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A $20k American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, no screen

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1321 points kwindla | 10 comments | 25 Apr 25 15:01 UTC | HN request time: 0.45s | source | bottom
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resters ◴[25 Apr 25 22:17 UTC] No.43799015[source]▶
This is extremely refreshing. I think that it would be possible to make something like this in the US for under $15K even. Cars and trucks are so over-engineered and come with tons of low value options intended to drive up the price.

For a case in point, consider that headlights that turn on and off automatically in response to darkness (or rain) are not a standard feature on many cars, yet they include a manual switch that costs more than a photosensor only because of the trim-level upgrades.

Cars could include a slot for a tablet but instead come with overpriced car stereos and infotainment systems that are always light years worse than the most amateurish apps on any mobile app store.

As should be very clear by now after the 2008 US auto industry bailouts and the 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs, the US auto industry is heavily protected and faces virtually no competition, which is why a common sense vehicle like the one in the article sounds revolutionary, though I imagine BYD could deliver something a lot more impressive for $10K if allowed to compete in the US without tariffs.

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1. cco ◴[26 Apr 25 02:25 UTC] No.43800382[source]▶
I'll do you one better, car headlights should never be off while the motor is running. Just like motorcycles since the 70s (maybe 80s?).

No switch at all, ignition on, headlights on, period.

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2. BLKNSLVR ◴[26 Apr 25 03:24 UTC] No.43800662[source]▶
Niche counter example:

Parents who sit in their idling cars for (fucking) ages while their cars are facing the tennis courts thus blinding the player on the other side of the court for however long it takes them to either turn their car off, drive off, or someone to tell them turn their fucking headlights off.

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3. actinium226 ◴[26 Apr 25 03:41 UTC] No.43800740[source]▶
But what about for electric cars? Maybe whenever the car is in anything other than P, and for 5 minutes after P?
4. dbtc ◴[26 Apr 25 05:00 UTC] No.43801078[source]▶
Simple solution: when the wheels start rolling, the lights come on.

I'd still prefer to override both on/off though.

5. morepedantic ◴[26 Apr 25 05:06 UTC] No.43801094[source]▶
How long have you been holding that one?
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6. tzs ◴[26 Apr 25 06:10 UTC] No.43801331[source]▶
Personally I feel like cars with headlights in the daytime on days with good visibility can be too noticeable. I find myself giving them too much attention because they stand out more in my visual field.

When the oncoming cars do not have headlights on I find it easier to give them just enough attention to see that they are behaving normally leaving more attention to devote to things other than oncoming cars.

7. dr_kiszonka ◴[26 Apr 25 06:38 UTC] No.43801425[source]▶
I like this. Turns out a few countries require DRL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp
8. BLKNSLVR ◴[26 Apr 25 07:03 UTC] No.43801512{3}[source]▶
It's only been a recent thing, noticeably more frequent the last couple of years.

Before that I've not had to intervene at all, as far as I can remember.

There aren't that many courts where cars park facing them, but my home courts are one of them ;)

9. zitsarethecure ◴[26 Apr 25 11:56 UTC] No.43802806[source]▶
Along similar lines would be those people who constantly start up their cars in campgrounds after hours for whatever reason.
10. testing22321 ◴[26 Apr 25 12:41 UTC] No.43803088[source]▶
Canadian vehicles require this by law.