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Why does everyone always compare with Tesla when Hyundai, Kia, Renault, and Nissan already have cars that are either cheaper than the VW or very similar in pric

Why does everyone always compare with Tesla when Hyundai, Kia, Renault, and Nissan already have cars that are either cheaper than the VW or very similar in price? The Zoe is surely an electric car for the masses and is the best selling electric car in Europe measured over the period 2010 to 2017. And you can get one for about EU 25 000, at least in the UK. See https://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/new-cars/renault/zoe/renault-zoe-hatchback-electric-5-doors-range https://www.exchangeandmart.co.uk/new-cars/renault/zoe/renau... and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_electric_vehicles_in_Europe#Top_selling_plug-in_models https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_electric_vehicles_in_E...

WorldMaker 7y ago
US-centrism is a part of it. Renault don't sell anything in the US. Nissan America may as well be called Datsun [1] for how well it currently reflects Nissan's fleet in Europe and Asia. The Leaf is Nissan America's ugly stepchild that they barely advertise, were forced to sell by "dad" (Nissan Group), and most Americans probably don't remember exists. Similarly Hyundai and Kia have much different overall US fleets than European ones, and have been slow to bring their EV options to US markets. (Just as VW is targeting 2020 for Europe ID.3 sales, but has made no word of when US sales might start. Or Honda America is entirely ignoring the Honda e.) As far as most of the US is concerned it really is just Tesla to compare with for EV sales. (GM's Bolt maybe the only other footnote to that.) [1] At one point Ghosn even tried to rebrand most of Nissan America's (gas guzzling, oversized) vehicles directly to Datsun in a strategy to make them easier to sell off/kill once EVs actually catch on in the US. No idea if that sort of plan still exists at Nissan Group post-Ghosn.
sweden 7y ago
Long story short: Renault Zoe is actually a terrible car. As it was the previous versions of the Nissan Leaf. The reason why they sold quite a few number of cars is because they were the only ones in the market within their price range. Why are they terrible? Mandatory battery rental, low range, expensive when compared to their ICE counterparts and no active cooling of their batteries which made them degrade a lot over a short time. Those electric offerings were just some lazy attempts of expanding their product range to electric and they weren't true attempts to make a good electric product.
- clouddrover 7y ago
  > Mandatory battery rental You can buy the batteries these days: https://www.electrive.com/2019/07/01/new-battery-old-price-updated-renault-zoe-in-germany/ https://www.electrive.com/2019/07/01/new-battery-old-price-u...

WorldMaker 7y ago

US-centrism is a part of it. Renault don't sell anything in the US. Nissan America may as well be called Datsun [1] for how well it currently reflects Nissan's fleet in Europe and Asia. The Leaf is Nissan America's ugly stepchild that they barely advertise, were forced to sell by "dad" (Nissan Group), and most Americans probably don't remember exists. Similarly Hyundai and Kia have much different overall US fleets than European ones, and have been slow to bring their EV options to US markets. (Just as VW is targeting 2020 for Europe ID.3 sales, but has made no word of when US sales might start. Or Honda America is entirely ignoring the Honda e.) As far as most of the US is concerned it really is just Tesla to compare with for EV sales. (GM's Bolt maybe the only other footnote to that.) [1] At one point Ghosn even tried to rebrand most of Nissan America's (gas guzzling, oversized) vehicles directly to Datsun in a strategy to make them easier to sell off/kill once EVs actually catch on in the US. No idea if that sort of plan still exists at Nissan Group post-Ghosn.

sweden 7y ago

Long story short: Renault Zoe is actually a terrible car. As it was the previous versions of the Nissan Leaf. The reason why they sold quite a few number of cars is because they were the only ones in the market within their price range. Why are they terrible? Mandatory battery rental, low range, expensive when compared to their ICE counterparts and no active cooling of their batteries which made them degrade a lot over a short time. Those electric offerings were just some lazy attempts of expanding their product range to electric and they weren't true attempts to make a good electric product.

clouddrover 7y ago
> Mandatory battery rental You can buy the batteries these days: https://www.electrive.com/2019/07/01/new-battery-old-price-updated-renault-zoe-in-germany/ https://www.electrive.com/2019/07/01/new-battery-old-price-u...