You're Being Lied to About Electric Cars

[HitchHiker71]

I saw that the New Tesla model Y is coming out on October 7th. It's a bit different and maybe $20,000 less than the previous model Y is what it looks like. I'm not sure about the financing options but I bet it's going to be good.

Bill

It's not going to be $20k less, don't know where you heard this. It'll be around $7500 less - basically it's just a stripped down version of the current MY that is discounted due to the elimination of the federal tax credit. Here's a pic of the cheaper MY Standard:

Here's a list of what won't be on the stripped down variant:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1974133253515759629

Additional details of the more affordable Tesla Model Y Standard found in the website code!

7-speaker sound system
Dual-tone seats with textile and vegan leather
No matrix headlights
Auto high beams
Manually adjustable side mirrors
Second-row manual-folding seats

Already known details:

$39,990 starting price (TBC)
Redesigned front fascia
Single-part headlights
Front bumper camera
No front light bar
No glass roof (“closed glass roof”)
New 18” Aperture wheels
Basic interior
Manually adjustable steering wheel
Textile décor
15.4” front touchscreen
No second-row touchscreen
Manually adjustable second-row air vents
Particulate filter (no HEPA filter 75 cu. ft. cargo space (-1 cu. ft.)

 

[DrQ]

thats a wild claim, my experience with public charging has been extremely limited (less than a dozen times) but its worked every time. that said I always tend to verify the status of a charger via google maps and plugshare before I bother to navigate to it for a charge.

id be pretty shocked (ha, see what I did there) if 1 out of every 3 people were pulling into ev chargers and not being able to charge. does that mean they couldnt charge at all, or just that particular charger they pulled up to wasnt working and instead they just plugged into an adjacent one? those are two very different things!

Also doesnt indicate if they include people who pull into the wrong type of charger, or dont have an account for the charger they pull up to and simply expect to just use a credit card to pay and go?

I think that the business model of the current charging network (sans Tesla) is wrong. Most charging networks place their charging stations in industrial areas to access massive electrical supply with the cheapest, fastest way to access power for a level 2&3 charging station.

They are usually unattended and remote which makes them vulnerable to thieves harvesting the copper in the charging cables. I think that their business model was apartment dwellers owning EVs without dedicated overnight charging was flawed.

They need to adopt the Willie Sutton approach to placement. Interstate Highways near attractions. Buc-ee's is doing this now with Mercedes Benz and Tesla. A place where you can find a clean bathroom, spend an hour and shop. Set up a reservation system like showers at truck stops where you can put in a reservation for a spot and get called when it is available. You would need a passcode sent to you to activate the charger to keep ppl from jumping the line. These places would be open 24/7 and attended so vandalism/theft would be reduced and the additional sales/services could offset the charging costs.

 

[TUGBrian]

I think that the business model of the current charging network (sans Tesla) is wrong. Most charging networks place their charging stations in industrial areas to access massive electrical supply with the cheapest, fastest way to access power for a level 2&3 charging station.

They are usually unattended and remote which makes them vulnerable to thieves harvesting the copper in the charging cables. I think that their business model was apartment dwellers owning EVs without dedicated overnight charging was flawed.

They need to adopt the Willie Sutton approach to placement. Interstate Highways near attractions. Buc-ee's is doing this now with Mercedes Benz and Tesla. A place where you can find a clean bathroom, spend an hour and shop. Set up a reservation system like showers at truck stops where you can put in a reservation for a spot and get called when it is available. You would need a passcode sent to you to activate the charger to keep ppl from jumping the line. These places would be open 24/7 and attended so vandalism/theft would be reduced and the additional sales/services could offset the charging costs.

ive never encountered one in a remote area like that per-se...though ive certainly seen examples online.

I have seen them all at existing business locations (for instance my last use was in a bank parking lot)...or existing gas stations. I see them in nearly all mall parking lots now or giant shopping centers which imo is brilliant! Also see them popping up at public libraries and city buildings as well!

Seeing what some of these charge per kwh explains why they are popping up in regular locations! its almost more costly to charge at these than fill up with gas at current fuel prices anyway!

(note im only referring to independent type chargers, not tesla chargers)

 

[easyrider]

It's not going to be $20k less, don't know where you heard this. It'll be around $7500 less - basically it's just a stripped down version of the current MY that is discounted due to the elimination of the federal tax credit. Here's a pic of the cheaper MY Standard:

View attachment 116766

Here's a list of what won't be on the stripped down variant:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1974133253515759629

Additional details of the more affordable Tesla Model Y Standard found in the website code!

7-speaker sound system
Dual-tone seats with textile and vegan leather
No matrix headlights
Auto high beams
Manually adjustable side mirrors
Second-row manual-folding seats

Already known details:

$39,990 starting price (TBC)
Redesigned front fascia
Single-part headlights
Front bumper camera
No front light bar
No glass roof (“closed glass roof”)
New 18” Aperture wheels
Basic interior
Manually adjustable steering wheel
Textile décor
15.4” front touchscreen
No second-row touchscreen
Manually adjustable second-row air vents
Particulate filter (no HEPA filter 75 cu. ft. cargo space (-1 cu. ft.)

It's interesting what passes as a good looking vehicle now days. The Tesla's remind me of the Yugo in that they have that utilitarian look. No style at all.

Bill

 

[buzglyd]

It's interesting what passes as a good looking vehicle now days. The Tesla's remind me of the Yugo in that they have that utilitarian look. No style at all.

Bill

We all made fun of the Pontiac Aztek and now every car looks like it.

 

[Carolinian]

Henry Ford believed in "merchantilism" - (and he had an electric car)

Fortunately we don't have those cheap Chinese EV's !!


View attachment 116765

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/07/cars/china-evs-global-intl-hnk

Merchantilism is a national economic strategy, not a policy of an individual industrialist. Countries that employ it, like China, tend to use it for multiple products. It is why our own pharmaceutical production got hollowed out, for example, by China.

Electric cars were actually quite common in the early days of the automobile, until buyers figured out that gasoline cars were better.

 

[Brett]

Merchantilism is a national economic strategy, not a policy of an individual industrialist. Countries that employ it, like China, tend to use it for multiple products. It is why our own pharmaceutical production got hollowed out, for example, by China.

Electric cars were actually quite common in the early days of the automobile, until buyers figured out that gasoline cars were better.

Auto buyers (outside the US) figured out that electric vehicles were cheaper with less maintenance and .... less gas .!!

.

And LOL !

.
Our "own" pharmaceutical companies getting "hollowed out"
(except that ____ Rx !)

 

[Carolinian]

We all made fun of the Pontiac Aztek and now every car looks like it.

That has been going on for a while now. I remember an article in British Car Magazine when MG came out with the MGR V8. based on the old MGB body shell, where they commented on the "all look alike design" of new cars of the period and that the MGR V8 was the only one "that did not look like a jelly bean."

 

[Carolinian]

Auto buyers (outside the US) figured out that electric vehicles were cheaper with less maintenance and .... less gas .!!

.

View attachment 116770

And LOL !

.
Our "own" pharmaceutical companies getting "hollowed out"
(except that ____ Rx !)

View attachment 116771

Apparently, you and the machine you seem to use to do your thinking for you, do not comprehend how dangerously dependent America now is on China for pharmaceuticals and their components.
.
Your machine also seems to not compute things like German insurance data that shows a high proportion of people who have owned electric cars going back to gas or diesel cars, or last Saturday's Czech election where a brand new party that rejects EU climate policy particularly on EV's called Motorists for Themselves came out of nowhere to win 13 of the 200 seats in parliament. ( I mention that solely to show that a lot of Czechs are clearly not fond of EV's, not to comment on the overall election result).

 

[Brett]

Apparently, you and the machine you seem to use to do your thinking for you, do not comprehend how dangerously dependent America now is on China for pharmaceuticals and their components.
.
Your machine also seems to not compute things like German insurance data that shows a high proportion of people who have owned electric cars going back to gas or diesel cars, or last Saturday's Czech election where a brand new party that rejects EU climate policy particularly on EV's called Motorists for Themselves came out of nowhere to win 13 of the 200 seats in parliament.

LOL

The "machine" strangely only works outside the US ...

.

https://about.bnef.com/insights/cle...s-us-market-slows-sharply-bloombergnef-finds/

 

[easyrider]

We all made fun of the Pontiac Aztek and now every car looks like it.

The only reason I know of this car is Breaking Bad. You do have a point in that most of the cross overs kind of have a similar look.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

LOL

The "machine" strangely only works outside the US ...

.


View attachment 116774
https://about.bnef.com/insights/cle...s-us-market-slows-sharply-bloombergnef-finds/

We recently did a 14 hour road trip, one way. We drove the 14 hours home non-stop except for gas and pit stops. We actually made the 14 hour trip home in a bit over 13 1/2 hours including the stops. There is no way an EV could do this. There is no EV as comfortable as the Lincoln Town Car Continental Edition for a long road trip.

To me, ev's are for in town driving for the most part and only if you can charge it at home. I was considering buying a Tesla but now I think not. I'd rather have a v-8 like a Lexus 570 or 460. Maybe even a v-6 without a CTV transmission. Last week I watched a lifted Lexus 460 with 35 inch tires climb the obstacles at Moab. These have a transfer case like a Jeep.

Bill

 

[TUGBrian]

id happily sacrifice looks for range and cost savings!

I was super excited when the amazon/bezos plain jane ev pickup was announced! though it seems its not going to be anywhere near as cheap as originally touted.

 

[Carolinian]

LOL

The "machine" strangely only works outside the US ...

.

The "machine" I refer to, which you have used to outsource your own thinking is AI. AI is not reliable. There have been a number of instances where lawyers used AI to draft briefs, and AI made up cases that do not exist. Even a judge's clerk who used AI for drafting orders had AI include cases and statutes that did not exist. AI can too often be digital flim-flam and not to be trusted.

 

[emeryjre]

The "machine" I refer to, which you have used to outsource your own thinking is AI. AI is not reliable. There have been a number of instances where lawyers used AI to draft briefs, and AI made up cases that do not exist. Even a judge's clerk who used AI for drafting orders had AI include cases and statutes that did not exist. AI can too often be digital flim-flam and not to be trusted.

So you think Brett uses AI in his searches and news stories
You are showing your total lack of understanding of AI searches
Just because some of us disagree with your repeated fear mongering of fiat currencies and modern technolgy
We have stopped attacking your source of information and repeated and droll stories
Could you extend the same courtesy

 

[HitchHiker71]

The "machine" I refer to, which you have used to outsource your own thinking is AI. AI is not reliable. There have been a number of instances where lawyers used AI to draft briefs, and AI made up cases that do not exist. Even a judge's clerk who used AI for drafting orders had AI include cases and statutes that did not exist. AI can too often be digital flim-flam and not to be trusted.

You are attempting to make categorical binary statements to enforce your own narratives here, and then proceed to justify them with anecdotal examples from the past.

Yes AI hallucination does exist. The fifth generation LLMs have largely eliminated this problem though. The LLM models are now much better than even a year ago. I’ve observed very little AIH with Grok 4 for example. Cherry picking anecdotal examples doesn’t invalidate the use of AI. Deploying binary thinking does seem to be something you continue to suffer from however.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[easyrider]

id happily sacrifice looks for range and cost savings!

I was super excited when the amazon/bezos plain jane ev pickup was announced! though it seems its not going to be anywhere near as cheap as originally touted.

I like large luxury type vehicles. Suv's, trucks and sedans with v-8's or a zippy v-6 are what we drive. I rented a 4 door Jeep Rubicon with a lift and 37 inch tires last week and I wasn't liking the 4 cylinder turbo engine in it at all. My guess is this Jeep will only last about 60,000 miles before the engine blows.

The Bezo truck looks bad as in not very attractive, imo. For the $20,000 or more they want for the Bezo truck you could get a slightly used Maverick or pos Santa Cruz. I think the Frontier, Ridgeline and Tacoma are the only small trucks I would consider. For reliability it would be the Tacoma or Frontier. The Ridgeline's cylinder deactivation is something I don't like.

How's it going with the Ford Lightning ?

Bill

 

[TUGBrian]

The Bezo truck looks bad as in not very attractive, imo. For the $20,000 or more they want for the Bezo truck you could get a slightly used Maverick or pos Santa Cruz. I think the Frontier, Ridgeline and Tacoma are the only small trucks I would consider. For reliability it would be the Tacoma or Frontier. The Ridgeline's cylinder deactivation is something I don't like.

How's it going with the Ford Lightning ?

Bill

none of those are electric!

still love the lightning, but will say it has a number of random quirks that id like addressed under warranty....but i cant get any dealership to return my call or email to schedule a time to bring it in! seems like none of them are interested in working on EVs....its pretty wild.

admittedly ive only tried to reach out to the 3 closest to me (are two more on the ford site that claim to work on ford evs, but are all the way across town)....but I am pretty shocked that I cant get service scheduled to get it serviced especially with an open recall.

the main quirks for me are the parking sensors just go BONKERS at random times with nothing around me. ive even been alone in a parking lot and all the sensors on one side go off like ive been in a collision. other times its random corners despite having nothing anywhere near the truck. Also whenever i go thru a car wash or heavy rain, the front sensors somehow get disabled (I know this because I get a huge warning message on the dash telling me the front sensors are disabled).

the biggest annoyance for me however is the fact that bluecruise (fords autopilot) stopped working a few months back, I can only guess its perhaps related to the sensors as well as if those arent working bluecruise wont work either. while I dont go on the highway regularly, its a nice feature when i am on the highway.

other than that, its still hands down the best truck ive ever owned!

 

[Carolinian]

So you think Brett uses AI in his searches and news stories
You are showing your total lack of understanding of AI searches
Just because some of us disagree with your repeated fear mongering of fiat currencies and modern technolgy
We have stopped attacking your source of information and repeated and droll stories
Could you extend the same courtesy

NO, what he used was an "AI Overview", something apparently WRITTEN by AI. When AI makes up cases when used to write legal briefs or orders, it is simply not reliable. Those stumbles by AI have happened fairly recently. I have a lot more respect for a PERSON's opinion than a machine's opinion.

 

[Brett]

October 6, 2025

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3w5jl2jgqwo

 

[easyrider]

other than that, its still hands down the best truck ive ever owned!

I think they stopped making good vehicles years ago. The only newish trucks I would consider buying are the v-8 Tundra or Titan. These are pretty much bullet proof out of the factory.

Good luck with the Lightning. At least you have somewhere to take yours. If I bought one, I would have to take it 200 miles away for service.

Bill

 

[buzglyd]

I think they stopped making good vehicles years ago. The only newish trucks I would consider buying are the v-8 Tundra or Titan. These are pretty much bullet proof out of the factory.

Good luck with the Lightning. At least you have somewhere to take yours. If I bought one, I would have to take it 200 miles away for service.

Bill

I am still driving a 2002 V8 Tundra. It will outlive me.

 

[Carolinian]

I think they stopped making good vehicles years ago. The only newish trucks I would consider buying are the v-8 Tundra or Titan. These are pretty much bullet proof out of the factory.

Good luck with the Lightning. At least you have somewhere to take yours. If I bought one, I would have to take it 200 miles away for service.

Bill

Morgan still makes the Plus Four so there is still at least one good sports car.

 

[emeryjre]

Morgan still makes the Plus Four so there is still at least one good sports car.

Doesn't this car require a regular termite inspection
Ducky from NCIS drove one of these if I remember correctly

 

[youppi]

I think they stopped making good vehicles years ago. The only newish trucks I would consider buying are the v-8 Tundra or Titan. These are pretty much bullet proof out of the factory.

Good luck with the Lightning. At least you have somewhere to take yours. If I bought one, I would have to take it 200 miles away for service.

Bill

I though the V-8 was discontinued in the Toyota Tundra since 4-5 years and replaced by a twin-turbo V-6 ?