Honda says making cheap electric vehicles is too hard, ends deal with GM::The platform was to use GM’s Ultium batteries.

  • Pxtl@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    30
    arrow-down
    8
    ·
    1 year ago

    Imho, the problem is that North American roads are not safe for small vehicles. If you’re a suburbanite who spends an hour in your car every day on expressways full of trucks and SUVs, you don’t generally want to be in a slow, tiny, short, vulnerable vehicle where you’re beneath the consideration and sightline and possibly wheels of traffic.

    • Halosheep@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      17
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Seriously, in Texas even a full size 4-door sedan feels small compared to all he lifted oversized pickups all over.

      • ratman150
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        12
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Am in Texas (Dallas area) I commute 33 miles each way in an electric Fiat 500. I actually do feel plenty safe (car is insanely stable but also far safer than my other commuter which is a klr650 motorcycle) but do have issues with road rage. I legitly don’t care if someone hits me in this car as it wouldn’t be the first time and I have full confidence I’ll be safe…on the other hand I don’t appreciate how unsafe large vehicles tend to be nor how difficult they can make visibility.

        I used to drive semi trucks for a living and I’d personally pick the Fiat over the Freightliner every time.

      • Pxtl@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Right? And sane laws about safe vehicles that would clamp down on these land-tanks would never pass because muh freedoms.

        If your vehicle represents a higher risk to other people around you, then there should be firmer laws about driving it safely. Give Miatas a higher speed limit, and F-350s firmer penalties for dangerous driving and speeding.

    • ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      There’s also the matter of snow in a large part of the country. Any car with less than 6" of ground clearance is going to get stuck all the time. AWD or 4wd saves a you a lot of grief too.

      • Pxtl@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        I drive a Prius and I live in Canada, a vehicle with like 3 mm of ground clearance. The trick is to live in a place with actual civilized government that plows and salts.

        • ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          I live in Chicago. They are good at clearing the main streets, but they don’t do the alleys. They also can’t help burying cars parked on side streets. On top of that the wind causes huge drifts.

      • marx2k@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        Wisconsin here. I drove a dodge shadow, a grand am and then a civic. Only the grand am sucked in snow and that was due to garbage tires.

        Where is this winter hellscape you speak of

        • ChonkyOwlbear@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          Chicago. The wind off the lake blows huge snow drifts and the city doesn’t have the manpower to clear the side streets or alleys. If you park off the alley, you will get stuck. If you park on the street, you will get buried by the snow plow and you will get stuck.