Are we being forced to go electric?

[CXRAndy]

So why did fiat bring back the ice Berlingo back from the dead?

They're idiots not concerned with the environment, just quick profit

 

[cougie uk]

Never been cheap and usually a purchases in retirement? ( in my experience) . Saying that it’s popular for holidays these days .

Pretty sure more people have EV's than motorhomes. All of a sudden 60K is affordable for pensioners.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Pretty sure more people have EV's than motorhomes. All of a sudden 60K is affordable for pensioners.

Never said that was a fact , just the point that it’s popular amongst some and a fairly valuable industry . I’m sure an EV version will come along at some point but for now diesel it is !

 

[MrGrumpy]

Also for those whom keep saying it but driving an EV is doing cock all for the environment. Kid yourself on all you like ! Hence if you’re going to ban vehicles just ban them all , I’m sure we will all benefit ! Although those with disabilities may need to be excluded !

 

[icowden]

So why did fiat bring back the ice Berlingo back from the dead?

Who knows why motor companies do things? Why have Toyota failed so miserably to compete in the EV market for example? They are way behind other manufacturers despite what might have been seen as an early lead with the Prius.

 

[figbat]

Who knows why motor companies do things? Why have Toyota failed so miserably to compete in the EV market for example? They are way behind other manufacturers despite what might have been seen as an early lead with the Prius.

Because Toyota went all-in on hybrid technology, and did it well but at the expense of an EV strategy. They are the ones who rebranded "full hybrid" to "self-charging hybrid" as an attempt to claw back against PHEV and BEV.

 

[icowden]

Because Toyota went all-in on hybrid technology, and did it well but at the expense of an EV strategy. They are the ones who rebranded "full hybrid" to "self-charging hybrid" as an attempt to claw back against PHEV and BEV.

Yes, my point was that motor companies don't always get it right.

 

[Alex321]

Also for those whom keep saying it but driving an EV is doing cock all for the environment. Kid yourself on all you like ! Hence if you’re going to ban vehicles just ban them all , I’m sure we will all benefit ! Although those with disabilities may need to be excluded !

Driving an EV may not be doing anything by itself for the environment.

But driving an EV when you would otherwise have been driving an ICEV is - provided of course the electricity is generated from non-carbon sources.

 

[Alex321]

Who knows why motor companies do things? Why have Toyota failed so miserably to compete in the EV market for example? They are way behind other manufacturers despite what might have been seen as an early lead with the Prius.

Two reasons really. First, they Spent more on hybrid technology than most, and second, they were the biggest investors in Hydrogen fuel cells (Toyota and Hyundai being the only two manufacturers with such vehicles currently available).

Both of which detracted from any resources they had for full EV technology.

 

[icowden]

Two reasons really. First, they Spent more on hybrid technology than most, and second, they were the biggest investors in Hydrogen fuel cells (Toyota and Hyundai being the only two manufacturers with such vehicles currently available).

Or possibly one: Yoshihiro Nakata

It has been announced that he is stepping down so that Toyota can remodel and rebuild. I did read somewhere that Nakata did not believe tat EVs were the way to go - leading to Toyota's current woes.

 

[CXRAndy]

The head of Toyota was anti EV, so was a previous top executive at VW until the current boss went all in with the announcement of ID3 then 4. Now lots of models coming from VW
Good job Toyota have got rid of him and let hopefully EV fanboy

 

[DRM]

Who knows why motor companies do things? Why have Toyota failed so miserably to compete in the EV market for example? They are way behind other manufacturers despite what might have been seen as an early lead with the Prius.

Of course there's nothing power train wise in this, that's not in an EV, Toyota know quite a lot about making vehicles move on battery power, they have been building them for decades, just higher voltage battery, and a suitable AC inverter & drive motor, final drive gearing selected to give suitable road speed in a car, as opposed to being restricted to around 16 Mph, and there are also driverless FLT's in use in warehouses now, Toyota have a lot of technology at their fingertips to build an EV car, they're not as far behind as you think.

 

[icowden]

On the flip side everyone else thinks they are a long way behind their rivals:-
https://slate.com/business/2023/01/...ass-market,established an electric car office.
https://jalopnik.com/how-did-toyota-end-up-so-far-behind-on-electric-vehicle-1850013131
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesm...ot-it-wrong-on-electric-cars/?sh=24895cae686f

 

[FishFright]

Think you need to tell the thousands of motorhomer who have bought vehicles that won't be delivered till next year then. The view that ICE vans, which motorhomes are based on, will not be around is not a view shared by most.

I do and explain why which then leads to an interesting discussion , it's quite nice.

 

[FishFright]

So why did fiat bring back the ice Berlingo back from the dead?

I bet Citroen are mighty annoyed by that