New platforms were announced but Ford has been mum about what it will place on them. The launch just showed some vague hints.
It is difficult to fit large enough batteries for 300+ miles of range in small vehicles. Wallstreet and consumers didn't super excited about the bolt and leaf so automakers would rather go up a size and in price to hit more exciting range numbers. Europeans may accept lower range options because gasoline costs so much more that it makes cheap ice alternatives less attractive.
Packaging is another challenge, but GM has obviously figured it out. I agree that 300+ miles is nice future-state target, but 250 miles is plenty reasonable when you compare to what's on the market today.
And that's no surprise - those vehicles are about as dull as they come. But it doesn't have to be that way. For example, people love a Crosstrek, whatever little Jeeplets Stelantis is churning out, not to mention the droves of HR-Vs, Buick Encores, and CX-3s (now CX-30s).
The market for <= 200 mile range EVs is definitely larger in Europe than it is in the US (where it is tiny today and will likely always be). At the same time Europeans seem to be as attracted to the Teslas, Mach-Es, and whatever other longer range EVs are sold over there as we are here. VW offers shorter range battery options in Europe than they do here, but they also offer the long range ones as well.
Nobody is lining up and waiting months or years to buy a Bolt, Leaf or Ioniq.....well, maybe the Ioniq BEV but that was only available in some ZEV states if I remember correctly.
Sure, that’s sound logic. However, as I say, there are several small, lower cost (relatively speaking) EVs on the market already, some relatively new like the Kona EV. So business cases can clearly be made. I just think it is a bit short-sighted to let this market languish as newer models ramp up in other segments.
And yet the Bolt still outsells the Mach-E. So sales numbers aren’t necessarily a barrier. We know margins can be a barrier, but as noted above, existing examples show that that challenge has been handled before.
Yes, that’s it exactly. And yet, like I say, all the pieces are there. MEB exists and can be licensed, just like Ford is doing in Europe.
it’s certainly not a subcompact SUV at any rate. It’s some 20 inches longer than an ID.3 which is a very space efficient vehicle due to the dedicated EV architecture. That’s an enormous size differential.
There’s a reason I didn’t mention the EcoSport - it’s not competitive. Look at the sales numbers for some of the ones I named. They may not be top 10% market vehicles, but this segment is absolutely hot, and growing. That’s why you have automakers racing to replace small passenger cars with small SUVs like the Nissan Kicks, Kia Seltos, Chevy Trailblazer, and a number of others.
