[Martinjlm]

Originally Posted by olrocker

Since you’re the “expert” with so much more “insider knowledge” than the rest of us you of all people should understand the US car market is DIFFERENT from the rest of the world.


It always has been and it always will be. Even 50 years from now.

The only thing that is truly different is the full size truck market and that's why it is protected (chicken tax). If another OEM is able to crack that nut, all bets are off. That's why Ford (Lightning) and GM (Hummer / Silverado EV / Sierra EV) over-reacted to Tesla's Cybertruck. If that thing had lived up to Elon's claims it could have put a serious dent in part of the full-size truck market and would not have been subject to the chicken tax. Thankfully, it didn't. But who's to say future attempts, especially with REEV technology, won't do that at some point in the future.

Originally Posted by olrocker

In America we have long, smooth, wide expansive highways that other than a few bits and pieces of Europe are NOTHING - and most Americans daily commute is on one of these long expansive highways to work and back.

I drive 25 miles each way. Mostly I-480 and I71 through the Cleveland area. If I’m not going at least 70+ I’m getting cussed out, brights flashed at, or worse. So I usually set my cruise at 75 and I’m good. In 60 mph zones mind you.

Americans have NEVER wanted, nor will they EVER want, the small efficient tiny cars you see in the rest of the world.

You know what else does very well on smooth, wide, expansive highways? Seven-passenger SUVs built in Georgia by S. Korean automakers. Take your pick, gas, hybrid or electric. Or maybe you'd prefer large Japanese or German sedans built in Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio or Canada. The ones that outsell by a mile the last couple of sedans made by US manufacturers (CT5 and Charger). Again, gas, hybrid or electric. Pick your poison.

Originally Posted by olrocker

The F150 is STILL one of if not THE best selling vehicle in America. Silverado, Ram Trucks, and Sierra are all top 5.

They’re today’s version of the ‘72 Caprice your Grandather drove.

And right up there with them are Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Tesla Model Y.

Originally Posted by olrocker

The American market is for big, roomy, comfortable trucks or cars that have V8 engines, run on gas, get 15 mpg, and can refill 30 gallons in 5 minutes.

Sure there’s”blips” over the years where “efficient” cars were the in thing.]

A large part of the US market is exactly that. But there is a large and growing part of the market that is midsized and compact utilities that are NOT protected by the chicken tax. Foreign manufacturers are dominating this space with both imported and in-country build of vehicles that fit that mold. Add to that the idea that for most EV buyers, they don't even need the 5 minutes to fill up 30 gallons, since they wake up every morning with a full tank. And for those that do "fill up" on the road, every improvement in battery tech shortens the time spent charging. The times I've had to spend charging away from home I've never gone beyond 30 minutes and the car is usually done charging by the time I come back from the rest room or buying food.

Originally Posted by olrocker

But let’s be honest: the only people who actually wanted EVs to begin with are tech geeks with pocket protectors and horn-rimmed glasses and Green Peace tree huggers who shower maybe once a month and their other hygiene is suspect at best.

For the rest of us normal, hard working, every day Americans we Weill continue to buy cars and trucks that simply don’t even fit down half the streets in Italy or Japan.

That was true for early adopters. We're way past that phase now. EV drivers are a lot more diverse than you give credit for.

Originally Posted by olrocker

So if manufacturers want to make REAL money in America, they’re going to make big cars and trucks with big gasoline V8 engines, and to make MORE money and INCREASE profits they can now remove all the expensive crap technology (auto start/stop, cylinder deactivation, direct injection, active grille radiator louvers, and half the O2 sensors) they’ve had to put on over the last 15 years and cut the price and STILL make more money.

They can still build the EVs and hybrids for the hippies and let THEM pay 3x the price since THEY want it so bad.

For the majority of Americans just give us the cars and trucks we want.

I trust that all automakers want to focus on providing what buyers want. But as buyers are presented with different options that can do everything their current vehicle can do and even more, the "what buyers want" element shifts. Buyers used to want big sedans. Try to find one now. Especially domestic. Buyers used to want muscle cars. I'll just let that one sit. Again, I'll ask you to look at what happened with Japanese cars coming to the market in the '70s / '80s. Nobody was supposed to want them. Then Honda Accord and Toyota Camry topped the sales list year after year. Then the Korean automakers came in in the '90s / 2000s. Cheap crap that always broke down. How are they selling now? They're not selling cheap crap any more. They're selling high end sedans and utilities. US automakers need to be in position to provide whatever the buyer wants now AND next. That's the only way to sustain a business.