A tiny, low-priced electric car called the Seagull has American automakers and politicians trembling.
The car, launched last year by Chinese automaker BYD, sells for around $12,000 in China, but drives well and is put together with craftsmanship that rivals U.S.-made electric vehicles that cost three times as much. A shorter-range version costs under $10,000.
Tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles probably will keep the Seagull away from America’s shores for now, and it likely would sell for more than 12 grand if imported.
But the rapid emergence of low-priced EVs from China could shake up the global auto industry in ways not seen since Japanese makers exploded on the scene during the oil crises of the 1970s. BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” could be a nightmare for the U.S. auto industry.
“Any car company that’s not paying attention to them as a competitor is going to be lost when they hit their market,” said Sam Fiorani, a vice president at AutoForecast Solutions near Philadelphia. “BYD’s entry into the U.S. market isn’t an if. It’s a when.”
I look at both sides here, where every new vehicle has a chip that tell the auto makers just about everything about you … but cheap, well-made EVs should be available to the average Joe, not just the wealthy.
What pisses me off the most is the Big Three have gotten billions in subsidies/corporate welfare, and instead of creating cheap EVs to fill the market they build gas-guzzling SUVs and full-sized trucks for $60k+ per.
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My son refuses to buy a new vehicle. He says the old ones run better and he’s able to fix them himself, which offsets the cost of maintaining any new vehicle.
I refuse as well, and will continue to refuse, at least until my 1997 and 2005 vehicles can no longer be repaired for some reason. I’d love some EV tech but the idea of driving a Big Brother vehicle that’s fender-to-fender loaded with spyware and “features” that can only be enabled via subscriptions is horrifying and dystopian. Also forget all the Big Screen distractions inside and all the self-driving antifeatures. At least 1/2 of my driving is done for pleasure and I expect to be focusing on the road and what’s happening around me.
They have to sell cars. I hear the EV F-150 is selling like shit despite all the interest online, which really disappoints me. I couldn’t be happier with my Chevy Volt (other than it’s too low to the ground for my body to comfortably climb in and out of) and many would say it’s the best PHEV - or at least was for its time. The Bolt consistently ranks very highly among EVs. I absolutely disagree that American car manufacturers are dropping the ball here. They are trying to figure out how to make and sell these cars to consumers who have made clear they want trucks and SUVs with the cargo/passenger capacity for trips.
Cost of labor is higher here, but not nearly enough to explain this price difference (and is anyone suggesting we shouldn’t pay autoworkers good wages?). Something doesn’t add up. Corners have to have been cut to create an EV half the cost of everyone else. I welcome fair competition to help drive prices down, but I’ll wait to see what happens. I’m super skeptical of any miracle solution, particularly when the verbiage about it has such an emotionally charged tone.
They’re not dropping the ball, they’re throwing it away. You’re giving two examples that have been our best hope for affordable EVs but are no longer made
Well, that’s a fair point. The Bolt is being replaced by an EV version of the Equinox, which I like better for the crossover size factor, but I suspect it won’t hit quite the same as the Bolt.
No replacement for the Volt, though. Which kinda sucks, though it wasn’t a cheap market car by any means. I think mine was 35k new and I didn’t spring for the fancy version.
Did you have the chip issue in the volt a few years ago? Man that was a pain, lost mine for months waiting.
I’m currently buying ford mavericks for my fleet, and really wish they’d get off their ass and make it a plug in hybrid. We need more low to mid vehicles in the US or china will take the market even at 100% tariff markup. That’s embarrassing, but the outcome of them all pushing to “Yank tanks” for profit.
I didn’t have the chip issue, but I know it was bad and covid supply chain issues turned it into an absolute shit show for those who did. So far it has been an absolute dream. I’m just too old and have bad joints to easily get in and out. I used to commute over 200 miles a day in it, so I got every watt out of that battery every day. I still push that battery to its limits at least once a week. Anyone who thinks 30 miles is plenty is crazy - especially in northern winters where range is cut in half.