an EV, at all.  That is a killer for me.
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betarhoalphadelta

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Re: Electric Vehicle News Items
« Reply #2463 on: April 26, 2025, 01:11:52 AM »
Quote from: Cincydawg on April 25, 2025, 07:49:26 PM
A positive about PHEVs is they can be plugged into 110 v outlets.  I'd be more interested in one with a 15 mile range on battery (if I could access such an outlet).  It would be lighter and cheaper and cover most of our trips.  Then I wouldn't bother with renting an ICE car for longer trips, or even muse about it.

Until the cost of recharging away from home somehow comes down, I'm not interested in an EV, at all.  That is a killer for me.
Basically all BEVs can be plugged into 110V outlets. The charge rate isn't great (2-4 miles range per hour charge), but they'll charge. 
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