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My sense is that automakers believe that low-emissions cars will not sell well unless people can acquire them as a means of signalling virtue and wealth. In oth
by DamnInteresting 7y ago
My sense is that automakers believe that low-emissions cars will not sell well unless people can acquire them as a means of signalling virtue and wealth. In other words, unless the car is instantly identifiable as a fancy new EV, a large subset of potential buyers will lack interest.
I suspect this is mostly myth propped up by apocryphal assertions that Prius sold well due to its distinct look. But I am just a long-time curious observer, not an expert.
- Smoosh 7y agoIt's interesting then, that the new Peugeot 208 range has identical bodywork across the range regardless of whether they have electric, petrol or diesel drivetrains. Personally, I'm disappointed when a car isn't designed from scratch to take full advantage of the packaging options of an electric drivetrain, but see this as a reasonable compromise for manufacturers at the present time.
- kalleboo 7y ago> I suspect this is mostly myth propped up by apocryphal assertions that Prius sold well due to its distinct look What I read was that the sales of Toyota's hybrid versions of their "normal-looking cars" (Camry Hybrid, etc) were disappointing in comparison to the Prius (especially if the theory is that people were avoiding the Prius due to design and would prefer a less-radical car that still got great gas mileage). I don't know if there's any truth to that.
- davidgould 7y ago> automakers believe that low-emissions cars will not sell well unless people can acquire them as a means of signalling virtue and wealth That's totally why I bought my sweet sexy Spark EV.
- tomp 7y agoUK might be taking an interesting approach, they're thinking of making different registration plates (green) for EV cars...