Your next EV

[Guss-E 2021]

Here is what I would like from my next EV- no drama- software that works and if it needs to get fixed the fix doesn’t break other things.

I know I am dreaming

It's not an unreasonable dream. Not in 2023. I get software updates and patches weekly on my tech and it doesn't break. Samsung, Nvidia, Philips Hue, TP-Link, all of these companies are able to push out software updates to their hardware without issue, often improving the user experience. These are products I've had for years and for that very reason.

I've stated countless times that Ford is obviously not a software company. Yet if it is going to sell vehicles with software such an integral part of the user interface and experience, it needs to become one. Fast.

In my first year of ownership, I'm not seeing this. And by all accounts, the Chinese are nailing smooth, reliable software in cars Xpeng (Ja-peng) has the most amazing, nearly instantaneous voice controls of any product I've ever seen. Now, I've got numerous issues with Chinese products, particularly Chinese tech. But regardless of that, the fact remains these Chinese car companies are kicking legacy automakers butts on software integration in their cars.

Ford needs a stronger relationship with Google or Apple or any company that understands how to properly integrate software with its hardware.

I'm only a year into my car so Ford has some years to work this shit out before losing me as a customer.

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[BalsaDust]

Impossible to foresee the future but if things go like they are now, everything in the future will be subscription based!
I plan on keeping my MME until either it or I expire and I look forward to having the longest lasting MME around.
At my age there really isnt anything else I want but I have been in talks with Factory Five Racing about their possible partnership with an EV conversion company. I know EV West is offering conversion kits as bolt in conversions but I preffer to stay all Ford versus the used tesla hardware and batteries they offer.

Tony

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I don’t have brand loyalty since my brand has been dead for nearly 2 decades.

Hmmm, you never struck me as a Yugo kind of guy, Steve!

 

[ARK]

With the laughable price of $800 for BC. What will be your next EV after your 3 years trail expires? I predict in 3 years when there's new technology, with longer battery range, quicker charge, better self driving, ect... And over price BC people will be trading in their Mach-E for new EV. But I don't think they will be Ford after screwing the price.

Just remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch. If car manufacturers thinks this type of autonomous driving is worth this much, you will pay for it one way or the other on a future purchase, whether they copy Ford with a high monthly/annual subscription, or whether it is baked into the vehicle purchase price.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Hmmm, you never struck me as a Yugo kind of guy, Steve!

Seeing all of the hate I've gotten from Brand X guys, I guess my Yugo preference was good?

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Seeing all of the hate I've gotten from Brand X guys, I guess my Yugo preference was good?

Yeah, no one evvver hated a Yugo

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Yeah, no one evvver hated a Yugo

Sandy Munroe would have loved its fasteners.

 

[doogie63]

Just remember, there is no such thing as a free lunch. If car manufacturers thinks this type of autonomous driving is worth this much, you will pay for it one way or the other on a future purchase, whether they copy Ford with a high monthly/annual subscription, or whether it is baked into the vehicle purchase price.

But it will be like cable TV pricing to high so people cut the cord and go with streaming. Now that their are plenty of streaming cost are lower then cable. Plus it really doesn't cost them anything for you to have. Just like cable TV they pay each network. Then they try to have enough customers to pay that bill and make a profit. That's why when you call and say lower or I will cancel. They easily give you a discount for that year. It's going to be the same for Ford. If you keep it or cancel it does not cost them anything extra. The car already has the equipment so their nothing different on their end they need to do that would cost them more money. Updating maps may cost them if they buy new one every year to send out to cars. Running your A/C doesn't cost Ford any money either. Equipment is there already. There is a price point and once you go over that point you start to lose money. People stop buying.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Yeah, no one evvver hated a Yugo

Except for the C#@vy guys around here back in the '80s. They hated everything that doesn't have a bow tie on it, but especially other GM brands. And Yugos.

 

[ARK]

But it will be like cable TV pricing to high so people cut the cord and go with streaming. Now that their are plenty of streaming cost are lower then cable. Plus it really doesn't cost them anything for you to have. Just like cable TV they pay each network. Then they try to have enough customers to pay that bill and make a profit. That's why when you call and say lower or I will cancel. They easily give you a discount for that year. It's going to be the same for Ford. If you keep it or cancel it does not cost them anything extra. The car already has the equipment so their nothing different on their end they need to do that would cost them more money. Updating maps may cost them if they buy new one every year to send out to cars. Running your A/C doesn't cost Ford any money either. Equipment is there already. There is a price point and once you go over that point you start to lose money. People stop buying.

That’s a good example. But streaming is only cheaper if you focus on what you really want and jettison everything else. If you try to recreate the million channels you have with cable, the savings with streaming disappear.

I hate the idea of subscriptions, but at the same time, if it lets me more specifically pick and choose what features I want on my car, that’s not the worst thing in the world.

If autonomous driving is going to cost tremendous amounts of money to develop, sooner or later, one way or another, that’s going to show up in the pricing.

It’s like finding out how much ESPN and HBO add to your cable bill compared to some no-name random cable-only channel. No way getting around that, even if you try and go with alternatives to traditional cable.

 

[phil]

If autonomous driving is going to cost tremendous amounts of money to develop, sooner or later, one way or another, that’s going to show up in the pricing.

Or perhaps it will show up in the bankruptcy of the developers, who spent all that money on a product that is ultimately not very valuable to consumers.

Driving a car is not hard work for a human being.

 

[Mirak]

the BlueCruise pricing drama has no impact on me or my future buying decisions - it's a ford pricing exercise that they are fumbling with its first adopters so that isn't great. i'm more interested in how they handle the software stability and updates overall. i generally keep my cars for a long time (current 335i is a 2007) so we'll see how well the Mach-E holds up.

i do like watching a spectacular train wreck though...

Agree. I’m lucky enough that the price increase won’t be an issue until 1/1/2027. But this is fun to watch from a standpoint of behavioral economics.

 

[Billyk24]

Not looking to switch because of BlueCruise. But in like 5-7 years when it's time to replace my Explorer I'd be seriously looking at the Ford EV Explorer (depends on the DCFC infrastructure in the UP of Michigan too).

UP of Michigan continues rolling out single or double station 50 and 62.5 kW chargers. Top of thr world reached a 175kW version!

 

[Teslaeata]

We are keeping the Mustang for a long, long time. I have approximately zero interest in any kind of autopilot, so the BC pricing foolishness doesn't mean anything to me.

We're looking to add to the stable. Our next EV may be a second Mustang. Or it will be a truck with a real towing range of at least 250 miles. It depends on the race condition of our savings account vs used Mustang price decreases vs availability of a pickup with the range we need and the price we can afford.

I don't have brand loyalty, but I am picky about where I spend my money. As long as brand t keeps its current CEO, I won't buy anything from them. And I would never buy the CT in its current fugliness even if they do finally get an adult as CEO.

Pretty much ditto.

Bought outright, no interest in BC beyond the standard function which already works as much as I would ever be comfortable with, T would have to do something serious with their design AND their CEO or buy and sink £millions into my local football (soccer) team.

I’m 57,000 miles coming up to 2nd year-end, it works like a horse and if this transmission whine is nothing or gets fixed will probably run it into the ground for a project.

Nothing should wear and it’s a lovely car.

Going in for 2-year service early June before it’s out of its 60k warranty.

May get it wrapped when I feel like spending some money on it, not sure what colour though Bullit Highland Green is favourite choice at the moment!

 

[Teslaeata]

This Forum is not a representative sample of MME owners. There will always be an outsized number of complaints in an enthusiast's forum as compared to the average MME owner. Whatever that average owner is, outside of a relative few, they generally do not reside here.

Agreed! This is always the way.

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