←back to thread

The withering dream of a cheap American electric car

(www.wsj.com)
152 points voisin | 6 comments | 17 Nov 24 23:52 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source | bottom
Show context
bartvk ◴[18 Nov 24 00:05 UTC] No.42168473[source]▶
https://archive.ph/9oIT4

I wish it would have adjusted for inflation. One quote: "The average transaction price for a new vehicle sold in the U.S. last month was $48,623, according to Kelley Blue Book, roughly $10,000 higher than in 2019, before the pandemic." However, about 9200 euros of that is due to inflation according to this calculator: https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

That's a nitpick though. All in all, an interesting article, which can be summarized as: the EV car market is lacking demand, and car makers definitely don't want to make cheap EVs since it's already so hard.

replies(6): >>42168514 #>>42168570 #>>42168574 #>>42168580 #>>42174015 #>>42174403 #
AgentOrange1234 ◴[18 Nov 24 00:21 UTC] No.42168570[source]▶
If even ICE cars are now super expensive, why isn’t this a screaming opportunity for some auto manufacturer to target the low end of the market?

I’ve never spent more than 20k for a car. With prices like this, I’m just going to keep my old one as long as I can.

replies(13): >>42168584 #>>42168591 #>>42168650 #>>42168697 #>>42168743 #>>42168748 #>>42168749 #>>42168762 #>>42168788 #>>42172709 #>>42173145 #>>42173595 #>>42173943 #
bluedino ◴[18 Nov 24 00:25 UTC] No.42168591[source]▶
Kia sells quite a few cars that start at $20k, like the Soul and Forte
replies(3): >>42168633 #>>42168714 #>>42172540 #
wlesieutre ◴[18 Nov 24 00:35 UTC] No.42168633[source]▶
Quite a few $20k ish, though only the Forte actually making it under that. Forte LX starting at $19,900.

Of course that's without without the $1,155 "destination" fee, so even the Forte really starts at $21,145.

But considering inflation, $21k isn't a bad price.

replies(1): >>42168758 #
OptionOfT ◴[18 Nov 24 01:00 UTC] No.42168758[source]▶
We need laws that ban these junk fees. Any advertised price should be one I can get when I walk in.

I cannot get the car without registration. I cannot get the car without 'destination' fee.

Bake it into the price.

replies(4): >>42169185 #>>42172559 #>>42172895 #>>42173925 #
1. rootusrootus ◴[18 Nov 24 02:26 UTC] No.42169185[source]▶
Registration cost is too variable. Varies by state, and even by city.
replies(2): >>42171592 #>>42173297 #
2. bartvk ◴[18 Nov 24 11:46 UTC] No.42171592[source]▶
You'd say someone would build an API to retrieve that information by city. But I would not be surprised that the product seller can't be bothered inserting that information into their sales flow.
replies(1): >>42173331 #
3. triceratops ◴[18 Nov 24 15:33 UTC] No.42173297[source]▶
So compute and post some defaults? At least the state and city that the dealership is located in?
replies(1): >>42173370 #
4. rootusrootus ◴[18 Nov 24 15:35 UTC] No.42173331[source]▶
Okay, so build the API, and now customers will need to enter their locality before they can see the advertised price. It won't be a popular decision.
5. rootusrootus ◴[18 Nov 24 15:39 UTC] No.42173370[source]▶
Sure, add that to the list of disclaimers in the small print so that the customer from the next town over will have something to reference when the dealer cannot sell them the car for the advertised price.

The problem is that cars are not treated like most other commodities. E.g. You don't have to buy a license to use a microwave or register it with the government. The closest analog is if you live somewhere with sales tax.

replies(1): >>42173473 #
6. triceratops ◴[18 Nov 24 15:47 UTC] No.42173473{3}[source]▶
> add that to the list of disclaimers in the small print

Correct. Instead of a vague "registration fees may apply" disclaimer now there's a "registration fees assuming <city>, <state>" disclaimer. It's definitely not worse for anyone, and is arguably better for the customers who will register in <city>, <state>. That's a green light for a utilitarian.