A majority of auto executives still think battery electric cars will fail, survey says

ny/nj $4,000. toyota rebate, another 2-3k dealer discount tax rebates, and your cheaper than a lift back.

 

The Toyotathon ended, now it's the Drive To Victory Event.

 

Let's see: Auto execs expect EVs to fail, but they are pouring money into EV development.

Huh

 

53% expect failure, 47% are planning to pour money in, but waiting to see what the 53% are going to do.

 

Is it my imagination but is Chrysler behind on hybrid and EV development. I see they finally have a mini van out.

 

and a 500e. they are definitely behind, but i'm sure there must be a corporate statement somewhere about how many ev's they will have by 2040.

 

I believe CAFE is still a factor, so perhaps the sale of every Bolt allows another two or three Suburbans to be sold and still not have a CAFE problem. That is a very good reason to continue the R&D on electric and fuel cell vehicles. Feel free to correct me if I a wrong.

 

ZEV credits matter a lot more

 

I had forgotten how bad air pollution from cars was until I went to the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise in Michigan. 40,000 cars in Eight lanes of stop and go traffic with all those old cars bellowing out their pollution.
It was great

 

As Oniki mentioned, ZEV credits are a bigger factor. But yes, EVs and FCEVs help with CAFE as well. EVs moreso than FCEVs.
This is one of the reasons you see most EVs being available first, or only, in CA and other ZEV states.

After switching to EVs, we started noting the toxic fumes a lot. It is one of the reasons I avoid ‘convenience’ stores that sell gas, and rarely have windows open downtown or on other busy roads.
Studies have come out on the hazards of living close to busy thoroughfares. Of course, while FCEVs and EVs eliminate the toxic fumes and black ice issues of exhaust, they still have the particulates from tire wear.

 

How far do you drive every day? The 90D has an EPA range of 294 miles. Supercommutes are a thing, but those with them are a small part of the population. The majority of the population will use less than half of that range everyday. So a single 50 amp level 2 charger will be plenty for their needs.

A BEV isn't that much simpler than a FCEV. They both use the same electric drive train, and both have a battery. The BEV has a much larger battery with charger, and FCEV gets a fuel cell plus fuel system for it. The fuel cell is close to the battery in relationship, but are more expensive at the moment. The fuel system can be easy and cheap, but that is not the case with hydrogen.

All car companies need an EV for the ZEV mandate, and they also balance out more profitable ICE models for CAFE. Not only does a plug in use those high MPGe figures for CAFE, but each one sold counts as more than one car for it(around 1.2 to 1.7 each).

Being forced to offer an EV, or selling one to help the overall balance sheet, doesn't mean they are pouring money into the cars.

 

Your words, not mine.

I was thinking of the $70B VW has stated their intent to invest in EV; and Ford's $11B (close to half their "R&D" budget.)
Even GM has stated grandiose plans for car electrification, fwiw.

 

And Fiat's CEO begged people not to buy the 500e because they lost money on each one.
Then when car execs speak electrification, they also include hybrids without a plug.

 

FCV is electric too, just with a different power source.

 

If you are alluding to the GM announcement, it was uncharacteristically careful in separating out 'full EV' from the generic electrification you are writing about.

I was not including Fiat. Or Toyota for that matter, even though they do seem to have smelled the roses lately. Honda has.

 

This is Tesla putting money where your mouth is. I call this a commitment.

Gigafactory 1 - Wikipedia

 

This is where enthusiasts like us spreading the word, influential folks like Elon Musk, strong Government pushes in China, EU (e.g., Norway), etc., and especially momentum built up so far, makes all the difference.


iPhone ? Pro

 

No doubt true, but much of hybrid technology -- including motors, generators, batteries, transmissions, and controls -- provides a test bed for many of the components necessary to make plug-ins and full EVs feasible. This is true for concepts, designs, engineering, and production.

As I posted elsewhere in PriusChat: Making a major transition in any industry's core technology is never easy and never inexpensive. However, sometimes it becomes clear that major strategic changes are unavoidable. Consider the "phone companies" who have mostly abandoned their huge legacy investment in copper wire plant and equipment to adopt digital products running over fiber optic cable. It wasn't cheap and it wasn't easy, but it was necessary.

Sure, some of what automobile companies announce is just public relations fluff, but Reuters reported this week from the Detroit auto show:

• Ford Motor Company plans to invest $11-billion in electric vehicles and have 40 hybrid and fully electric vehicles in production by 2022 – 16 will be fully electric and the other 24 plug-in hybrids.

• GM said it will be adding 20 new battery electric and fuel cell vehicles to its global lineup by 2023, financed by robust profits from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles in the United States and China.

• Volkswagen said it plans to spend $40 billion on electric cars, autonomous driving and new mobility services by the end of 2022.

• GM, Toyota and Volkswagen also plan to aggressively expand their electric vehicle offerings, including vehicles which target consumers who want luxury, performance in an electric SUV.

Much of this is being driven by changes in consumer desires and by government regulation outside of the United States. It is no longer possible to produce vehicles solely for the US market -- but it is still necessary to produce vehicles which fit US lifestyles and infrastructure. Hence, we're going to continue seeing the industry move toward global technologies. It has no choice.

 

I neither entirely agree nor nor disagree. Basically what you’re saying is true, but I think there’s also a lot of truth in this too:

iPhone ? Pro

 

Who's the one that's a second grader?