Originally Posted by RC Man

That’s a very big problem. If that’s true the potential customer base is very restrictive. I really don’t see how it’s a smart business decision to make a product that excludes most of the world.

That is why the government is forcing the manufacturers to produce these cars and the buyers get government incentives to buy them.
They just aren't a wise purchase financially.

Originally Posted by TheWoodCrafter

That is why the government is forcing the manufacturers to produce these cars and the buyers get government incentives to buy them.
They just aren't a wise purchase financially.

Cars are not a wise purchase financially to begin with. Many cars depreciate as much as 50% after the first three years.

Originally Posted by mrforsyth

IMO, the fact that they're targeting the real-world individual rather than catering to the upscale wealthy with disturbing amounts of disposable income is very admirable.

Mark

In the case of Tesla, that's never been their only intention and if they survive another 3 years or so, they'll once again *halve* the price (as they did from Roadster>Model S). That's when the fun begins, when the price becomes mainstream. And it's only a short time away.

EV naysayers are, IMO, just like the digital camera naysayers a decade ago, talking about how film cameras aren't really going away anytime soon. Then it happened--in a very short time 100% of people are using digital. And everyone stopped talking. It's undeniably the future. Talking about it being decades away is ridiculous IMO because it's already here.

I wonder how many of the naysayers here are here because they're flying electric now and are former nitro guys. I bet they were naysayers about electric RC when they were flying nitro.

"Many cars depreciate as much as 50% after the first three years. "

I thought that happened as soon as it went from being a "new" car to being a "used" car; like as soon as you drove it off the lot.

Les

What "naysyers"?

I think most have said would love one; but they're not ready for prime time just yet!

Originally Posted by Beckler

EV naysayers are, IMO, just like the digital camera naysayers a decade ago, talking about how film cameras aren't really going away anytime soon. Then it happened--in a very short time 100% of people are using digital. And everyone stopped talking. It's undeniably the future. Talking about it being decades away is ridiculous IMO because it's already here.

Originally Posted by Ohmic

I wonder how many of the naysayers here are here because they're flying electric now and are former nitro guys. I bet they were naysayers about electric RC when they were flying nitro.

Which electric car do each of you own currently?

Naysayer = Realist. Guilty as charged.

Trust me, I am a HUGE advocate of electric power and have been for a long time. I have never owned a single nitro radio control model nor will I. I am currently considering either building or purchasing an electric bicycle. However, when the technology is scaled up to full size vehicles the economies and practicality completely vanish and the folly becomes painfully evident.

The massive problem is in the storage of electrons. Current and foreseeable electrochemical battery technology is woefully inadequate and disturbingly costly when it comes to being large enough to power a passenger vehicle. This, coupled with zero 'refueling' infrastructure and overnight 'refueling' times makes electric cars extremely unattractive to most buyers who want to be able to fill up in 5 minutes and then drive 400 miles and do it again when they get to their destination. A question to ponder - how long would a cross country road trip take in a Tesla S or Nissan Leaf?

Electrochemical battery powered electric vehicles will likely never become mainstream due the tremendous range limitation and ridiculously long refueling times. All of my colleagues who own Leafs and Teslas have them as second vehicles and use them exclusively for short trips within the city (e.g. - work commuting). They own gasoline powered vehicles and use them when they decide they need to go more than a few miles or take a weekend trip. None bought their electric cars under the notion that they would save a single dime and knew full well that it would be more costly than an equivalent gasoline powered vehicle. They bought it for the novelty and satisfaction of being an early adopter.

Make an electric car with a 'fuel tank' that can be refilled in 5 minutes and has 400 miles of range and doesn't need to be replaced in 80-100K miles to the tune of $50-75K and I will be the first in line to buy it. If this technology is 'only a short time away' I haven't seen it, despite researching fervently and a strong desire to own an electric car.

Mark

I'm glad I posted here instead of looking only at my analysis. Maybe I should go to work for an EV car company in Marketing?? I do see a lot of that kind of "analysis" for many of the alternative technologies at the beginning of production - thankfully at least SOME of those do eventually become viable, like the electric power systems for RC. We can only hope that we see that further development in electric vehicles in the near future.

Definition: Naysayer; Someone who doesn't agree with me.

Yes, digital cameras replaced film cameras.That doesn't mean that I should have dumped my film camera before a suitable replacement digital was available, nor should I have scrapped out my cassette player before CD players arrived on the scene.

I personally will welcome electric vehicles with open arms when they actually get here, but as Mark said, they may never be anything more than a short trip vehicle.

Dan

Originally Posted by mrforsyth

Which electric car do each of you own currently?

Did I say I owned one?

My point exactly.

Originally Posted by Ohmic

Cars are not a wise purchase financially to begin with. Many cars depreciate as much as 50% after the first three years.

Well of course you would not want to invest your 401K in cars.

Electric cars are not a wise purchase when compared to conventional cars.
You sure can't use it when you go on a road trip vacation. Now you need to rent a car.
I sure don't have the risk of Bricking my collector car that I only drive on sunny weekends.
I am not paying extra for a technology that is not mature and has been well tested and developed.
You are still paying for development costs of the technology when you buy electric.

Even if you were to keep an electric car for 10 years, because most people don't keep a car more than a few years, the payback of the original cost difference will not be realized and then you need to buy new batteries.

I don't see electric cars as a wise purchase for the average "Joe" that works for a living or a family that has to have 2 incomes to make it.

Now you guys that have high ideals and more disposable income than the majority of Americans go right ahead and get one.
You can pave the way for my future, thank you

.

Originally Posted by mrforsyth

My point exactly.

Does anyone in this thread that's in the USA own one?

Originally Posted by mrforsyth

My point exactly.

Well, If I still had my RC-10GT I could have technically answered "yes". So perhaps I used to own one.

Originally Posted by Ohmic

Does anyone in this thread that's in the USA own one?

I think some of us are too smart for that.