EVs have a much simpler drive train than fossil cars - no need for a multi speed gearbox, or piston rings, for example. They’ll never fail emissions tests, but all fossils will when they wear out. Apart from the drivetrain, there’s no real difference. Wheels are the same, brakes are the same, but with less use due to regeneration.

 

It's worth noting that we're still in the early phases of BEV development.
In real terms, they're just normal vehicles with a few things swapped out to do with the drive train element.

As technology and innovation move on, I would expect (nay hope) that BEVs materially change such that they're less an alternative fuel type and more of a step-change in how to move people along in a box of metal on roads.
We need to see how things like in-wheel motors, direct drive, no physical brakes, and other areas of innovation take things forward.

In a few short years, BEVs have changed quite a lot. One would expect by the end of this decade there will be a handful of other step changes that make them viable for all usage types.
I'm not expecting flying cars in my lifetime, but I am expecting genuinely new ways to transport people around and there's plenty of development going on to make those futuristic cars be the cars of tomorrow, not some distant future.

 

And here China will no doubt be the leaders they are already close or better than Tesla et al in their self driving it seems and if the new AI is any indication……

 

Reading it now. Relieved to see that the driving styles stereotypically assigned to drivers of certain well-known vehicle brands is recognised as a possible factor in the longevity of the vehicle being driven

We include vehicle make dummies to explain the variation in vehicle
popularity, demand for luxury or cost sensitivity and to capture the possibility that
the make of a vehicle may also be correlated with driver characteristics.

 

Their Artificial Intelligence is probably better than the natural intelligence of some drivers !

 

I think that we already have a test bed for the efficiency of electric transport. Trains! Whilst the infrastructure for electrification is expensive all the metrics associated with running rail services, passenger or freight improve massively with electrification. That the trains are lighter, quicker, need much less maintenance are all pointers to where we might get with road transport. Batteries are in the infancy, we might just find in 15 years that we have batteries which are lighter and cheaper to make. As it is rail is seizing the battery technology to cut costs of electrification, discontinuous OLE saves a fortune, just not needing to raise bridges to cope wit the 25kV wires makes a huge impact on costs.

The sad thing is that we have a few examples where some shoddy design has impacted reliability, yes I am looking at the ZOE. For the sake of £10 those motor bearings could have had a life of 500,000 miles. And that is where the industry should be going. Looking to build cars that will do 500,000 miles without major repairs but with the potential for cheap battery repairs if they are an issue.

 

…
The sad thing is that we have a few examples where some shoddy design has impacted reliability, yes I am looking at the ZOE. For the sake of £10 those motor bearings could have had a life of 500,000 miles. And that is where the industry should be going. Looking to build cars that will do 500,000 miles without major repairs but with the potential for cheap battery repairs if they are an issue.

Indeed it should - but what’s the incentive? They make money from selling us all new cars every three years. Completely unsustainable, unnecessary, but that’s where you make your money. A bit of built in unreliability and obsolescence is a good thing from the industry’s perspective. So - what needs to change to incentivise vehicles that are long-term reliable and don’t need replacing? Some of it has to be customer perception, but there will have to be some fairly radical thinking on carbon costs to actually change things.

 

Interesting that EV's are driven more. Probably because they are both cheaper to own and of course are just a better driving experience. Don't see this mentioned in the "Press" very often, wonder why? It addresses the issue of "no one wants them" and maybe underpins why so many owners say they will never go back to ICE.

On the other point raised above about longevity, I suspect that EV's will become capable of 500,000 miles and think that that will be a problem for ALL Auto makers. I saw one of the Chinese CEO's opining only 7 will survive. I also wonder if our erstwhile BF Elon is really interested in personal transport anymore and more persuaded by Tony Seba's idea that this will evolve into transport as a service, with Robotaxis' at the heart of it. If Tony is right, how often is he wrong, then this will be a level of disruption that the arrival of EV's will seem like a minor tremor leading to Armageddon.

 

Interesting that EV's are driven more. Probably because they are both cheaper to own and of course are just a better driving experience. Don't see this mentioned in the "Press" very often, wonder why? It addresses the issue of "no one wants them" and maybe underpins why so many owners say they will never go back to ICE.

I'd have thought it's because the bulk of new EVs are sold to company car drivers and fleets who do high mileages.

On the other point raised above about longevity, I suspect that EV's will become capable of 500,000 miles and think that that will be a problem for ALL Auto makers.

I don't think it will be a problem - most car drivers are magpies, they're drawn to shiny things, swapping their car every few years for something newer and shiny-er. People get rid of their cars long before they're worn out and mechanically unrepairable, car choice is as much about signaling value, the status of a newer car, wanting newer tech etc,

Besides, while the EV drive-train might last 500,000 miles, long before that point there's lots of other mechanical stuff which starts failing and where, when faced with spending a wedge of money on an old, high mileage car, opt to get something newer with more life left in it. It's a particular issue in wealthier countries where repair costs and labour rates are high.

 

A much longer lasting car is something I think the manufacturers are aware of hence their going into the realms of what Mercedes call the digital extras like switching facilities on and off for a fee for example the rear steering in the EQE range.
Maybe that is why Tesla are not bothering to bring out a new range but instead just add features via software. There will always be a need for some new cars to replace accident damaged vehicles and eventually cars do age enough they are just too old to keep going with dings a dents and rust and stress etc, worn seats and plastics …..one of the reasons I change my car is simply the new technology that has developed but that will level out then maybe changing will not be as attractive if the car is in good order and or some tech can be added via software……

 

like switching facilities on and off for a fee for example the rear steering in the EQE range.

That’s just craziness. Image fitting all the gubbins for RAS/RWS and then making it a sub.😵‍💫

BMW do the sub thing it with heated seats, but that’s a £2 heating element in the seat cushion. Apparently they also do it with indicators. Explains why no BMW has them 😅

 

Drivetrain including batteries should be solid these days. Early doors Leafs had shite batteries as we all hopefully know.

Some cars have had battery issues, especially pouch celled ones like my Porka and iPACE.

Early doors Tesla mod S had motor bearing issues / some final drive failures. Ditto Zoe’s going bang with Conti drive issues. Think they’re sorted I believe on latter cars.

Ancillaries are where I’d be casting a dubious eye. Particularly very expensive EV-only ancillaries like On Board Chargers that are effectively proprietary or the dreaded sealed for life garbage.

Otherwise it’s the same old that’s goes wrong or eventually dies with any car - running gear esp. brakes, suspension (esp air!) and of course the multitude of ADAS bollocks, fancy radars, squillions of camera etc.

 

Apparently they also do it with indicators. Explains why no BMW has them 😅

Easy Tiger 😂😂

BMW do the sub thing it with heated seats, but that’s a £2 heating element in the seat cushion.

They actually canceled that, so you have your heated seats for life 😆

 

Easy Tiger 😂😂

Oopsie. Can't keep up; one minute you're driving a stalk-less Tesla then a BMW with indicators on subscription 😂🤣

You're welcome to tell me to sod off, or tell my car will catch fire 🔥

 

The logic goes as I understand it it can be cheaper to load up all cars and then charge according to what is switched on. I can see great improvements for the second hand buyer who aside from colour can possibly spec a car to the level that they want like the new car buyer.
In my case some things I paid for last the life of the car (in my case the rear steering and driving aids) but some things will need to be renewed at the end of 3 yrs like navigation updates and media access.
From the manufacturer viewpoint though I can see that they need to think of a world where their income stream needs to be diversified from just selling the car and that can be from finance and leasing to turning on and off additional facilities.
Think Tesla were amongst the first to do this were’nt they?

 

Think Tesla were amongst the first to do this were’nt they?

Subs for features? Only for mythical, unicorny stuff which still doesn't exist to this day. Like "Full Self Driving"