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Because EVs are expensive they must appeal to the market who is willing to spend more and that market needs cars to be fun.

by rapsey 4y ago

saiya-jin 4y ago
Fun as acceleration is not really the interesting part of car fun. That's tight cornering, well-balanced front and back, feeling of total control and precision of big chunk of metal and similar. I do mean on regular roads and not just tracks, there its even more crucial. But this requires from manufacturer much more than just slapping a heavy battery and putting the power of it straight to the wheels... whole platform needs to be fine-tuned in many aspects to achieve this. In normal price category BMW delivers this better than most peers in their classical models like 3 series. I had one for 10 years, only 200 HP V6 diesel but it was an excellent car for the driver, I properly enjoyed every drive that wasn't about cities and traffic jams. I certainly never felt I needed more power. Also very well balanced mechanical connection of steering wheel to straight to front wheels gave the connection to the car that no modern electronic cars including Porsche can deliver (and EVs are not even trying in any of this regard). There are problems with this though, most buyers willing to pay premium are in traffic jams and cities, so you are not getting most of the value brands like BMW deliver. Then you are only left with acceleration part (well not that much in those traffic jams). Also it requires driving skills that take years to build with just driving the car (certainly for me, I wasn't using full potential of the car for maybe first 5 years of ownership), unlike just slamming gas pedal and holding steering wheel for your life.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- slaw 4y ago
  > That's tight cornering, well-balanced front and back, feeling of total control and precision of big chunk of metal and similar. That is nor really the interesting part of car fun, neither is acceleration. Going to barely accessible trailhead high in the mountains, fording streams, going on a narrow mountain road, that what makes car driving interesting. I always look in a car 1) what is the biggest tire I can fit, should be at least 33 inches 2) ground clearance 3) suspension travel.
  - brianwawok 4y ago
    Thats not the interesting part of car fun. The part that is fun to me is to drive a couple hundred miles with the car doing the lane centering and passing for me, so I arrive fresh.
    - slaw 4y ago
      On a highway I don't care for lane centering and passing, I want car to drive itself while I am taking a nap.
      - brianwawok 4y ago
        That would be a fine next step. Can’t buy today though.
        forgotpwd16 4y ago
        Can but it's a coin flip whether you reach your destination or end up in a ditch.
michaelt 4y ago
In that case, I can't understand why so many EVs are ugly-ass crossovers. Who the hell has said to themselves well, the Ford Mustang is great, but it would be much more fun if instead of being a 2-door convertible, it was a practical family car and had 4 doors so you can help little Khaleesi into her car seat? Who are these car designers saying the Lotus Elise is an iconic 2-seater roadster with a very low driving position, but you know what would be even more fun? A 4-door crossover with a much higher driving position, so our elderly and overweight customers can get in and out without straining their knees?
- cjrp 4y ago
  Lotus make a 2-seat roadster EV https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/evija https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/evija. So they're trying to cover different segments.
- travisporter 4y ago
  I’m in the market for a car and the short answer is my partner wants room
- forgotpwd16 4y ago
  >A 4-door crossover with a much higher driving position Wonder how weight distribution (batteries placed within frame at bottom) of EVs impacts driving.
  - Tagbert 4y ago
    EVs generally have very stable cornering as they don’t roll much due to the low weight and they have a 50/50 weight distribution. Having said that, they are heavy and so are not nimble in switching directions.
- klooney 4y ago
  Cars are unpopular, crossovers are popular. That's what the people want.

Because EVs are expensive they must appeal to the market who is willing to spend more and that market needs cars to be fun.

by rapsey 4y ago

Because EVs are expensive they must appeal to the market who is willing to spend more and that market needs cars to be fun.

saiya-jin 4y ago

Fun as acceleration is not really the interesting part of car fun. That's tight cornering, well-balanced front and back, feeling of total control and precision of big chunk of metal and similar. I do mean on regular roads and not just tracks, there its even more crucial. But this requires from manufacturer much more than just slapping a heavy battery and putting the power of it straight to the wheels... whole platform needs to be fine-tuned in many aspects to achieve this. In normal price category BMW delivers this better than most peers in their classical models like 3 series. I had one for 10 years, only 200 HP V6 diesel but it was an excellent car for the driver, I properly enjoyed every drive that wasn't about cities and traffic jams. I certainly never felt I needed more power. Also very well balanced mechanical connection of steering wheel to straight to front wheels gave the connection to the car that no modern electronic cars including Porsche can deliver (and EVs are not even trying in any of this regard). There are problems with this though, most buyers willing to pay premium are in traffic jams and cities, so you are not getting most of the value brands like BMW deliver. Then you are only left with acceleration part (well not that much in those traffic jams). Also it requires driving skills that take years to build with just driving the car (certainly for me, I wasn't using full potential of the car for maybe first 5 years of ownership), unlike just slamming gas pedal and holding steering wheel for your life.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
slaw 4y ago
> That's tight cornering, well-balanced front and back, feeling of total control and precision of big chunk of metal and similar. That is nor really the interesting part of car fun, neither is acceleration. Going to barely accessible trailhead high in the mountains, fording streams, going on a narrow mountain road, that what makes car driving interesting. I always look in a car 1) what is the biggest tire I can fit, should be at least 33 inches 2) ground clearance 3) suspension travel.
- brianwawok 4y ago
  Thats not the interesting part of car fun. The part that is fun to me is to drive a couple hundred miles with the car doing the lane centering and passing for me, so I arrive fresh.
  - slaw 4y ago
    On a highway I don't care for lane centering and passing, I want car to drive itself while I am taking a nap.
    - brianwawok 4y ago
      That would be a fine next step. Can’t buy today though.
      - forgotpwd16 4y ago
        Can but it's a coin flip whether you reach your destination or end up in a ditch.

michaelt 4y ago

In that case, I can't understand why so many EVs are ugly-ass crossovers. Who the hell has said to themselves well, the Ford Mustang is great, but it would be much more fun if instead of being a 2-door convertible, it was a practical family car and had 4 doors so you can help little Khaleesi into her car seat? Who are these car designers saying the Lotus Elise is an iconic 2-seater roadster with a very low driving position, but you know what would be even more fun? A 4-door crossover with a much higher driving position, so our elderly and overweight customers can get in and out without straining their knees?

cjrp 4y ago
Lotus make a 2-seat roadster EV https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/evija https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/evija. So they're trying to cover different segments.
travisporter 4y ago
I’m in the market for a car and the short answer is my partner wants room
forgotpwd16 4y ago
>A 4-door crossover with a much higher driving position Wonder how weight distribution (batteries placed within frame at bottom) of EVs impacts driving.
- Tagbert 4y ago
  EVs generally have very stable cornering as they don’t roll much due to the low weight and they have a 50/50 weight distribution. Having said that, they are heavy and so are not nimble in switching directions.
klooney 4y ago
Cars are unpopular, crossovers are popular. That's what the people want.