this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2024
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Electric Vehicles

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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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[–] [email protected] 42 points 2 months ago (5 children)

my kingdom for a sub $25k, 420 mile per charge, hatchback EV. Make that, make it dependable, without any subscriptions or fancy electronics that accidentally brick the car out of nowhere, and you'll be able to buy the bank.

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

They did in the Bolt EUV. And then they stopped making it to make more money. Fuckers.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Getting that in a new ICE vehicle is nearing impossible. Hell, used car prices were topping that number out for a while.

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

Yeah the expectations for a cheap EV in the US are insane. I want one too, but realistically I want a 30k EV that gets 300+ miles. There are a couple of close options today, but more competition would be great.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

And yet their costs did not go up that much. The real complaint here is they don't want to make an economic car anymore. Not that nobody would buy it.

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

I don't think you can say on one hand they are "losing money on every EV" and that they don't want to sell economical cars. But they are still a corporation and will take as much as customers will pay.

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

They aren't losing money. They rolled long term capital investments into the "cost" per car. They had to make those investments or get left behind when the protectionist dam breaks. For what they actually spend per unit they make money on every car. In fact the cost doesn't go up that much for higher models. So the higher the model they can sell, the more they make. They influence that by literally not making economic vehicles available.

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

I know full well Ford aren't losing money on each sale. But that's the idiotic meme that keeps popping up.

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

Exactly. That's the problem they're faced with. They're struggling on figuring out the best way to take advantage on their consumers with the software and subscriptions.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Maybe in 5-10 years unless it's a Chinese OEM.

We'll get there though.

A 300m version, hopefully much sooner.