John's Stuff - Personal Log 1288

July 24, 2024 - July 29, 2024

Last Updated: Mon. 11/04/2024

7-29-2024 Video: Commute with Windows Open. Driving conditions for my commute to work in the bZ4X were near ideal. It was a great opportunity to show what happens then, while just traveling along with the flow of traffic. The outcome was 4.9 mi/kWh. That's really good EV efficiency for a SUV with 20" wheels and AWD... Toyota bZ4X - Commute with Windows Open

7-28-2024
Plugging In. This was part 2, a reminder of purpose: My takeaway from this exchange was showing how easily some lose sight of purpose. The topic is about PHEV plugging in. But rather than address current outcome & future potential, the choice was to nitpick about efficiency. So what if the current generation of battery doesn't provide enough EV miles to cover every situation? We see LFP chasing impressive densities and solid-state moving from proven to ramp-up. That means the strongest argument against PHEV is weakening. Attempts to distract from that by trying to make this about Toyota are clearly desperate acts. It's not about which automaker is the best or whether BEV are superior. It's about the fact that plugging in a PHEV delivers EV miles.

7-28-2024
Knowing Audience. I took advantage of the active discussion. It was about "user data" and there were plenty of attempts to refer to outdated & misleading reports of the past. I didn't care, because I have participated in the nonsense many times before. Rather than focusing on who this information may be important to, it's just a tit-for-tat argument. Someone will inevitably attack the messenger by finding some off-topic trait to argue about. The assumption is winning that will get the person to abandon their efforts. I know that is nothing but a what-about. I also know those trying to learn about the actual topic (the intended audience for that article) won't care. So, it's really easy to point out the deception while providing some exposition at the same time. This was the first of two closure posts: Know your audience. There have been countless efforts over the years to prove superiority, each missing the point that battles online for the best possible number is no how to appeal the masses. You were never in. It always comes down to balance. The best is not required to succeed. It just has to be really good. That's why enthusiasts despise Toyota, leadership achieved by putting emphasis on need rather than want. An assessment of "mediocre" falls on deaf ears, which was the point of all of this. That teaching moment was an opportunity to inform lurkers. It exposes how enthusiasts obsess over differences that aren't a priority to ordinary consumers.

7-28-2024 Teaching Moment. That pointless argument continued on. It was amusing. Rather than acknowledging existence of a third-generation PHEV, he went back and made references to the original from 12 years ago. That type of denial is a dead giveaway of refusing to face facts and it was obvious how his argument feel apart. His beloved Model 3 is rated for 132 MPGe. The 2024 Prius Prime SE is rated for 127 MPGe. My callout of mi/kWh left him without a next move. He had backed himself into a corner trying to win a hopeless battle. It was time to fire back, making sure everyone knew what had actually played out:

That's called a teaching moment. When it became apparent the discussion was just a keyboard warrior trying to win a battle, I took advantage of the opportunity to make it about sharing information instead. Readers will benefit from seeing the exchange of posts from someone dead set on bragging rights. Know your audience.

The topic all along was about efficiency while driving in EV, as references to mi/kWh confirm. Some well designed PHEV are able to deliver efficiency simply due to their lighter weight and less demanding motors. Since many BEV favor long range by providing very large battery-packs, that's an easy difference to recognize. Again, know your audience.

Those arguing for BEV purity portray the situation as static, as if technology advancements won't also benefit PHEV. Turns out, that's not the case. An upcoming NCM battery using a non-liquid electrolyte (solid-state, which is currently in the ramp-up stage) does exactly that. EV range in the 40's will increase, without requiring more physical space, while at the same time increasing cycle-life.

PHEV will be competing on the showroom floor, attempting to draw attention from those shoppers... those consumers who aren't ready for a BEV yet. With some already delivering enough EV range to cover daily driving, any next-gen offering with a better battery makes it very compelling... for that audience.
In short, winning an argument here is pointless. Though, I did find it informative how generations of PHEV got mixed up. That indicates more opportunity for other teaching moments.

7-28-2024
Anecdotal Observations. Drawing conclusions based on information from recent activity will commonly lead to incorrect understanding of what's really taking place. That kind of thing happens all the time online, especially when it comes to the hybrid of vehicle technology. People don't have that history readily available, nor is there a trustworthy source to look it up. Research becomes a logistical nightmare. What you need is references from when the event itself was taking place. Looking back distorts perspective. A great example of that is looking at the seemingly simple topic of pricing for bZ4X (and Solterra), like from this post today about the recent sales boom: "It's because they finally realize that it wasn't priced competitively! 2023 got a horrible feedback from the owners and with high price - it wasn't attractive. 2024 price is finally in line and people are willing to close their eyes on negative at the right price." Reality was, the supposed "horrible" feedback was actually reviewer commentary from enthusiast media sources. Looking back at history, you'd find the same thing about Prius. Most owners were delighted with their purchase, but those fighting to retain the status quo were feeding rhetoric. So like back then, to get the true situation now you have really dig for detail. And easier option is looking for more patterns like that. What else did that rollout of Prius long ago have in common with what's happening now with bZ4X. I pointed out the effort to reach a particular audience, which is what price effectively controlled: No, that was intentional. Look at Prius history for perspective on audience. The higher price meant only attracting the die-hard and well-informed initially.

7-28-2024
Bragging Rights. Providing reference to what I had actually posted only made the situation worse: "Here's your quote: "There are some PHEV that deliver much better mi/kWh than some BEV." You said it and it's not true and makes no sense." I found it all quite telling, since he absolutely refused to acknowledge the 44 mile EV range for 2024 Prius Prime. Instead, it was stated as "a measly ~30 miles" by sighting an enthusiast review. What made it all worthwhile though was how he ended his rant with: "EV destroys the PHEV efficiency. Not. Even. Close." That was just another brain-dead purist declaring "vastly superior" nonsense. He was beating his chest, a fight to win bragging rights. Ugh. I gave him an opportunity at redemption by attempting to focus on numbers now... expecting that to basically just add to the pointlessness of it all: That confirms a misunderstanding on your part. My references have been to EV miles only, hence mi/kWh. That is the measure of electricity consumption. My 2017 Prius Prime routinely delivered over 5 mi/kWh on my daily commute during the summer. With my bZ4X, most of the time the mi/kWh is 4 something on that same drive. That means I used less electricity to travel to & from work with the PHEV than with the BEV.

7-27-2024
More Charging. This stirred the pot: "Require L2 and DCFC in stalls in every parking lot over 20 spaces. Require building codes to wire for L2 charging. Provide incentives to workplaces to install chargers." It came about from discussion of the need for more public parking. If you have charging available at home, how much is needed while out & about? Those who believe EVs are mandated, somehow becoming a forced purchase, really haven't thought the situation through. They tend to reply as if with a knee-jerk reaction. For example: "Yeah, and make all the non-EV people pay for it!" That really got me thinking. Here's what I came up with in return: Like the switch from analog to digital? All those non-digital people ended up using analog eventually, seeing a direct benefit from infrastructure built prior to their adoption of it. How much longer do you want to subsidize catalytic-convertor replacement, knowing your EV insurance coverage is indirectly helping pay for ICE vehicle related theft?

7-27-2024
Pointless Arguing. It seemed like I was about to embark on another pointless round of BEV verses PHEV arguing. Then I noticed the purist had already run out of material to argue, attempting to downplay my 50-mile example to just 30. That got me curious. What did he deem a priority? To my surprise, the measure of "MPGe" was brought up instead of range. That's a bad idea, since some BEV are so much worse than others. Purists have avoided the topic for that reason. So, maybe this wasn't pointless. Was he really going to open up that cans of worms? It would be a means of winning a PHEV argument, but choosing that particular battle leaves you vulnerable to others. It's not worth it. That meant I couldn't resist. I didn't either: Know your audience. Comparing Model Y to RAV4 Prime, with such obvious ground-clearance difference, isn't something an ordinary consumer will accept. Think about why pickups are so popular. The subject wasn't changed either. PHEV will opportunity charge, benefiting from whatever connection they have available. 120-volt overnight provides a full battery in the morning. Plugging in at work does too. That ~30 miles becomes 60 for those who can benefit. It's no range anxiety with greatly reduced gas consumption for a large number of EV-hesitant consumers. Know your audience. The claim of "wins by a mile" falls on deaf ears. Better MPGe isn't a priority. Heck, if it was, we wouldn't now have electricity-guzzlers.

7-27-2024 Tesla Monopoly. It is an interesting topic. I found a post with the following of great interest: "People said similar things about Prius parts and repairs..." Only having Toyota as the place to go when you encounter a problem was indeed a genuine concern. It isn't anymore. Recognizing how that happened is vital. I posted that information this way:

...then faded away as a concern when that technology was spread throughout the fleet.

Tesla's failure to diversify has consequences. We were taught by previous cases of Innovator's Dilemma that such avoidable situations will have a strong following that fights to retain the status quo. They don't want what made their favored technology to be diluted. Watching that history play out with GM was fascinating. Volt enthusiasts did everything in their power to prevent spread of that plug-in hybrid system. The very idea of it being offered in a sedan or SUV made you a traitor to the cause. Heck, even suggesting a "lite" version got you labeled as a troll.

We have seen the same type of resistance from Tesla enthusiasts. To offer an affordable Tesla, there's no reason to include a large battery-pack. Taking advantage of SuperChargers makes less range practical... but at the same time, sacrifices the exclusivity Tesla owners have enjoyed. This is why NACS was an inevitability. At some point, the practical nature of DC fast-charging would come to the masses. The monopoly by Tesla would be challenged.
In short, there's much more than parts & repairs at play. All new technologies face new stages as audience grows. Some don't survive the change.

7-27-2024
Traded In. He traded in his 2023 Prius Prime for a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 diesel because his wife didn't feel safe. That's the most extreme example of not understanding the problem. Marketing has convinced us that larger is safer. You want better handling though to avoid having an accident in the first place. Trading in a low small vehicle for a tall large vehicle is exactly what you shouldn't do. It will have the opposite outcome. As for going from a plug-in hybrid to a diesel, that's so far beyond bizarre... it makes you understand how a lunatic ended up becoming president here. With so many other choices, getting a giant-dirty-guzzling pickup makes no sense whatsoever. We are back to want verses need. Remember all the "crash" test nonsense? People were more concerned about surviving than not being in an accident in the first place (or causing harm to others). It was an early sign that our society was no longer using critical thinking.

7-27-2024 Pricing. People like to draw conclusions with providing any context or history: "It's not that the Solterra was finally discovered or anything, it's that Subaru and Toyota finally priced it right." A lot of the time, that tends to indicate their logic was based upon anecdotal evidence... which mean they could be correct, but won't recognize what comes next. I tried to provide some useful background on this topic:

That's exactly how things should play out in the early market. Some opportunity seekers have disposable income. Others jump on the chance when a bargain appears. The result is a diverse consumer sampling without risk of a major inventory problem. Notice how the other legacy automakers are postponing production plans? Taking a large loss hit isn't something Toyota & Subaru face.

This approach is especially useful when it comes to continuous improvement. Neither automaker was stuck with more than just a handful of outdated models. 2024 offered a notable upgrade over 2023. We have already been informed 2025 will also deliver something compelling.
In terms of raising awareness for consumers, providing experience for dealers, and getting feedback for the automaker, that inventory & pricing we see is quite valuable. Keep in mind, this is a marathon not a sprint. Infrastructure shortcomings are overwhelming evidence of how more is required before the masses will consider an EV purchase.

7-26-2024 PHEV Data. The same old nonsense related to plugging in or not plugging in is still thriving. BEV owners clearly feel threatened by the rise in popularity of PHEV. That's likely due to the attention they are getting which is resulting in education about them. The more consumers understand about plug-in hybrids, the more compelling they become. Adding to that is the growth of level-2 availability. More chargers raise both awareness & convenience. This is how I jumped into today's discussion:

The biggest advantage of PHEV is completely overlooked... being able to completely recharge overnight with nothing but a standard outlet. 10 hours of 120 volts will deliver 14.4 kWh of electricity. At 3.5 mi/kWh, that's 50 miles of range... without requiring any upgrade whatsoever at home.

PHEV is what enables ordinary consumers to immediately embrace plugging in. And as countless many have stated, it feed the desire for BEV. It teaches owners about the benefit of electricity while at the same time encourages them to invest in level-2 charging. It also alleviates household concerns of having a BEV with short range, making affordable models realistic.

Seeing so many advocates shoot themselves in the foot by speaking out against PHEV is quite remarkable. They can be their own worst enemy. Think about the power all those PHEV owners have with the push for apartments & condos to begin offering level-2 for tenants.
Meanwhile, those EV miles driven everyday by PHEV are already delivering the same benefit as EV miles from a BEV.

7-25-2024
Facing Reality. This paints an interesting picture: "Tesla reported a 45% drop in net income for Q2 2024, despite efforts like price cuts and low-interest financing. The decline, to $1.48 billion, was influenced by reduced EV sales, falling profit margins, and challenging economic conditions." That potential was the concern upon rollout of Cybertruck. Will the trend continue? You betcha! Tesla simply has nothing to compete with. Absence of an entry-level vehicle has been a problem for years. Choosing to create a beast pretending to be a pickup was exactly the wrong thing to do. It gave enthusiasts even more of a niche to desire. Focusing so many resources on a vehicle that couldn't even be sold outside of North America was a move in the self-destructive direction. Tesla wanted to live in its fantasy world just a little bit longer, not wanting to have to face the fact that high-volume low-profit vehicles are what need to be produced... not electricity-guzzling monsters. Cutting margins on Model 3 & Y to make up the difference is just a temporary fix, not a long-term solution. Tesla must make some difficult decisions soon.

7-24-2024
Used EV. Gotta read between the lines, looking for clues like this in a randomly posted rant: "I drive a $2500 Toyota ...26 years old and runs perfect ...less than 6-7000 miles per year ...not wanting an outrageous payment". It concluded with: "I've said it before, EV's have their place, just not for most folks." He felt that was a well presented argument, showing favor for the technology but pointing out the impractical nature of it's place in the real world. I saw what he had overlooked. That often happens with point-in-time arguments. Looking forward to how things could be different later doesn't happen. A more favorable future is dismissed. New options are overlooked too, like what will become of the currently expensive EVs later. That set me up for this simple rebuttal: That's a really good argument for a used EV in a few years.

7-29-2024	Video: Commute with Windows Open. Driving conditions for my commute to work in the bZ4X were near ideal. It was a great opportunity to show what happens then, while just traveling along with the flow of traffic. The outcome was 4.9 mi/kWh. That's really good EV efficiency for a SUV with 20" wheels and AWD... Toyota bZ4X - Commute with Windows Open
7-28-2024	Plugging In. This was part 2, a reminder of purpose: My takeaway from this exchange was showing how easily some lose sight of purpose. The topic is about PHEV plugging in. But rather than address current outcome & future potential, the choice was to nitpick about efficiency. So what if the current generation of battery doesn't provide enough EV miles to cover every situation? We see LFP chasing impressive densities and solid-state moving from proven to ramp-up. That means the strongest argument against PHEV is weakening. Attempts to distract from that by trying to make this about Toyota are clearly desperate acts. It's not about which automaker is the best or whether BEV are superior. It's about the fact that plugging in a PHEV delivers EV miles.
7-28-2024	Knowing Audience. I took advantage of the active discussion. It was about "user data" and there were plenty of attempts to refer to outdated & misleading reports of the past. I didn't care, because I have participated in the nonsense many times before. Rather than focusing on who this information may be important to, it's just a tit-for-tat argument. Someone will inevitably attack the messenger by finding some off-topic trait to argue about. The assumption is winning that will get the person to abandon their efforts. I know that is nothing but a what-about. I also know those trying to learn about the actual topic (the intended audience for that article) won't care. So, it's really easy to point out the deception while providing some exposition at the same time. This was the first of two closure posts: Know your audience. There have been countless efforts over the years to prove superiority, each missing the point that battles online for the best possible number is no how to appeal the masses. You were never in. It always comes down to balance. The best is not required to succeed. It just has to be really good. That's why enthusiasts despise Toyota, leadership achieved by putting emphasis on need rather than want. An assessment of "mediocre" falls on deaf ears, which was the point of all of this. That teaching moment was an opportunity to inform lurkers. It exposes how enthusiasts obsess over differences that aren't a priority to ordinary consumers.
7-28-2024	Teaching Moment. That pointless argument continued on. It was amusing. Rather than acknowledging existence of a third-generation PHEV, he went back and made references to the original from 12 years ago. That type of denial is a dead giveaway of refusing to face facts and it was obvious how his argument feel apart. His beloved Model 3 is rated for 132 MPGe. The 2024 Prius Prime SE is rated for 127 MPGe. My callout of mi/kWh left him without a next move. He had backed himself into a corner trying to win a hopeless battle. It was time to fire back, making sure everyone knew what had actually played out: That's called a teaching moment. When it became apparent the discussion was just a keyboard warrior trying to win a battle, I took advantage of the opportunity to make it about sharing information instead. Readers will benefit from seeing the exchange of posts from someone dead set on bragging rights. Know your audience. The topic all along was about efficiency while driving in EV, as references to mi/kWh confirm. Some well designed PHEV are able to deliver efficiency simply due to their lighter weight and less demanding motors. Since many BEV favor long range by providing very large battery-packs, that's an easy difference to recognize. Again, know your audience. Those arguing for BEV purity portray the situation as static, as if technology advancements won't also benefit PHEV. Turns out, that's not the case. An upcoming NCM battery using a non-liquid electrolyte (solid-state, which is currently in the ramp-up stage) does exactly that. EV range in the 40's will increase, without requiring more physical space, while at the same time increasing cycle-life. PHEV will be competing on the showroom floor, attempting to draw attention from those shoppers... those consumers who aren't ready for a BEV yet. With some already delivering enough EV range to cover daily driving, any next-gen offering with a better battery makes it very compelling... for that audience. In short, winning an argument here is pointless. Though, I did find it informative how generations of PHEV got mixed up. That indicates more opportunity for other teaching moments.
7-28-2024	Anecdotal Observations. Drawing conclusions based on information from recent activity will commonly lead to incorrect understanding of what's really taking place. That kind of thing happens all the time online, especially when it comes to the hybrid of vehicle technology. People don't have that history readily available, nor is there a trustworthy source to look it up. Research becomes a logistical nightmare. What you need is references from when the event itself was taking place. Looking back distorts perspective. A great example of that is looking at the seemingly simple topic of pricing for bZ4X (and Solterra), like from this post today about the recent sales boom: "It's because they finally realize that it wasn't priced competitively! 2023 got a horrible feedback from the owners and with high price - it wasn't attractive. 2024 price is finally in line and people are willing to close their eyes on negative at the right price." Reality was, the supposed "horrible" feedback was actually reviewer commentary from enthusiast media sources. Looking back at history, you'd find the same thing about Prius. Most owners were delighted with their purchase, but those fighting to retain the status quo were feeding rhetoric. So like back then, to get the true situation now you have really dig for detail. And easier option is looking for more patterns like that. What else did that rollout of Prius long ago have in common with what's happening now with bZ4X. I pointed out the effort to reach a particular audience, which is what price effectively controlled: No, that was intentional. Look at Prius history for perspective on audience. The higher price meant only attracting the die-hard and well-informed initially.
7-28-2024	Bragging Rights. Providing reference to what I had actually posted only made the situation worse: "Here's your quote: "There are some PHEV that deliver much better mi/kWh than some BEV." You said it and it's not true and makes no sense." I found it all quite telling, since he absolutely refused to acknowledge the 44 mile EV range for 2024 Prius Prime. Instead, it was stated as "a measly ~30 miles" by sighting an enthusiast review. What made it all worthwhile though was how he ended his rant with: "EV destroys the PHEV efficiency. Not. Even. Close." That was just another brain-dead purist declaring "vastly superior" nonsense. He was beating his chest, a fight to win bragging rights. Ugh. I gave him an opportunity at redemption by attempting to focus on numbers now... expecting that to basically just add to the pointlessness of it all: That confirms a misunderstanding on your part. My references have been to EV miles only, hence mi/kWh. That is the measure of electricity consumption. My 2017 Prius Prime routinely delivered over 5 mi/kWh on my daily commute during the summer. With my bZ4X, most of the time the mi/kWh is 4 something on that same drive. That means I used less electricity to travel to & from work with the PHEV than with the BEV.
7-27-2024	More Charging. This stirred the pot: "Require L2 and DCFC in stalls in every parking lot over 20 spaces. Require building codes to wire for L2 charging. Provide incentives to workplaces to install chargers." It came about from discussion of the need for more public parking. If you have charging available at home, how much is needed while out & about? Those who believe EVs are mandated, somehow becoming a forced purchase, really haven't thought the situation through. They tend to reply as if with a knee-jerk reaction. For example: "Yeah, and make all the non-EV people pay for it!" That really got me thinking. Here's what I came up with in return: Like the switch from analog to digital? All those non-digital people ended up using analog eventually, seeing a direct benefit from infrastructure built prior to their adoption of it. How much longer do you want to subsidize catalytic-convertor replacement, knowing your EV insurance coverage is indirectly helping pay for ICE vehicle related theft?
7-27-2024	Pointless Arguing. It seemed like I was about to embark on another pointless round of BEV verses PHEV arguing. Then I noticed the purist had already run out of material to argue, attempting to downplay my 50-mile example to just 30. That got me curious. What did he deem a priority? To my surprise, the measure of "MPGe" was brought up instead of range. That's a bad idea, since some BEV are so much worse than others. Purists have avoided the topic for that reason. So, maybe this wasn't pointless. Was he really going to open up that cans of worms? It would be a means of winning a PHEV argument, but choosing that particular battle leaves you vulnerable to others. It's not worth it. That meant I couldn't resist. I didn't either: Know your audience. Comparing Model Y to RAV4 Prime, with such obvious ground-clearance difference, isn't something an ordinary consumer will accept. Think about why pickups are so popular. The subject wasn't changed either. PHEV will opportunity charge, benefiting from whatever connection they have available. 120-volt overnight provides a full battery in the morning. Plugging in at work does too. That ~30 miles becomes 60 for those who can benefit. It's no range anxiety with greatly reduced gas consumption for a large number of EV-hesitant consumers. Know your audience. The claim of "wins by a mile" falls on deaf ears. Better MPGe isn't a priority. Heck, if it was, we wouldn't now have electricity-guzzlers.
7-27-2024	Tesla Monopoly. It is an interesting topic. I found a post with the following of great interest: "People said similar things about Prius parts and repairs..." Only having Toyota as the place to go when you encounter a problem was indeed a genuine concern. It isn't anymore. Recognizing how that happened is vital. I posted that information this way: ...then faded away as a concern when that technology was spread throughout the fleet. Tesla's failure to diversify has consequences. We were taught by previous cases of Innovator's Dilemma that such avoidable situations will have a strong following that fights to retain the status quo. They don't want what made their favored technology to be diluted. Watching that history play out with GM was fascinating. Volt enthusiasts did everything in their power to prevent spread of that plug-in hybrid system. The very idea of it being offered in a sedan or SUV made you a traitor to the cause. Heck, even suggesting a "lite" version got you labeled as a troll. We have seen the same type of resistance from Tesla enthusiasts. To offer an affordable Tesla, there's no reason to include a large battery-pack. Taking advantage of SuperChargers makes less range practical... but at the same time, sacrifices the exclusivity Tesla owners have enjoyed. This is why NACS was an inevitability. At some point, the practical nature of DC fast-charging would come to the masses. The monopoly by Tesla would be challenged. In short, there's much more than parts & repairs at play. All new technologies face new stages as audience grows. Some don't survive the change.
7-27-2024	Traded In. He traded in his 2023 Prius Prime for a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 diesel because his wife didn't feel safe. That's the most extreme example of not understanding the problem. Marketing has convinced us that larger is safer. You want better handling though to avoid having an accident in the first place. Trading in a low small vehicle for a tall large vehicle is exactly what you shouldn't do. It will have the opposite outcome. As for going from a plug-in hybrid to a diesel, that's so far beyond bizarre... it makes you understand how a lunatic ended up becoming president here. With so many other choices, getting a giant-dirty-guzzling pickup makes no sense whatsoever. We are back to want verses need. Remember all the "crash" test nonsense? People were more concerned about surviving than not being in an accident in the first place (or causing harm to others). It was an early sign that our society was no longer using critical thinking.
7-27-2024	Pricing. People like to draw conclusions with providing any context or history: "It's not that the Solterra was finally discovered or anything, it's that Subaru and Toyota finally priced it right." A lot of the time, that tends to indicate their logic was based upon anecdotal evidence... which mean they could be correct, but won't recognize what comes next. I tried to provide some useful background on this topic: That's exactly how things should play out in the early market. Some opportunity seekers have disposable income. Others jump on the chance when a bargain appears. The result is a diverse consumer sampling without risk of a major inventory problem. Notice how the other legacy automakers are postponing production plans? Taking a large loss hit isn't something Toyota & Subaru face. This approach is especially useful when it comes to continuous improvement. Neither automaker was stuck with more than just a handful of outdated models. 2024 offered a notable upgrade over 2023. We have already been informed 2025 will also deliver something compelling. In terms of raising awareness for consumers, providing experience for dealers, and getting feedback for the automaker, that inventory & pricing we see is quite valuable. Keep in mind, this is a marathon not a sprint. Infrastructure shortcomings are overwhelming evidence of how more is required before the masses will consider an EV purchase.
7-26-2024	PHEV Data. The same old nonsense related to plugging in or not plugging in is still thriving. BEV owners clearly feel threatened by the rise in popularity of PHEV. That's likely due to the attention they are getting which is resulting in education about them. The more consumers understand about plug-in hybrids, the more compelling they become. Adding to that is the growth of level-2 availability. More chargers raise both awareness & convenience. This is how I jumped into today's discussion: The biggest advantage of PHEV is completely overlooked... being able to completely recharge overnight with nothing but a standard outlet. 10 hours of 120 volts will deliver 14.4 kWh of electricity. At 3.5 mi/kWh, that's 50 miles of range... without requiring any upgrade whatsoever at home. PHEV is what enables ordinary consumers to immediately embrace plugging in. And as countless many have stated, it feed the desire for BEV. It teaches owners about the benefit of electricity while at the same time encourages them to invest in level-2 charging. It also alleviates household concerns of having a BEV with short range, making affordable models realistic. Seeing so many advocates shoot themselves in the foot by speaking out against PHEV is quite remarkable. They can be their own worst enemy. Think about the power all those PHEV owners have with the push for apartments & condos to begin offering level-2 for tenants. Meanwhile, those EV miles driven everyday by PHEV are already delivering the same benefit as EV miles from a BEV.
7-25-2024	Facing Reality. This paints an interesting picture: "Tesla reported a 45% drop in net income for Q2 2024, despite efforts like price cuts and low-interest financing. The decline, to $1.48 billion, was influenced by reduced EV sales, falling profit margins, and challenging economic conditions." That potential was the concern upon rollout of Cybertruck. Will the trend continue? You betcha! Tesla simply has nothing to compete with. Absence of an entry-level vehicle has been a problem for years. Choosing to create a beast pretending to be a pickup was exactly the wrong thing to do. It gave enthusiasts even more of a niche to desire. Focusing so many resources on a vehicle that couldn't even be sold outside of North America was a move in the self-destructive direction. Tesla wanted to live in its fantasy world just a little bit longer, not wanting to have to face the fact that high-volume low-profit vehicles are what need to be produced... not electricity-guzzling monsters. Cutting margins on Model 3 & Y to make up the difference is just a temporary fix, not a long-term solution. Tesla must make some difficult decisions soon.
7-24-2024	Used EV. Gotta read between the lines, looking for clues like this in a randomly posted rant: "I drive a $2500 Toyota ...26 years old and runs perfect ...less than 6-7000 miles per year ...not wanting an outrageous payment". It concluded with: "I've said it before, EV's have their place, just not for most folks." He felt that was a well presented argument, showing favor for the technology but pointing out the impractical nature of it's place in the real world. I saw what he had overlooked. That often happens with point-in-time arguments. Looking forward to how things could be different later doesn't happen. A more favorable future is dismissed. New options are overlooked too, like what will become of the currently expensive EVs later. That set me up for this simple rebuttal: That's a really good argument for a used EV in a few years.