Rivian started trading a couple of years ago at about $130/share. Today, their share price is about $10. I’m sure that has nothing to do with his comments.
The Rivian’s look cool, but most Americans aren’t ready for an EV, especially ones that start at $70,000.
Which is why the traditional auto makers are putting capital into gas models.
As an EV owner, it’s difficult to understand the attitude of so many Americans regarding EVs vs ICE cars. For almost anyone who owns both the comparison between the two for most uses is a no brainer.
But as things progress, unless better alternatives come along, the resistance against BEVs, solar & wind power generation will fade away.
I think the popularity of Hybrid vehicles will be short-lived. They are too complicated with too many moving parts requiring too much periodic maintenance.
Not true. My hybrid is 10 years old and hasn’t needed any maintenance related to the hybrid system, and very little beyond the regular stuff. Same is true for all the Prius owners we know.
The resistance to EVs will fade when people can be convinced that the ability to charge their vehicles away from home is readily available wherever they happen to be. We could never take an EV on many the road trips we go on simply because we go wherever we want, generally when we want, and there is generally no charging available.
That’s good news for hybrid owners, the complex systems put me off from buying a hybrid.
BEVs are great for most of the driving that most people do. We wouldn’t use it for a road trip more than 200 miles round trip and the only place we’ve ever charged it is in our garage.
The performance of many of them is downright scary, making them fun to drive, ours does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. I’ve been an out-of-the-office worker for my entire working life and have driven a lot and the BEV we have now is the most fun car to drive I’ve ever owned. The cost for electricity is around 4 cents a mile. Our 2017 ICE Santa Fe costs from 18-26 cents a mile for fuel.
I failed to state the obvious answer, a whole lot of Americans don’t like to be told what to do, and especially not what they have to buy. I know the feds didn’t require buying an EV, but the regs they were establishing were basically taking away peoples’ options. Personally, if I think an EV would work for me, I might buy one. Today, it won’t. If an EV works for you, enjoy it.