Prediction: Neither Renault nor VW will have affordable BEV cars anytime soon. If anything, they will abandon this sector. Affordable BEVs basically aren’t possible without government massively subsidizing them.
Reminder that BEV fanatics are still stuck in the past. It's laughable they're still repeating the same outdated garbage from 2014. They still think batteries costs are dropping (just an illusion caused by China's subsidies), or that charging is somehow already solved (not even close).
In reality, BEVs are on their way out. It is already losing to PHEVs and hybrids now. Newer ideas like FCEVs will drive them entirely out of the market later.
As copper prices surge, copper theft is becoming very common. BEV charging stations will need 24/7 surveillance or guards. This is similar to how gas stations work (someone is watching for gas thieves nearly all the time). People have underestimated how difficult it will be to effectively building out a charging network. You are letting valuable materials sit out there in the open.
This was inevitable. VW will have to scale back BEV investment dramatically. Probably even more than what they're doing now. Their dedicated BEV platforms should be axed entirely.
The first of many. I think all car companies will abandon having dedicated platforms just for large BEVs. It is a tiny market after all. Even small car platforms will likely shift towards fuel agnosticism, so that BEVs can be made alongside hybrids and PHEVs. Pure BEVs will shrink to a very niche sooner or later.
Sigh, we see the same thing over and over again. Electric cars start to make inroads and then the automotive industry tries to cut them off at the knees. The shortsightedness and self-sabotage is truly stunning.
It's particularly disappointing to see Toyota, which was a global leader for such a long time in hybrids, fail to take up electric vehicles.
@phlogiston This is BEV propaganda. It is blatantly ignoring real problems, such as how "direct charging" isn't actually possible with 100% renewables.
The practical differences in efficiency is negligible, and in many scenarios a hydrogen or (rarely) power-to-liquid solution is the more efficient.
Blimey - according to https://thedriven.io/2024/01/25/worlds-largest-ev-battery-maker-set-to-cut-costs-in-half-by-mid-2024/ the world's largest battery manufacturer, China's CATL will be halving the price of its Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries this year. "This means the price of an average 60 kWh battery pack will have dropped from $US6,776.00 to just $3,388.00 in just 12 months, saving EV manufacturers over $3,000 per vehicle."
Our #BEV (MG4 Excite) has a 51kWh pack... So we could replace a future (post 7yr warranty) failed pack for well under US$3k... #BatteryTech
This is a nice sentiment, but it ignores the elephant in the room: The cost of BEVs would skyrocket if the batteries had to be made in Europe. The only reason why BEVs even are where they are now is due to extreme cost cutting in China, achieved by ignoring all environmental factors.
I didn't know how bad it really is: We are drowning in an oversupply of Chinese BEVs. We should not trust the numbers coming from BEV boosters. We are headed towards major factory shutdowns and cutbacks.
Reminder that just because some knockoff car looks like a Porsche, doesn’t mean it isn’t a total POS. No surprise that a cell phone company doesn’t know how to make a car.
I’m glad to see more sane takes on the upside of hybrids, PHEVs and FCEVs over BEVs. Reddit’s car community used to be dominated by nutty BEV fanatics, but now those are mostly pushed out and discredited. People are now realizing that other types of EVs have value. BEVs are not going to take over the world anytime soon.
@NVEVA Hydrogen cars have neither the upfront problems of BEVs, nor the long-term issues of conventional ICE cars. But of course, we suffer from a BEV cult that rejects all alternatives. In reality, BEVs are just a transitional technology and will be replaced by something superior.
It's funny how many people hate Elon Musk, and have realized that he is a massive fraudster and liar, but still believe his lies about BEVs.
Here's a hint: It's all a big lie. Including BEVs. They are a greenwashing scam and gimmicks to be sold to the rich. No different than hyperloop or whatever.
One of many "U-turns" that will happen. Another reminder that BEVs are not a viable vehicle technology for most people. It is at best a niche, and certainly not a good idea outside small city cars. Many more will follow.
BEVs no longer all that exciting for the rich. Because they can no longer virtue signal by buying them. Sooner or later, the hype for BEVs, and the delusion that BEVs are somehow a solution to climate change, will die out.