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> Ford does not need to iterate and refine its way to a truck that is suitable for real work, they've had that down for a long time. Plus they have a massive n
by Melting_Harps 4y ago
> Ford does not need to iterate and refine its way to a truck that is suitable for real work, they've had that down for a long time. Plus they have a massive network.
You're missing the biggest obstacle here after manufacturing, charging is incredibly difficult in many cases entirely impossible due to a lack maintenance on 3rd party charging stations.
Here is a Bloomberg article outlining what happens more often than not due to this [0].
After many years working for Japanese and German auto manufacturers this exactly why I argue Tesla isn't really a car company, they seem to be more of an energy and software company using cars that utilize their energy grid and technology.
What they've done under people's noses is to offset the costs of creating an ever-expanding charging network through the sell and pre-sell deposits of their cars that are always delayed yet still continue to yield seemingly obscene stock valuation in comparison to the rest of the Auto manufacturers combined.
From this POV the hype isn't so much from the cars, but rather the hype of them getting closer to disrupting all the peripheral Industries: they just got approval to provide auto insurance in more states in the US which if you've owned driven a Tesla in the Bay Area or LA it's a large expense of owning a Tesla because of how often they are vandalized or broken into. They are also able to offer more competitive rates based on actual driving metrics, which to me is an indication of where things have been going for some time in that Industry as cars became more like computers and is way more intrusive than what I can stomach.
I still think the total Cybertruck deposits were more of a meme hyhypee and marketing ploy than an actual gauge or real projection of deliverable vehicles because the sum was so low ($100). They did however, get a massive boost to their stock price and an interest free loan they could leverage so it was a total win for Tesla.
Aesthetically, it's very polarizing; I personally like it as it's Cyberpunk aesthetics are amusing to me, also the immense size of it is comical but then most 'heavy duty' trucks in the US all are.
I still remember seeing lifted Fords, Dodges doing +100 MPH in Southern Texas while driving down to SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica and thinking how absurd those things were (seeing literal packs of automotive dinosaurs barreling down the freeway was insane) and then I saw that gas $0.99 and figured if you could align the right incentives the Cybertruck had a real shot take at taking significant part of the Market Share once oil prices reached a realistic value: how much of that market share is anyone guess.
0: https://archive.ph/LCxxO https://archive.ph/LCxxO
- clouddrover 4y agoI think quantified meant Ford's dealership and maintenance network.
- Melting_Harps 4y ago> I think quantified meant Ford's dealership and maintenance network. I'm well aware of that, which is why I think the comparison is not a suitable one. What good are truck sales if you have not ensured a way for your (ideally returning) customers to have a reliable way to charge them over long(er) distances? You just proved why the Super Charger station is the real lynch-pin in this Industry to anyone considering buying an EV. It's putting the literal cart before the horse in terms of EV deployment.
- clouddrover 4y ago> What good are truck sales if you have not ensured a way for your (ideally returning) customers to have a reliable way to charge them over long(er) distances? That is what Ford is doing: https://fordauthority.com/2021/12/ford-mustang-mach-e-charge-angels-program-details-revealed/ https://fordauthority.com/2021/12/ford-mustang-mach-e-charge... And it's not like CCS cars can't out-road trip Tesla cars in the US: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFQZhR-PRVo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFQZhR-PRVo The main issue at the moment is that the North American EV market is about one third the size of the EV market in Europe. As more CCS cars get on the road and the chargers see higher utilization the reliability will also improve.