AD #3188 – GMC Introduces New Sierra; Electrified Vehicle Sales Soar in Europe; Toyota’s BEV Logic Flawed
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:41am
Listen to “AD #3188 – GMC Introduces New Sierra; Electrified Vehicle Sales Soar in Europe; Toyota’s BEV Logic Flawed” on Spreaker.
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Runtime: 11:32
0:08 Apple Talks with CATL & BYD Stall
0:44 Lamborghini Sets Sales Record
1:14 Renault Posts Big Drops in Q3
1:52 Electrified Vehicle Sales Soar in Europe
3:10 Toyota’s BEV Logic Flawed
4:07 Lexus Reveals First Plug-In Hybrid
5:10 Ford Shows Off Bronco SEMA Concepts
6:14 GMC Introduces New Sierra
8:10 SEAT Tests Delivery Drones in The Factory
8:44 How Cadillac Kept Production Lyriq Design Close to Concept
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APPLE TALKS WITH CATL & BYD STALL
Is Apple ever going to really come out with an electric car? Maybe. But it just hit another setback. Reuters reports that Apple wants CATL and BYD to open battery plants in the U.S. but the Chinese companies are refusing to do that. CATL is concerned over trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Apple also wants the battery companies to set up dedicated teams just for Apple. But CATL and BYD don’t want to do that either. So now Apple is reportedly looking to Japanese battery makers, especially Panasonic.
LAMBORGHINI SETS SALES RECORD
Somebody forgot to tell Lamborghini that there’s a chip shortage crippling the automotive industry. It set all-time record sales for the first 9 months of the year. Lambo sold 6,902 cars, up 23% from 2020, which in turn was up 6% from 2019. Lamborghini says it will have hybrid versions of all its models by 2024, and will have a BEV coming out sometime before the end of the decade.
RENAULT POSTS BIG DROPS IN Q3
Renault reported its preliminary sales and revenue for the 3rd quarter and the numbers are miserable. Or maybe I should say misérable. Revenue dropped more than 13% to just under €9 billion. Sales plummeted 22% to just under 600,000 units. That was led by a big drop in Europe. As you probably know, Renault doesn’t sell any cars in two of the biggest markets in the world: China and the U.S. And we were surprised to learn that, after France, Renault’s next biggest market is Russia.
ELECTRIFIED VEHICLE SALES SOAR IN EUROPE
BEVS and PHEVs are really starting to capture significant market share in Europe. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, they hit nearly 20% of sales in the third quarter. Hybrids accounted for another 20%. BEV sales in Q3 shot up 57% compared to a year ago with more than 212,000 sold. They now account for nearly 10% of the market, about triple what it is in the U.S. At the same time, ICE sales are plummeting in Europe. Sales of gasoline powered vehicles fell 35% and diesel sales dropped by more than half in the third quarter.
TOYOTA’S BEV LOGIC FLAWED
Toyota still doesn’t believe very strongly in BEVs. Toyota’s Gill Pratt, the head of its Research Institute, says not everyone should drive a BEV. He says other solutions should be used to reduce emissions. So here’s our Autoline insight. Toyota calculated wrong. It put almost all its chips on hybrids. And it’s investing heavily in fuel cells, too. It believes we need a variety of solutions, not just BEVs, and that governments should not be picking technologies. Conceptually, Toyota is right. But here’s the flaw in Toyota’s logic. Countries all over the world are banning the internal combustion engine. Whether this is the right thing to do doesn’t matter at this point. They’re banning them. And if a car company is not ready to deal with that reality….. well, like the old saying goes, you can’t fight city hall.
LEXUS REVEALS FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID
And just look how long it’s taken Lexus to come out with its first plug-in hybrid. The 2022 NX 450h+ is the brand’s first ever PHEV. Its 2.5L 4-cylinder engine is paired with an electric motor, which combine for a total of 304 horsepower and while Lexus didn’t reveal the 0-60 MPH time, it says the plug-in is the fastest in the NX lineup. But this is the same setup as the RAV4 Prime, which does 0-60 MPH in 5.7 seconds. It also didn’t reveal the battery size, but again it’s the same setup as the RAV4 plug-in, which has a 18.1 kWh pack. Lexus says the NX 450h+ will be able to travel 37 all-electric miles. Pricing for the NX PHEV starts just north of $56,600, including destination charges but before incentives.
FORD SHOWS OFF BRONCO SEMA CONCEPTS
Ford is going right after Jeep with the new Bronco and Bronco Sport and it’s taking a page right out of Jeep’s book by showing off the aftermarket potential of its SUVs at SEMA. Ford will have a number of vehicles on display with parts lists that should sound pretty familiar, like Dana front and rear axles, Fox coilover suspension, bead-locking wheels and large off-road tires. We especially like this Fire Responder concept that looks like its been converted into a mini pickup as well as this one. I mean, how could quad snow tracks not be fun? You’ll be able to see even more wild rides at SEMA, which kicks off on November 2nd.
GMC INTRODUCES NEW SIERRA
GMC introduced the all-new Sierra. Each trim gets a refreshed front bumper, fascia, grille design and new LED headlamps. It also features an animated lighting sequence when approaching, starting or walking away from the truck. Moving to the interior, a new 13.4-inch infotainment screen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster are standard on SLE trims and above. There’s also new color and stitching designs to give the truck an even more premium feel. Two new trims are available, the Denali Ultimate and AT4X. The Denali Ultimate comes with a bunch of standard equipment including Super Cruise and a carbon fiber bed. The interior is wrapped in leather and it has its own unique trim and features. It’s standard with a 420 horsepower 6.2L V8 mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission. Pricing for the Denali Ultimate starts just over $80,000. The AT4X trim is a more off-road capable version of the Sierra. It features Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers, a two-speed transfer case, front and rear e-locking differentials as well as off-road chassis and suspension calibrations. The AT4X is equipped with the same V8 engine as the Denali Ultimate and has a starting price just under $75,000. Other powertrains offered in the Sierra include a 2.7L turbo with 20% more torque that’s mated to an 8-speed automatic. A 3.0L inline six-cylinder diesel mated to a ten-speed automatic. And lastly, a 5.3L V8 that’s also matched to the 10-speed. The new GMC Sierra will start arriving in dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2022.
SEAT TESTS DELIVERY DRONES IN THE FACTORY
Forget fork-lift trucks or automated guided vehicles, SEAT is testing drones to deliver parts to the assembly line. It launched a pilot project at its Martorell plant with drones programmed to fly autonomously above the factory floor. The drones aren’t delivering parts yet, the first part of the test is making sure they can properly navigate around the plant. But the idea is to have them transport lightweight components directly to line workers to make manufacturing more efficient.
HOW CADILLAC KEPT PRODUCTION LYRIQ DESIGN CLOSE TO CONCEPT
Cadillac showed a cool looking concept car for the Lyriq several years ago. Usually when a car company shows a concept car, it never really makes it into production. Or it is heavily modified for engineering or manufacturing reasons. But the Cadillac Lyriq production car looks almost exactly like the concept car. On Autoline After Hours yesterday, Cadillac’s top two designers talked about how they used the concept car to drive the design of the production version.
“It wasn’t like some vague vision or a sketch on the wall. It was like, ‘No, here it is, this working thing.’ Internally, before it was even released to the public, our team was looking at it, leadership was looking at it. So it became very clear, it was THAT. It was to get everybody focused and aligned. And when you talk about working more efficiently, like Brian said, not everybody was happy about it, but it very clearly, at least from the design side, it lines it all up very quickly, like this is what we’re trying to do here. And it helped other parts of the company to see it too. So it helps get other people excited about it. So it’s no longer just a sketch on a wall or a clay mockup of the design. They’re actually engaging with it. People would say, ‘We have to do this, we gotta do this.’ Where as before, you can only sell so much with a sketch or an animation or whatever, compared to seeing it in person. I remember on the interior on the wood decor, we’re doing the laser-cut pattern with backlit lighting. That doesn’t exist in the industry. And that was one thing, like Brian was saying, originally we were going to have something that was going to be a little bit more simplified. It definitely didn’t have any lighting. And when we did it on the show car we really wanted to push it. And everybody loved it so much. I remember Mark Reuss came in and said, ‘We’re absolutely doing that. We’re not going to show that and then have someone else come out afterwards and steal our idea.’”
And if you’d like to catch more of the episode, you can watch it right now on our website or YouTube channel.
But that’s an end for today and this week. Thanks for joining us and I hope you have a great weekend.
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Comments (69)
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:13 pm
Companies like Toyota(and Mazda) should be applauded for their principled stance on offering consumers a choice among competing propulsion systems going forward. Heavy-handed government mandates forcing a “one-size-fits-all” solution to climate change issues will decimate the auto industry and result in a dramatic lowering of the standard of living for all industrialized nations.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:21 pm
Toyota is making the smart choice with diversity of power train development. These government mandates can go away as quickly as an administration is ousted. Any company putting all their power train eggs in one basket could find themselves with their pants down in a hurry.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:31 pm
Japans Govt was the force behind Hydrogen and FCVs , and Toyota and Honda followed suit, Toyota is now way behind in BEV technology, during earnigs report Teslas CFO said Tesla will aim to be producing 20 million cars, while that is a very high number2 of the biggest manufacturers produce almost 10 million each,Elon has said the product is the ” machine that builds the machine”,expect a Giga factory like the last two to be built @ the rate of two every 4-5 years until 2030, the Texas giga factory is almost a mile long,with 3-4 floors , the length of the factory, and will be completed in two years, with partial production going in less than that,like 1.5 years,from breaking ground.
Toyota? It will lose sales to Tesla ,gasoline now @ all time high in Canada @ $1.50/ liter in most places, and FOOLCELLS are not going to ever takeoff unless it (Hydrogen)can scale economically from renewables,aka ” green Hydrogen “, aint no such thing .
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:39 pm
#1&2 ,The Europeans and China will lead the way in BEV adoption,the USA will fail if the govt has its way.The Chinese are already selling bevs that are compelling @$25,000-$30,000 ( X Peng, Geely,BYD ) in their market, when those come Stateside,expect sales of ICE/,& Hybrids to tank, @ least to those that own houses,and have a way to plug in.Toyota will eventually get its Nokia moment.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:41 pm
Over the years California has push numerous EV Sales requirements that could not be met and had to back track. Just because the president says 50% by 2030 don’t mean its going to happen. A previous goal of the Obama administration to sell 1 million EVs from 2012-2015 fell far short of expectations. In January 2016, Reuters reported only about 400,000 electric cars had been sold. With EV’s sales currently less than 3%, its a very steep climb to hit 50% in 9 years.
I don’t believe in build it they will come and can’t see the supply chain ramping up that fast to build 50% EV’s by 2030.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:43 pm
I think Gill Pratt is correct and I’m sorry, but a BEV will not work for everyone. Sure that doesn’t mean that Fuel cells are the answer but I for one am glad that research is continuing in other areas. Yea I don’t like the government steering tech in any certain direction.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:43 pm
Apple should just stick with its famed partner Foxcon for its BEV ,and stick the logo and stickers on the sides and the butt,”
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:47 pm
# 6 Lambo , You Fossil lovers are like the Dutch boy who sticks his finger in the dike, hoping to stop the flood from coming thru.LOL
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:53 pm
When Toyota is ready to build BEVs, it will be a piece of cake for them, as long as they have suppliers lined up for batteries and hard-to-get raw materials for motors. BEVs are much less complex than the hybrids Toyota is already building, so they can easily design and build BEVs, when they want to. By not rushing into it, they can observe what others are doing, in regard to EV-specific things like battery packaging, and use the best practices of others. Now, if they could just step it up with styling.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:56 pm
People tend to brush over the fact that many of the ICE bans are on the SALE of ICE vehicles and not, that you can continue to drive what you have. I also believe when new cars sales start to tank in 2029 they will be revising this ban if not sooner. Yes some cities are banning ICEs within the city limits but most of the countries placing bans are just on the sale of ICEs. So anyone care to guess what will happen to global sales around 2029?
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:56 pm
Wall Street has spoken , TSLA @ $905/ $hare, an all time high, and will head towards a Trillion market cap in the near future, Shorts have vanished .
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:00 pm
I’m not sure why some people cannot express their opinion without being impolite & denigrating what they do not like. Certain parties commenting on here remind me of the infamous larryd.
Have a good weekend.
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:00 pm
I can see how one can feel that OEMs maybe putting their future in government mandates, but you have to realize that today, ICE vehicles still sell more then any other! While their maybe development under way for BEVs, like someone else said, what the political climate is by the end of the decade is anybody’s guess. Political regulations have impacted vehicle design, but it have not brought about the end of the personal motor vehicle! Remember seat belts, antilock brakes, catalytic converters, the requirements for the windshield and I could go on and on. What attracts OEMs to BEVs is their simpler construction, less complicated motors and the few man hours (literally) that are needed to build and assembly these vehicles! F and when/When and if the time comes when these ICE bans kick-in, if the electrical infrastructure isn’t ready for these types of vehicles, what will politicians do? They’ll have no choice but to move those dates back (if they don’t abandoned them all together)! So, as much as it falls to the automakers to make these vehicles, it’s just as important for the politicians to work together to put with the infrastructure in place, so that they’ll be able to live up to the expectations they’re placing on the automakers. At the rate the politicians are moving around the world, does it seem likely that they’ll have the infrastructure in place to support the electric vehicles that they are strongly motivating automakers to build? Just look at Europe, for example. In Shawn’s report today, he pointed out that in Europe BEV sells are growing, where’s ICEs, both petrol and Diesel, are on the outs. While their current infrastructure may be able to support the current vehicle mix, if things do not change quickly there is no way that they will be able to support 100% BEV purchases! I guess my point is government regulation motor motivating automakers, is not the end of the world. That being said, politicians who have to do their part to support the mandates that they’re placing on OEMs.
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:02 pm
8 Rey, Yes and you tree hugging greenies will never admit you were wrong when the mandates get moved and modified. But time will tell the truth.
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:03 pm
#10 ICE might live on in developing countries where there is little to very poor Electric Infras, but even in some countries they are already improving the Energy grid with Solar and Wind, the Philippines for one , as i was just there 4 years ago, and the Chinese are more than willing to sell Solar and Wind to help with infras, to both Private and Govt agencies,China while still having coal is deploying Wind and Solar the most in the World.
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:09 pm
#12 jwh , impolite? Go see Sandy Munros latest rant in Youtube in Munro Live. Gd day
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:14 pm
Re: Toyota’s logic. Doesn’t it depend on what potential customers are willing to buy? BEVs currently only sell to early adopters. Typically, that would mean that 85% of the rest of the population has some uncertainty and would want to hedge their bets. If only there was a car that was comforting, just like what you already have, but also able to live in the new BEV world when it finally gets here. Oh, that would be a PHEV!
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:26 pm
# 17 Kevin, apparently Tesla sees there will be 20 million ” early adopters”,annually,Toyotas loss is Teslas gain, and Toyota produces 10 million cars a year, a good question is why have two powertrains in a car ,” KISS ” sound fine to me., never seen an ICE powered Sewing Machine yet, but i have seen a 2 cycle ICE 1/2 inch drill , it sat on a pawnshop shelf for years.
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:32 pm
13 You obviously have common sense and see the flaws in a BEV change happening too fast. What people like Rey fail to understand as that it doesn’t mean your against BEVs or that your some ICE relic that’s holding on to the past.
There will be a delicate balance to make this transition and all the hopes and dreams of a green new world cant force the changes that need to be made in order for it to become a reality.
Right now (today) there is a saturation point of how many BEVs can be supported via charging infrastructure and production capabilities. So placing a 100% mandate today would be foolish. The question people are asking is, Will 8 years be enough time to support such a mandate? Will we have the charging network? Will we have the capacity to build 50-60 Million BEVs or 50-60 Million batteries? I think most folks with any sense realize that’s a very ambitious goal.
Saying anything negative about BEVs shouldn’t make me a oil loving relic but maybe someone a little better in touch with reality and someone that does something more than binge on Sandy Munros you tube channel.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Its interesting that so many commenters are very well informed of the rapid changes taking place within the automotive manufacturer universe, but assume that everything is static in other industries – like power generation, the power grid and raw material sourcing.
Don’t you think that the executives in the electrical generation industry are paying attention to the changes taking place in the automotive realm? Of course they are. And they have been making plans and budgeting for capital improvements to keep pace with anticipated increases in demand.
Southern California Edison just awarded a contract to a company to build three huge power storage facilities to help deal with peak demands on the grid there. Many more companies are planning to meet increased demand and to deal with daily demand fluctuations.
The EV revolution isn’t confined to just the automotive industry. Lots of competent people are working to make this vision happen.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:28 pm
#19 lambo , one reason Tesla has the future cornered is due to its SC infras, theres nothing like it in the USA , ,and it is growing daily , plus its computer knows where every SC is, how many are in use ,or how busy, Tesla has thought about the whole thing, others will follow like Ford is doing , but the current Infras will only be as good as the provider allows, like EA in the USA or Canada, or Ionity in the EU, Tesla is the most common BEV in Canada, despite costing over $60,000 on the average, and it is fast replacing the German imports due to the cost of Gas and ICE maintenance, The faster Ford and GM go BEV the less chance they go BK,and that choice is up to them, but they also have to fund and set up charging infras like Tesla has, and like i have said , the Chinese are coming, and they aim to dominate, Toyota and Honda?Nokia and Kodak beckons.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:30 pm
And, if you think that Toyota, VW, Ford, Stellantis, and others are just going to hand 25% of the world’s auto sales to Tesla, you really need to take off those rose colored glasses. There is a little too much pipe in that pipe dream!
As for the stock price, it is definitely in Game Stop territory now. When that bubble bursts there will be a lot of sorry people.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:40 pm
#20 gm vet , please go to Electrek and Teslarati, read how Tesla is deploying Battery storage in Europe, Australia , USA and theircAutobidder Software program to help with grid stabilization, and eliminate or reduce Gas Peajer plants, go vread about the MegaPack facyory that will have an output of 40 GW / year of amegaPacks and will ship those Worldwide, discover why Tesla is not only a car company, and why it will be a Trillion dollar company by valuation soon , today @$905 + and $900 million worth, and Elon does not even have to show up in Earnings Report anymore, he has other pressing work to do, like run Space X.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:41 pm
So GMC claims they’ll have the new Sierra out in 2022? How long will the chip shortage last is like a long range weather report.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:43 pm
drones delivering parts to computer driven machinery,thus eliminating the need for humans in the production line,maybe not that far off? I’m pretty sure GMC hasn’t made a pick up I wouldn’t mind owning.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:51 pm
Those companies you talk about are scared , starting with VW, Stelantis, not even sure who ar what they are, laying off thousands in Windsor is what i heard last,Toyota ? How many Foolcells did they sell last year , or today, ” the Chinese will make them look like schoolboys ” Sandy Munris words not mine as he sells Tesla Teardown reports to them, oh you can buy a very well equipped Geely, X Peng, BYD in China for $25,000-$30,000, about the price of a Toyota Camry,
There are thousands of Larrys in Electrek ,Inside ev, Teslarati , and Cleantecnica
October 22nd, 2021 at 3:04 pm
@adoption of EVs, ICEs staying relevant: the future is hard to pinpoint, but the general trend will be to move towards many more BEVs.
There were several posts on federal and state government mandates, which may fluctuate over time as was mentioned several times. I have noticed in Western Europe that the local government mandates are also very important: cities prohibiting certain vehicle types inside of city limits have made people I know sell their vehicle and buy something which is still permitted.
I have a hard time understanding why fuel cells could be a viable option in cities: a hydrogen tank is a safety hazard in parking garages. As far as I know vehicles with an LNG or LPG tank are not allowed in parking structures in Western Europe for safety reasons. Why would a hydrogen tank be allowed?
October 22nd, 2021 at 3:13 pm
There is only one larryd. I miss the erratic capitalization. Nostalgia…
October 22nd, 2021 at 3:19 pm
I think the biggest factor for BEVs over fuel cells is the price of fuel I read that green hydrogen is 3x the price of electricity, even without transportation charges. So it’s only practical in situations where BEVs aren’t workable or where refuelling time is so critical it overcomes the enormous price difference.
Can you imagine what the market for diesel would be if it was 3x the price of gas?
October 22nd, 2021 at 3:22 pm
All I can say is, if our US government was so serious about going electric then why did they award a ten year contract starting in 2023 of the next gen postal vehicle to be a ICE built vehicle? $482 Million dollars for 165,000 gas powered vans. Just more do as I say but not as I do it seems.
October 22nd, 2021 at 3:51 pm
18 Tesla’s saying they are going to sell 20M cars a year, is like GM saying a few days ago that they would have $20B profit a year, or whatever it was that they said. We shall see.
As far as Toyota having “two powertrains,” their hybrids are reliable, are much more simple, mechanically, than regular ICE powertrains, and you just put gas in them occasionally and drive. Yeah, they may not be “a thing” forever, but for now, they are a great option for those of us who like low operating cost, take road trips, like reliable cars, and don’t have a way to charge a BEV at home.
October 22nd, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Speaking of “dinosaurs,” my Corvette arrived at the dealer today, and I will pick it up tomorrow.
October 22nd, 2021 at 8:45 pm
Today in YouTube , Sandy Munro has a 2 part show in Munro Live, very educational for all those interested in the survival of any auto company , or any company that produces anything. GOOD LUCK to all the auto companies, including Toyota, yes the Toyota run by the Grandson of the founder,Akio Toyoda, graduate of a US University.
October 22nd, 2021 at 8:45 pm
32, congratulations Kit! You’ve had a long wait. Enjoy!
October 22nd, 2021 at 8:58 pm
#30 lambo, because the USA Postal govt has unlimited cash, as in your taxes, plus they are supported by the UNION and the Dems are pro Union,, now Amazon has ordered Rivian delivery trucks, and Rivian I’m sure knows how to count their pennies, OH, please seethe latest video of Sandy Munro in Munro live , and discover why Tesla will beat your legacy auto companies in the future.Enjoy your Fossil car because your grandkids will be driving battery cars when their time comes, OH they won’t be sniffing gas fumes anymore , that stuff can be deadly.
October 22nd, 2021 at 9:35 pm
34 Thanks. Yep, about 13 months.
October 22nd, 2021 at 9:40 pm
33 Toyota will be fine. BEVs are very simple compared to what they are making now, and they can do them when they need to.
October 22nd, 2021 at 9:47 pm
#31 kit, GM make a profit in BEVs? LOL they can’t even make one without a TOTAL RECALL of a few hundred thousand Bolts costing 1.8 million dollars, how to make profit with billions with a few million cars, what a joke of a company, enjoy you C8 corvette, it is the last of its kind , now take it to the dragstrip and race for pinkslips VS a Tesla Plaid , or go home with tail between legs.
October 22nd, 2021 at 10:17 pm
38 I won’t be drag racing the C8, but if I did, it wouldn’t need the 15 minute warm up-cool down time the Plaid needs. I may take it to a road course with some friends who are looking into renting a track for a day.
October 22nd, 2021 at 10:42 pm
Kit, Plaids don’t need any warmups but I know your chicken, brave ones take to the tracks and
Race for real money ,better yet pink slips, but we all know ICE is history, as only 2 million dollar cars like a 2 Seat Carbon Fiber Rimac EV Nevera stand against a 5 passenger daily driver 4 door Tesla Plaid, Corvette C 8 are posers ,go home now , with tail between legs, Enjoy buying Premium gasoline with your pension dollars.
October 22nd, 2021 at 10:53 pm
Kit ,medicate yourself why Tesla will dominate, go see Sandy Munros lates video in Munro Live, OH the stock is @ all time high @$909, but it will come down, later so buy then when that time comes, as it will then zoom to $1200, then go to beyond $1500, happy investing, OH,sorry i forgot you invested in a Corvette c8, it will be a collectible in 25 years, now keep the miles low, no racing now , it’s a trailer queen, I forgot.
October 22nd, 2021 at 10:58 pm
40 Yes, they do need “prep.”
“How to get a Tesla Model S Plaid to go from 0 to 60 in under 2 seconds – The Verge” https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2021/6/18/22540154/tesla-model-s-plaid-acceleration-test-conditions
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:02 pm
To all the folks worried about where to charge a BEV , just buy a Tesla, in the latest earnings report CFO D Baglino revealed that Teslas SC charging network is to expand even more, like triple the size it is now,this on top of having your Fuel station in your garage, Eat that Fossil lovers”fuel up” @ home and @ 1/2 price or less than ⛽ gasoline.
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:05 pm
41 The C8 will be a daily driver, along with the Cayman. I’ll be able to get what I paid for the C8 in a year. I’ll keep the Cayman, one of the last great manual transmission cars.
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:10 pm
Kit , your vette will never run on sunshine, enjoy it while you can, as one day gasoline will be so high, keep the miles low , it will be a high priced collectible with Zero miles, might even make it to the “concourse ‘d elegance”,make sure to buff it every day!
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:21 pm
45 “Rey,” you don’t seem to understand. I will drive it 10-12K miles over a year, and sell it for about what I paid for it. If I really like the car, I will keep it longer.
October 23rd, 2021 at 5:58 am
20 GM Veteran – Well said. The smarts applied to, and money pouring into green startups is also remarkable. Not least when it comes to finding efficient ways to massively scale up battery cell recycling. It’s just a pity that some eminently profitable long-distance grid connections with money all lined up are being held ransom to particular interests.
32 Kit – Fantastic! I hope that idea of renting a track works, and you can take your new ‘Vette there for some serious fun.
Lopping seconds off the rounds accompanied by small-block raucousness sounds great, while later on disecting the course (and a steak) with friends must be one recipe for a perfect day.
Rey – Few sane persons buy a sporty ICE car for basic transportation or efficiency or the numbers game or the garage. These last-of-a-kind motors are just pure mechanical fun, and will be cherished for a long time.
Moreso when EVs will have become ubiquitous to the point of triviality and boredom.
October 23rd, 2021 at 7:00 am
Congrats Kit on your C8; I’m sure you will enjoy. It’s not just the speed, not just the quickness, not just the handling, not just the styling, not just the utility; it is the synergy of Corvette. Awesome is as awesome does.
October 23rd, 2021 at 10:01 am
“Rey,” most people buy Corvettes to drive. Some are driven much more than others, but few are stored with near-zero miles. That’s Ferraris you are thinking of.
Speaking of driving Corvettes, I will probably see more Corvettes than Teslas on the road when I drive to Florida in a few days, even though Tesla has their chargers. Most EVs, even Teslas, are used mostly as commuter cars.
October 23rd, 2021 at 4:57 pm
I got the Corvette, and it drives great. The transmission is very well behaved in normal driving, the one thing I was a little concerned about, not having driven a C8. I had to check the owners manual to find out how to stop the memory from moving the seat and mirrors the wrong place when starting it, but the rest was easy to figure out. It seems quieter at highway speed than the C7 I had, a pleasant surprise. It’s intersting how Chevy and Porsche have different philosophies on “drive modes.” My Cayman has one drive mode. They have the steering, throttle gain, brake feel, etc. they way they think it should be, while the Corvette has “drive modes” changing all of those things, and you can change them individually. My Cayman is a manual trans, so I don’t know if the automatic would have adjustable shifting modes.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:21 am
Congratulations Kit on your new ride!
It would not be my choice but if it makes you happy that is all that counts.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:10 pm
51 It’s a fun car, but we could be approaching the end of a very long era of high performance cars with gasoline engines. Will there be another generation of Corvettes with gas engines? Corvettes might join Porsche 911s as cars that will always have gas engines, as long as they are made.
October 25th, 2021 at 8:15 am
A pretty good review of the Tesla Plaid (by the Speed Phenon): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5M64OPVjYs
The yoke IS a joke (for regular driving) but works when you’re playing video games in the car. You can decide for yourself but for 140k, I’d pass (of course I don’t like Tesla to begin with so there’s that).
October 25th, 2021 at 9:09 am
52 Never say never but we can hope. The American auto industry has gone through some interesting changes. From the early electric cars to steam engine and finally gas engines. The multitude of inventions and improvements over the years is really cool and has some great back stories. Then the era of styling that the 1950s brought with Dagmar’s and tail fins and the true one of a kind styling. Then the muscle car era and the HP wars leading into the mega yacht land barges of the 70s. Cars that had trunks that would fit a smart car. 80s and 90 were pretty tough and aerodynamics drove designs toward more rounded similar designs. It seems over the last 20 years and certainly as we move toward the SUV/CUV all the vehicles look about the same. They come in different sizes but still have the same basic design. Even Tesla model Y with a whole new powertrain chose to look much like everything else on the road.
Sure EVs are probably the future and there are some huge advantages to a EV powertrain that haven’t been taken leveraged yet. For whatever reason we keep still designing vehicles like they have an engine. I’m looking forward to the EV that takes advantage of the flexibility of the design and uses the space to their advantage.
However, no doubt I will always have a love for the roar of a good engine and the enjoyment I get from the vibration of sound waves hitting me from a well tuned exhaust. Yea the smell of burning fuel or alcohol and burning tires. I can only associate it to the love some people have with the Harley motorcycle sound. Its part of the experience and no amount of speed or quickness from an EV will replace that.
So Kit go enjoy your Corvette that very well may be one of the last true American sports cars that can provide that extra excitement to your other senses. Its more than just the time it takes to get from 0-60. The people that don’t understand that I feel sorry for as they are missing out on a great experience. I hope to own a C8 someday as they are an amazing car to look at listen to and I can only imagine a blast to drive. Given the choice of a C8 or Tesla plaid. I’ll take loosing at the track everyday to be driving an exciting attractive car like the new Vette. Enjoy!
October 25th, 2021 at 9:25 am
53 Even the squarish steering wheel in my Corvette takes a little getting used to when making tight, low speed turns. That yoke would be awful in those situations. In most conditions, the square wheel is fine, with multiple places to put your hands when on longer trips. It has a lot of switches. The most frequently used ones, like cruise control, radio volume, audio presets, etc. are logical to use. The other main controls, like turn signals and wipers are “normal,” which is great. The gear shift is different, with tabs similar to window switches for drive and reverse, but they are simple and intuitive. It has one great feature a Prius has. When you shut the engine off, it goes into park automatically.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:40 am
Oct 25 2021, Latest news from Bloomberg and Market watch , Wall Street, Hertz orders Teslas, 100,000 mod3 @ full price and will have SC charging Stations @ all Rental outlets. The biggest rental outlet to go EV , and this is Tesla biggest onetime order from one individual order, never hurts to go GREEN.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:40 am
54 To me, the mid ’50s to mid ’60s was the “golden age” of styling of American cars. Yeah, some didn’t look very good, and there was a lot of silliness, but the annual model change was something for a kid like me, and many adults of the time to get excited about.
In most ways, today’s cars are the best ever, in performance, efficiency, and safety, but things annoy me. For one, there is little choice in body style in the US market, with dozens of CUVs and SUVS, but not even one rear drive station wagon. There is only a handful of two door cars, with even the Civic coupe now gone. Then, there is the lack of color choice, especially for the interior.
In a couple days, I’ll know how I like the C8 for an 1100 mile road trip, I think it will be fine for that, as long as I can get my stuff in it. I’ll see how it does in mpg compared to a C7. It’s great fun just driving around locally, even without much chance to use the power. Turns can be fun, though.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:44 am
TOYOTA’S BEV LOGIC is NOT flawed. Very few consumers want BEV’s. BEV’s are horrible for consumer value: lower range, long charge time, little charge infrastructure, high price, no long trips are practical, dealing daily with a charge cord, electricity bills go up, electricity make mostly from dirty fossil fuels. HEV much smarter. Toyota hybrid sales are now 25%. Total market BEV sales only 2.5%. Toyota’s HEV’s use batteries….so whenever the consumers shift to BEV’s…if demanded then Toyota can easily make. BEV’s are trivial to make and Toyota has the SAFEST batteries.
Only socialist and communists tyrannical governments are forcing BEV’s. The people are rising up across the world against these strong arm politicians and mandates…whether it be vaccines or BEV’s. The USA cannot force BEV’s nationally. ZEV’s can be attempted to be forced by states onto big corporations but the people won’t buy in masses due to above issues. Note there are no ZEV mandates on the consumers! Do you know why? Think logically. Who votes for the politicians that make these insane policies? So ZEV mandates will only push auto makers to give away cheap BEV’s to make the numbers or consumers will purchase ICE vehicles out of state and bring them in. Auto makers who don’t comply pay big fines to the politicians. Follow the $$$.
America is land of the free. Were not communist yet.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:46 am
Oct 25,2021,Bloomberg news and Market watch Hertz Rentals orders 100,000 Teslas for its Wordwide operations and will have SC Charging stations at its facilities, Biggest onetime order for Tesla, ever.
October 25th, 2021 at 9:56 am
“Rey” beat me too it! The web link is to the New York Times article (may be paywall blocked.) So what will TSLA stock do today?
October 25th, 2021 at 10:05 am
59 What model or models are the Hertz Teslas? I saw the start of the article, but hit the paywall before seeing the details.
53 That video was interesting. I’m wondering if the wheels of the car are steering while playing the video game, or is there a “disconnect.” There is a mechanical connection from the “yoke” to the cars steering, is there not?
October 25th, 2021 at 10:08 am
59,60 I found from the Hertz web site that they will be Models 3.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:23 am
Chances are those Teslas are the mod3 as stated in Electrek,and probably be the SR single motors and maybe Dual motors when 4680 cell
S are ramped up, but those are going to rent for more, so the SR will be the most common Teslas @ Hertz,TSLA went ballistic on the news,Maybe the price was@ the old price ,prior to $5000 increase,and locked in for the 100,000 order.$5,000 would then be the volume discount.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:32 am
#59 Bob ,saw the news@7;30 am,was checking why the premarket TSLA was @$949, my comments in Teslarati and Electrek got so many updates and thanks. I’m often there, Long TSLA since 2012,was BEV believer way back in the early 1980-82, Lead Acid conversions in Mother Eart Magazine. LOL
October 25th, 2021 at 10:41 am
56 Absolutely the 50-60s were probably the era for automotive design. Cars had character and were easily identifiable. As many of the barn find on this show has proven. Do barn finds in 40 years from now of vehicles from today and no one will know if the emblems and grille is gone.
57 I agree that Toyota will have no problem transitioning into BEVs from HEVs. They are going with demand and your right. Governments are placing the burned on manufacturers to make cars many consumers do not want. They don’t care if they have to invest and produce product that wont sell. The manufacturers will take it on the ear and the cost of everything will continue to climb. Any ICEs that are left will be expensive to help absorb the cost of BEVs and used prices on the last of the ICEs will go up dramatically. If sales are not there the lots will have huge inventory of BEVs that are not moving and more layoffs and cuts will happen waiting for a demand that wont materialize.
October 25th, 2021 at 10:45 am
Kit , enjoy your C8, guaranteed it will be the last to be pure ICE,as the next gen will be @ least ” electrified” , but me thinksthat going hybrid will be in GMs interest,as Ford has plans for a pure EV Mustang by 2028, it seems,and legacy auto will have to go BEV in the developed world to compete with Tesla and the Chinese,also look forward th old auto to adopt Giga press to compete vs Tesla,as welding 300 parts together takes a lot of time and fabrication and stamping of those parts, Tesla will produce 600,000 premium cars in a plant that @ best made less than 450,000 cheap Corolla, Geos, and Pontiacs
October 25th, 2021 at 11:49 am
65 Teslas aren’t premium. They are just expensive. The interior of most Mazdas is more premium than the interior of Teslas.
Tesla’s having few models, few options, and few color choices is good for producing a lot of cars in a plant.
There are rumors of a hybrid version of the C8 in the future. It would be 4wd with an electric MG in the front, and one in the back with the engine. It might lose most of the limited cargo space the current C8 has.
October 25th, 2021 at 12:04 pm
For now Tesla plays in the ” premium”market, and is the one to beat in the European market too as it is even outselling the German cars in that market , even as the Giga Berlin is to produce one car, maybe by premium you mean leathers and buttons, to many it is more than that Nokias buttons didn’t save it from Apples IPHONE,and niether did Blacberry, and Kitchener, Waterloo is less than a Hundred miles from me ,”Oshawa, the Town GM Built”. , yeah we got the crumbs ,ICE Pickups, you got the steak, BE Trucks.LOL
October 25th, 2021 at 12:04 pm
For now Tesla plays in the ” premium”market, and is the one to beat in the European market too as it is even outselling the German cars in that market , even as the Giga Berlin is to produce one car, maybe by premium you mean leathers and buttons, to many it is more than that Nokias buttons didn’t save it from Apples IPHONE,and niether did Blacberry, and Kitchener, Waterloo is less than a Hundred miles from me ,”Oshawa, the Town GM Built”. , yeah we got the crumbs ,ICE Pickups, you got the steak, BE Trucks.LOL