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Going to need more used stock for people who can’t afford new, more specifically those who can’t afford the value cliff associated with a new car. The used mar

Going to need more used stock for people who can’t afford new, more specifically those who can’t afford the value cliff associated with a new car. The used market will naturally grow, but it will delay adoption.

deleted 3y ago
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wpietri 3y ago
The trouble with this approach is that people with less money then only get the things that got made for rich people and then set aside. When I got my first car, the thing many of my peers ended up with is the land yacht: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_yacht_(automobile) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_yacht_(automobile) I was very lucky to get a hand-me-down Japanese economy car. It was efficient and reliable. But my peers had to spend a lot more on gas and deal with more frequent repairs. The land yachts were expensive to operate because they were made for rich people but cheap to buy because they were out of fashion and not a great deal in the long term. I'd much rather see us producing low end models that people of modest means can buy new, ones designed for that market.
- mrguyorama 3y ago
  Indeed, poor people don't need a secondhand Escalade, they need a Geo Metro. But your average american seems to be willing to pay twice as much for gas and buy a truck for whatever reason.
  - falcolas 3y ago
    A second hand geo metro would cost even less, making it more attractive. The same will be true with Tesla model 3’s. Even $30k is a lot to spend on a vehicle.
- falcolas 3y ago
  It’s how the car market operates for most of the US today. Dealers make more off used sales than they do new.
nickthegreek 3y ago
Will it grow? If the battery packs are trash, there wont be an affordable used car market, as no one is going to drop $10k to replace the pack in a used car.
- elil17 3y ago
  People might accept a reduced range. I have no use for a range over ~150 miles and I could easily make do with 50 if I had to, so I would gladly buy a car with a "trashed" battery.
  - falcolas 3y ago
    Agreed. Even 50% of 300 miles is reasonable for commuting.
- falcolas 3y ago
  Well, battery packs generally have about the same lifespan as an engine, give or take. And with used cars will come used/refurbished battery packs for less than new ones.
- WorldMaker 3y ago
  Battery packs don't seem to be the problem at all in the used market. The number of used EVs that have entered the market that needed a battery pack replacement is statistically insignificant for most models. In fact, the current argument is that battery packs are "too good": The used market doesn't seem to be growing at the same rate of ICE turnover because of fewer maintenance costs over car lifetime. The median EV owner is keeping their car for 7+ years, which is an incredible jump compared to the historic 3- year first owner lifecycle of ICE. We are just about past the "early adopters naturally have higher attachment rates" line and there are some interesting questions if the used EV market will always look weirder than the used ICE market.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

wpietri 3y ago

The trouble with this approach is that people with less money then only get the things that got made for rich people and then set aside. When I got my first car, the thing many of my peers ended up with is the land yacht: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_yacht_(automobile) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_yacht_(automobile) I was very lucky to get a hand-me-down Japanese economy car. It was efficient and reliable. But my peers had to spend a lot more on gas and deal with more frequent repairs. The land yachts were expensive to operate because they were made for rich people but cheap to buy because they were out of fashion and not a great deal in the long term. I'd much rather see us producing low end models that people of modest means can buy new, ones designed for that market.

mrguyorama 3y ago
Indeed, poor people don't need a secondhand Escalade, they need a Geo Metro. But your average american seems to be willing to pay twice as much for gas and buy a truck for whatever reason.
- falcolas 3y ago
  A second hand geo metro would cost even less, making it more attractive. The same will be true with Tesla model 3’s. Even $30k is a lot to spend on a vehicle.
falcolas 3y ago
It’s how the car market operates for most of the US today. Dealers make more off used sales than they do new.

nickthegreek 3y ago

Will it grow? If the battery packs are trash, there wont be an affordable used car market, as no one is going to drop $10k to replace the pack in a used car.

elil17 3y ago
People might accept a reduced range. I have no use for a range over ~150 miles and I could easily make do with 50 if I had to, so I would gladly buy a car with a "trashed" battery.
- falcolas 3y ago
  Agreed. Even 50% of 300 miles is reasonable for commuting.
falcolas 3y ago
Well, battery packs generally have about the same lifespan as an engine, give or take. And with used cars will come used/refurbished battery packs for less than new ones.
WorldMaker 3y ago
Battery packs don't seem to be the problem at all in the used market. The number of used EVs that have entered the market that needed a battery pack replacement is statistically insignificant for most models. In fact, the current argument is that battery packs are "too good": The used market doesn't seem to be growing at the same rate of ICE turnover because of fewer maintenance costs over car lifetime. The median EV owner is keeping their car for 7+ years, which is an incredible jump compared to the historic 3- year first owner lifecycle of ICE. We are just about past the "early adopters naturally have higher attachment rates" line and there are some interesting questions if the used EV market will always look weirder than the used ICE market.