this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2024
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[Dormant] Electric Vehicles

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GM & Ford Are Struggling With EVs Again, But Why? (cleantechnica.com)
submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/evs
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Recently, there’s been some bad news out of Detroit. Ford’s backing off on some upcoming EV models, including a three-row SUV many had been looking forward to, and will instead be focusing more on hybrids. GM has been having different problems with software, recently laying off 1,000 developers after a string of Silicon Valley types failed to acclimate to more traditional corporate culture.

While these companies would like to have us all believe that making EVs and software for EVs is simply too hard, other companies like Tesla and Rivian have been doing a lot better. Tesla is now making more EVs than anybody, even beating out ICE models in some segments. Rivian is still climbing the profit ladder, but is selling software to Volkswagen, a pretty good sign that “legacy auto” is struggling in odd ways while newcomers are having no problem churning out EVs.

So, we need to ask ourselves why these established players are struggling while newcomers are doing just fine.

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[–] PP_BOY_ 29 points 3 months ago (4 children)

including a three-row SUV many had been looking forward to,

Who. Who was looking forward to another fuckhuge 8 ton SUV on the road?

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 months ago (1 children)

A whole lot of people that neither need one nor can actually control the damn thing

[–] Hule 13 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Also a lot of them can't afford it.

[–] PP_BOY_ 5 points 3 months ago

Money they don't have on things they don't need

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Lots of people want to switch to EVs but there basically aren't many options for 7-seaters (the Tesla X and Y both have 7 seater configurations but the back row is basically useless for actual normal sized humans). So the 7-seater+ gasoline powered SUV still sells like crazy in the U.S. market.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

So that a lone middle aged woman can drive it to work three days per week.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The concept that 7 seats is a prerequisite blows my mind.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I have 4 kids. If we want to travel as a family and not have to take 2 cars, it is a prerequisite.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's not most people though, is it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

There's more people than you think in this situation, but yeah, it's not the majority.

Most people don't need to tow 10 000 pounds on a daily basis either, but car manufacturers still trip over themselves to make huge trucks that'll mostly be used to get groceries.

[–] drdabbles 5 points 3 months ago

I suspect the fact that they killed it tells you exactly how many people had been looking forward to it. Nobody. The market for $100k behemoth SUVs is pretty well tapped out, and Ford almost certainly knew they weren't going to actually sell any. I don't know why it's a bad idea to scrap a vehicle that absolutely isn't going to sell in numbers worth manufacturing.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

Sadly SUV and oversized trucks are all too common here. And universally the worst drivers on the road. Gotta love when a tank stops in the crosswalk and honks at you like you're the asshole for walking infront of them. What I wouldn't give to force all those idiots to trade out for smart cars, the roads around here would be a lot safer.