
Carmakers Turn to Survival Tactics with Industry Under Siege - artsandsci
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/business/auto-industry-fiat-renault.html
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mikestew
I'm beginning to wonder if we aren't collectively getting over our car fancy
juuuusst a little bit. I'm old, I grew up in the Midwest, I like my vroom-
vroom V8s and the like. But, man, I'm beginning to get so _done_ with cars,
ICEs at least. Part of the reason is because viable options are becoming
available. We've had a Leaf for almost eight years, for example. Because of
our ownership, I foresee the end of our owning things that run on tiny fuel
explosions. Attrition will replace the ICEs we own now. If we need to drive
any distance, we'll more than likely be driving the RV (which unfortunately
will probably be ICE for quite a while).

Electric or not, I'm also getting kind of done with a 3500 lb. steel cage to
get my scrawny ass the short drive to work. I've tried to use alternatives
(and usually do), but the alternatives are kind of a pain, too. Motorcycle
saves time (HOV lanes) if I go Redmond->Seattle, but I work in Bellevue now
(next door to Redmond) and the motorcycle takes longer than the car with all
the gearing up. Motorcycle isn't _that_ much more ecologically-friendly than a
car, either. Bicycle is nice, but I have a non-trivial hill both ways. A lot
of days I don't mind, a lot of days I do. I get exercise, but it pretty much
triples my otherwise 20 minute commute. But I still do it, it's fun and
healthy and not bad.

I do my exercise when I'm home, so most days what I _really_ want is an
ecologically-friendly way to get to work that isn't a pain in the ass and
doesn't take forever. I think my solution is an electric scooter. I bought a
Xiaomi M365 and have ridden it the seven miles to work each day. It adds 15
minutes to a 20 minute commute, but instead of dealing with shitacular WA
drivers, I cruise next to a river. I've enjoyed it enough in the past week,
and it has proven itself to be practical enough, that I put a deposit down on
one of Boosted's considerably better-built and more expensive scooters coming
out soon. We'll see how it goes come Seattle winter.

My long-winded point isn't for everyone to go buy scooters, but rather (as the
article points out), there are _tons_ more options lately than just plopping
your ass in a car seat. Not just pain-in-the-ass options, practical options.
"Practical" being the key word. Lithium batteries might be the single greatest
thing to get us out of our cars.

~~~
shaftway
> Motorcycle saves time (HOV lanes) if I go Redmond->Seattle, but I work in
> Bellevue now (next door to Redmond) and the motorcycle takes longer than the
> car with all the gearing up. Motorcycle isn't that much more ecologically-
> friendly than a car, either.

I've switched to a motorcycle, but in my case it's different. I commute around
the east bay, 42 miles each way along the 680 corridor which can be pretty
bad. I can take a company bus, but it's 25 minutes to get to the bus stop, and
then a minimum of another hour to get in, usually 1:15. So that's an hour and
forty minute commute just to get into work. Evenings are worse, typically
taking over 2 hours.

But on the bike, gearing up and checking the bike takes 2 minutes, gassing up
takes another minute, and the drive into work takes 52 minutes (thanks to HOV
lanes and lane splitting, which you don't have in WA). Door to door is never
over an hour. The ride home is usually 1:15.

So on the bike it's a total of 2:10 spent commuting, vs. at least 3:40,
probably more. Except on rainy days. Then I take the bus, because I don't like
getting wet.

But like you, my major impetus behind the switch is that I'm tired of driving
a giant lumbering beast around. The ~60mpg on the bike certainly doesn't hurt.

------
thorwasdfasdf
Once those financial penalties start to hit carmakers, they'll probably have
to offer deep discounts on electric cars to get a high percentage of their
consumer base to buy electric rather than ICE, or simply stop offering ICE
altogether

~~~
Fjolsvith
I doubt that will save them right away, regardless. I've bought used vehicles
for years.

Example: Bought a 2004 Navigator for $500. It needed new struts to replace the
airbags, new CV shafts on the front, new front and back windshields and some
engine work. Spent about $3000 total for a $6k bluebook value luxury car.

I watch Craigslist for really good deals and pounce on them. With my shed
business, I wear out a 3/4 ton pickup every year pulling buildings. Cheaper to
spend 3-4k a year on that than to buy a new one and have it in the shop for
warranty work all the time.

