4 ms·

He didn't say how they were sold - dealers - mail order, etc, or how they were marketed. I don't recall ever seeing one, or even hearing of them, which makes m

by oblib 7y ago

He didn't say how they were sold - dealers - mail order, etc, or how they were marketed. I don't recall ever seeing one, or even hearing of them, which makes me wonder if they were marketed at all in Los Angeles back then. I wouldn't be surprised to learn they were not.

jonathankoren 7y ago
Surprisingly, I found one in Carterville, Illinois back in the early 2000s. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen outside an episode of “3-2-1 Contact” back in the early 80s. I distinctly remember watching television, seeing a street full of these things and thinking, “Why would anyone want an electric car? They look stupid.” And you know what? The did. Every electric car looked stupid, including General Motors’s EV-1. That is until the Tesla Roadster. Tesla may eventually flame out in a pile of debt and mismanagement, but Tesla changed the industry by making practical electric cars that looked like cars that someone would want to buy. There’s no going back from that. Kudos.
- oblib 7y ago
  I'm surprised I never heard of them. Any car company startup that sold over 2000 units in a year back then would have been very notable. I suspect it's because they really weren't a good car for LA which was built for cars from almost the beginning. The hills and traffic would've be horrible for the CitiCar. And yes, Tesla has changed the industry and has been the only American car company that really has in the past 70 years, which is truly remarkable. I'm still amazed at how much they've moved the entire industry. I hope they keep on going. What they (we) really need, and I'd expect they're working on it, is a smaller, more affordable car. "A car for the masses", something in the $15-25k range. It won't need any of the self driving functions and 100-150 mile range would be enough for the target market.

4 ms·

He didn't say how they were sold - dealers - mail order, etc, or how they were marketed. I don't recall ever seeing one, or even hearing of them, which makes m

by oblib 7y ago

jonathankoren 7y ago
Surprisingly, I found one in Carterville, Illinois back in the early 2000s. It’s the only one I’ve ever seen outside an episode of “3-2-1 Contact” back in the early 80s. I distinctly remember watching television, seeing a street full of these things and thinking, “Why would anyone want an electric car? They look stupid.” And you know what? The did. Every electric car looked stupid, including General Motors’s EV-1. That is until the Tesla Roadster. Tesla may eventually flame out in a pile of debt and mismanagement, but Tesla changed the industry by making practical electric cars that looked like cars that someone would want to buy. There’s no going back from that. Kudos.
- oblib 7y ago
  I'm surprised I never heard of them. Any car company startup that sold over 2000 units in a year back then would have been very notable. I suspect it's because they really weren't a good car for LA which was built for cars from almost the beginning. The hills and traffic would've be horrible for the CitiCar. And yes, Tesla has changed the industry and has been the only American car company that really has in the past 70 years, which is truly remarkable. I'm still amazed at how much they've moved the entire industry. I hope they keep on going. What they (we) really need, and I'd expect they're working on it, is a smaller, more affordable car. "A car for the masses", something in the $15-25k range. It won't need any of the self driving functions and 100-150 mile range would be enough for the target market.