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[–] 5 points 1 day ago* (3 children)

Yeah, in the US the attitude has been changing dramatically fast recently. The combination of the Iran war fucking gas prices and the 2025/2026 model year bringing sub-four-second 0-100km to less than $50,000 has really convinced even some of the hardliners (and it helps that car manufacturers finally realized EVs don't have to look like dumpy sedans any more, LOOKING AT YOU TOYOTA). And Rivian proving EVs can offroad has really launched an entirely new market, which has been great fun.

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  • [–] 1 point 15 hours ago (1 child)

    You say that but EV sales in the US are down 20% compared to last year.

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  • [–] 1 point 11 hours ago*

    Why yes. Yes I do say that.

    Retail sales of the battery-electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models qualifying for the incentive fell 26.6% and 13.9% year over year, respectively. Even with those declines, electrified vehicles, including BEVs, PHEVs and hybrids (HEVs), accounted for 26.9% of U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, according to Urban Science’s daily new-vehicle sales data through June 30, 2026.

    (source)

    If you're interested, this article has a great breakdown on the LDLS aspects of the car market right now.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 day ago (1 child)

    and it helps that car manufacturers finally realized EVs don’t have to look like dumpy sedans any more

    Yea now we get to choose between hatchback on stilts that doesn't have all-wheel drive, hatchback on stilts that gets AWD as an expensive option but still won't be any good off road, as well as wagons on stilts. Ooh and also sedans on stilts.

    Fuck this crossover craze, give me back sedans and wagons. An SUV should have actual ground clearance and be able to reliably drive more than one wheel in slippery conditions, not when a computer demands it. If it doesn't that, it's just a hatchback or wagon on stilts.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 child)

    I'm sorry, I can't hear your reasonable desires and lamentations for the state of the industry, I'm too busy doing a 3.5s 0-100km in The Absolute Most Confusing EV Ever Produced

    I mean admittedly I absolutely want one (lmao not for $115k) but only for the sheer perversity of it (it is objectively worse than any other option. On several metrics it even manages to suck worse than the cybertruck). And since I'm not exactly a member of a large demographic, certainly not large enough to support an entire product line like this, I'm damned curious just what the fuck market segment they think they're targeting with this one.

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  • [–] 1 point 16 hours ago (1 child)

    I'd take that over a "Crossover SUV" any day of the week. It's stupid, but it's more of an SUV than a VW ID.4 or a BYD ATTO 2, the latter being available ONLY in FWD. Like if those crossovers are what someone wants, they can get by with a normal height car too. If they have back issues or want to go off road, the crossovers aren't tall enough anyway and I suspect most will fare worse than my wagon off road.

    I’m damned curious just what the fuck market segment they think they’re targeting with this one.

    People who have nostalgia because they wanted a Hummer H2 back in the day but were either kids, or too poor because they were just getting into the workforce, I'm assuming. If you care more about the size and the shape than the thirsty V8, this is a better deal I guess

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  • [–] 1 point 11 hours ago

    In defense of a crossover:

    they can get by with a normal height car too.

    The prevelance of tall EVs is down to a couple factors: how dangerous impacts to the battery pack are with Li or Co chemistry EVs, and the increased suspension requirements because of how damn heavy they, and the aim to keep from bottoming out your suspension. Along with the lessened concern about fuel efficiency, making a vehicle into a crossover by extending the suspension instead of having a sedan or classic hatchback just makes sense.

    Admittedly though I have a crossover EV that I got specifically for the increased ride height (surprisingly hard to find, really). The additional clearance when driving thru a field or down a driveway (or on a rally course, the real reason I got it...) brings peace of mind. I also have very niche issues: my partner is over 6' and simply does not fit in things like the EV6 or a Prius. I wear 6"+ platform boots frequently so the extra clearance is nice. etc. Mine is about as capable of offroad as my subie was, so "no issue driving across a pasture or down logging roads" but nothing more than that, and that's fine for my purposes.

    It also sits in a pleasant niche where I can fit a 2x4 in it with the trunk closed (and the end on the dash lol), but it still fits in a compact parking space, and there's enough passenger space to fit five drunk furries and their cannon in the back, on those evenings where that's relevant.

    But admittedly my use-case is not all that common, and the market is slightly oversaturated with significantly less useful crossovers (RAV4, IX, fucking Mach-E).

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  • [–] 3 points 1 day ago (1 child)

    Yanks don't know what high fuel prices are

    They just have shitty, inefficient vehicles, because they make cars and motorbikes that are a metaphor for their country

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  • [–] 2 points 1 day ago (1 child)
  • Yep!

    Lazy, all about making things bigger rather than better, the thought of something resembling agility is truly terrifying

    And obnoxious. Being obnoxious is a feature

    I had a neighbour ask if my motorbike was electric, because they never hear me being an obnoxious cunt

    It's a 2008 bike, but my penis size isn't correlated with how much noise I can make

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