Despite colossal government spending, massive below-cost discounting, and saturation advertising, most people are not buying EVs. Automakers not named Tesla are starting to face reality.
Interesting article Keith. After your previous article about how EV's suck so badly, I decided to pay more attention to see if they really did. I mean as a long time "car guy" I should pay attention, right? I would hate it if we became a country of self driving golf carts. Soon after, someone decided to total my beloved BMW by running into the back of it while I was stopped, so I was forced into a new car. Much to my surprise, I ended up with the cheapest Tesla, more out of curiosity than anything else. My driveway still has two BMW's, a VW, a Saab and a Subaru for the four drivers in my family to choose from. All but the VW with stick shifts. We like to really drive, not just commute. In the process I got a first-hand lesson in of how poorly the other brands understand EV's. My experience at VW, Ford, Hyundai, Kia and BMW showrooms demonstrated how the manufacturers will never sell EV's until they get dealers on board. Not one dealer I spoke with was the least bit interested in selling an EV, except of course Tesla. And even if they feigned being interested, they were devoid of any knowledge or understanding. I suspect they want that recurring income from oil and filter changes, tune-ups and all that stuff EV's don't need. Or maybe they are just slow learners or averse to change. So it's no wonder they aren't selling. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you suck at selling and have no enthusiasm, you won't make the sale.
So how do I like my Tesla? Love it! I've purchased about 23 cars since I started driving 52 years ago, and none has made me smile more. It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn good! I've put 14k miles on it since June 28, which is not insignificant in 4 months. Five longish trips in addition to the daily commute and I can say without any doubt that I will not buy an ICE car ever again. In my situation I see no benefit. None. Thanks to the price reductions to clear out the old models before the "Highland" facelift, its net cost after incentives was no more than a typical Toyota Corolla. An on top of that I've saved roughly $1300 in fuel alone compared to my BMW. And no real scheduled maintenance. So tell me how "It is a luxury, niche product of limited utility, not a mainstream product for the average driver." Life with a Tesla is just so easy and stress free! "Range anxiety" is something that ICE drivers imagine. In practice it's not an issue. I can't speak for other brands but beginning every morning to a fully charged vehicle that is ready to go for 5 normal commuting days without requiring an overnight recharge while I sleep is my definition of "a mainstream product for the average driver".
I still believe the transition is inevitable, but I also agree that there are instances where an ICE vehicle may still be preferable for some people. If you can't charge at home or work, tow often, can't use the extensive Supercharger network, or some other complication. So maybe it won't be 100% transition. And there will be speed bumps and regional differences. But that will change as technology continues to progress, and the infrastructure grows to meet demand. BP's latest deal with Tesla for Supercharger technology is an indicator that big oil is hedging their bets if they're smart.
Hey Bob, thanks for the insightful message and congrats on being a satisfied Tesla owner. You seem quite pleased with the Tesla experience and I think you're not alone. Many people in my neighborhood drive Teslas and all seem to be content. Not so much with other brands, which was the point of the essay. The auto makers not named Tesla are on an unsustainable path.
Regarding range anxiety, just like anxiety in general, it is real to a lot of people. Even quite a few in the automotive press have to admit the stress of finding a quick charge on a road trip. Those living in apartments might not have a garage for the overnight charge. That's a lot of the population who would view EVs as impractical.
I'll stand behind my statement that EVs are not a mainstream product. Too few use cases and inherent limitations. Yes they make sense for some people but not enough for the government to issue an outright ban on ICE vehicles. I would predict, in fact, for these arbitrary mandates to be postponed indefinitely once the market realities kick in further.
Predicting the future is not something I'm very good at but I can surely read trends.
Interesting article Keith. After your previous article about how EV's suck so badly, I decided to pay more attention to see if they really did. I mean as a long time "car guy" I should pay attention, right? I would hate it if we became a country of self driving golf carts. Soon after, someone decided to total my beloved BMW by running into the back of it while I was stopped, so I was forced into a new car. Much to my surprise, I ended up with the cheapest Tesla, more out of curiosity than anything else. My driveway still has two BMW's, a VW, a Saab and a Subaru for the four drivers in my family to choose from. All but the VW with stick shifts. We like to really drive, not just commute. In the process I got a first-hand lesson in of how poorly the other brands understand EV's. My experience at VW, Ford, Hyundai, Kia and BMW showrooms demonstrated how the manufacturers will never sell EV's until they get dealers on board. Not one dealer I spoke with was the least bit interested in selling an EV, except of course Tesla. And even if they feigned being interested, they were devoid of any knowledge or understanding. I suspect they want that recurring income from oil and filter changes, tune-ups and all that stuff EV's don't need. Or maybe they are just slow learners or averse to change. So it's no wonder they aren't selling. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you suck at selling and have no enthusiasm, you won't make the sale.
So how do I like my Tesla? Love it! I've purchased about 23 cars since I started driving 52 years ago, and none has made me smile more. It's not perfect, but it's pretty damn good! I've put 14k miles on it since June 28, which is not insignificant in 4 months. Five longish trips in addition to the daily commute and I can say without any doubt that I will not buy an ICE car ever again. In my situation I see no benefit. None. Thanks to the price reductions to clear out the old models before the "Highland" facelift, its net cost after incentives was no more than a typical Toyota Corolla. An on top of that I've saved roughly $1300 in fuel alone compared to my BMW. And no real scheduled maintenance. So tell me how "It is a luxury, niche product of limited utility, not a mainstream product for the average driver." Life with a Tesla is just so easy and stress free! "Range anxiety" is something that ICE drivers imagine. In practice it's not an issue. I can't speak for other brands but beginning every morning to a fully charged vehicle that is ready to go for 5 normal commuting days without requiring an overnight recharge while I sleep is my definition of "a mainstream product for the average driver".
I still believe the transition is inevitable, but I also agree that there are instances where an ICE vehicle may still be preferable for some people. If you can't charge at home or work, tow often, can't use the extensive Supercharger network, or some other complication. So maybe it won't be 100% transition. And there will be speed bumps and regional differences. But that will change as technology continues to progress, and the infrastructure grows to meet demand. BP's latest deal with Tesla for Supercharger technology is an indicator that big oil is hedging their bets if they're smart.
Hey Bob, thanks for the insightful message and congrats on being a satisfied Tesla owner. You seem quite pleased with the Tesla experience and I think you're not alone. Many people in my neighborhood drive Teslas and all seem to be content. Not so much with other brands, which was the point of the essay. The auto makers not named Tesla are on an unsustainable path.
Regarding range anxiety, just like anxiety in general, it is real to a lot of people. Even quite a few in the automotive press have to admit the stress of finding a quick charge on a road trip. Those living in apartments might not have a garage for the overnight charge. That's a lot of the population who would view EVs as impractical.
I'll stand behind my statement that EVs are not a mainstream product. Too few use cases and inherent limitations. Yes they make sense for some people but not enough for the government to issue an outright ban on ICE vehicles. I would predict, in fact, for these arbitrary mandates to be postponed indefinitely once the market realities kick in further.
Predicting the future is not something I'm very good at but I can surely read trends.