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So, why can't we sell a car like this in the US at a similar price? Do we think there's no market?
by malwarebytess 6y ago
So, why can't we sell a car like this in the US at a similar price? Do we think there's no market?
- cblconfederate 6y agomaybe they d be good in population-dense europe , but US sprawl practically requires huge batteries
- mixmastamyk 6y ago^high speed/collisions in a tiny tin can.
- cblconfederate 6y agotiny cars are popular already .
- mixmastamyk 6y agoNot in the US, and especially not outside of cities. For the reasons I mentioned above. I'm a fan of them, but wouldn't want to be driving at full speed on a long-distance trip with one.
- lvs 6y ago80% of Americans live in an urban area. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-210.html https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/cb16-210...
- pwinnski 6y agoI drive a Fiat 500e with what they bill as an 84-mile range, and I live in a suburb of Dallas. I actually get closer to 100 than 84, but I am rarely concerned about the range, despite the extreme sprawl. But I know people who have commutes that would make driving my car nearly impossible, or at least impossible without mid-day charging.
- tyingq 6y agoSafety standards would make it more than $5k. You can probably find a high end enclosed golf cart with similar specs.
- jagger27 6y agoA less equipped Polaris runs north of $10k.
- throwaway0a5e 6y agoThe Poliaris has a bunch more money tied up in suspension than an economy subcompact.
- ardit33 6y agoThe Smart car brand failed in the US, and the Fiat 500 will be discontinued in the US. Americans just don't like small cars, (for obvious reasons, as if you are driving next to F-250 and GM Silverados, your car will feel unsafe). Also, in Cities, registration/parking/insurance cost quiet a bit, and those cars are usually charged full prices for parking. So, even in metro areas, the difference in total cost between a 13k (super small car) and a 23k midsize/compact car are not that much. If they have to go to the hassle of owning a car, folks in metro areas in the US, prefer a size up Now, in europe is a total difference. If you have driven in some Italian towns, you would understand that anything larger than a Toyta Corolla/Honda civic, would not fit in many streets and parking would be super hard. By necessity, you have to go down a size. I know, when I was looking to buy a car for my parent's home in Albania, I had to choose the smallest crossover possible, otherwise it wont be comfortable to drive in the tight roads of my neighborhood. (even VW Tiguan, would be too large).
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- sudosysgen 6y agoI mean, that's true, but at 4320$ I can't help but believe that there would be a sizeable market for it in the US.
- pwinnski 6y agoAt that price, they won't pass us crash-safety tests. Look at the British mini and compare it to the Cooper mini that ended up for sale here. And that's British vs US safety standards. I've spent enough time in China to know that the difference there would be even more extreme.
- markdown 6y agoAt those prices, there are vastly bigger addressable markets elsewhere.
- tsomctl 6y agoWhat's the demographic? If you can only afford a $4320 car, you're buying a 20 year old junker. (They aren't that expensive to maintain, if you only fix the drivetrain and safety parts. Find a shade tree mechanic (like me) that only charges $25 an hour.) If you can afford a more expensive car, the $4320 is going to be miserable to drive. Vague steering, poor brakes, terrible wind and tire noise, stiff suspension, uncomfortable seats, plasticy interior that rattles.
- mhh__ 6y agoPartly practicality (overblown but still true) and also My car is bigger than your car-itis