Electric Vehicles

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Electric Vehicles are a key part of our tomorrow and how we get there. If we can get all the fossil fuel vehicles off our roads, out of our seas and out of our skies, we'll have a much better environment. This community is where we discuss the various different vehicles and news stories regarding electric transportation.

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25% of Americans Avoiding Tesla Tech Because of Elon Musk (cleantechnica.com)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by MyOpinion@lemm.ee to c/electricvehicles@slrpnk.net

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Three things are no secret: 1) Elon Musk benefits more than any other individual from Tesla’s success, 2) Elon Musk has gotten extremely involved in political matters (emphasis on “extremely”), and 3) many people won’t buy Tesla products because of those first two facts.

New research from JW Surety Bonds finds that 1 out of 4 Americans “avoid Tesla’s technology due to their opinions on Elon Musk.” That’s a full quarter of the US public that won’t consider great electric vehicles, including the best selling vehicle in the world, because of Musk’s highly abnormal involvement in US politics.

Before we get to more of the research, it should also be noted that Musk has been getting more and more involved, including in highly abnormal and extremely right-wing ways, in European politics — in the UK, Italy, Germany, and other major auto markets. Without a doubt, this is starting to impact consumer behavior in Europe as well.

I can’t think of anything else as significant in consumer product sales. Yes, there are some other highly politically engaged business people, but they aren’t so directly involved or tied to significant mass-market products. (I’m not counting the MyPillow guy, for example.) There are founders and CEOs of major corporations who are known political actors, but not so openly and loudly that they draw widely significant scrutiny or tarnish the brand they represent.

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[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I'm trying not to buy a new car in general. If my car (ICE) got totaled, I'd consider a used Model 3 or Y because you can't really beat the bang for your buck, but I'd rather hold out for a used Rivian R2 or R3 in a few years.

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 33 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’d consider a used Model 3 or Y because you can’t really beat the bang for your buck

Hell no. Not me. Other manufacturers can even charge me a premium for the privilege of not being seen in a Musk vehicle, I'll pay. And if I can't pay, I'll ride the bus. Tesla can fuck right off - new or used.

[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago

I'm not quite there, but I get it. I definitely wouldn't get a new one. There are just so few decent EV sedans or hatchbacks that I like in the US market. I guess an Ionic 6 could be a good option. I hate big lumpy cars with oversized hoods and bad visibility, which is basically everything here.

[–] Soup@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The problem is that it’s not just his politics but it’s the entire business model. Teslas have decent enough range but they also have doors that you can’t open when they ice over in the winter, they’ll lock the doors if there’s a fire, and they’re generally not built to a very high standard.

Removing Musk from the equation they still aren’t somewhere I’d like my body to be, thanks.

[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah, I have a friend who won't drive with his young kids in the backseat of his Model Y because of the safety concerns of opening the doors if there's an electrical failure.

[–] Soup@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Look sunk cost and all that but holy shit how does that not prompt them to sell it immediately?!

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Due to the way the world is developing .... I never did buy new vehicles before, but now I'm convinced, I will never ever buy any new vehicle ... gas or electric.

I'll drive a used dumpy rusted out car or truck until I can't any more.

[–] burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 day ago (2 children)

100%. New vehicles have so many stupid knickknacks to pretend to be "luxury" that make them break easily and difficult+expensive to fix.

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago

Planned obsolescence ... purposely designing things to break down over a certain amount of time

If I find a vehicle model that lasts a long time, that is a good vehicle to have and hold on to. One of the vehicles I drive is a 2004 Volvo Stationwagon. Everyone pans it and says it looks too plain and dull ... but it has 400,000 km and the interior still looks brand new, minimal problems, minimal maintenance and it actually runs great and lasts forever through Canadian winters.

[–] KnightontheSun@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

That and the tracking/data collection. My car is a 2007 (pre-black box) and I repaired nearly everything on it to ensure it will keep functioning soundly. I see no personal value in purchasing a new car at the moment even though I can afford it. I am happy to save that money. Another reason is that anything ICE is insanely complicated and EVs still seem to be finding standards that I am still learning about. Even choosing EV, they still track/collect.

There are a couple vehicles that I love the shapes of and I am sure they'd be fun, but I can't readily accept the dystopian mechanism underneath the gleaming hood.