Source: http://www.autoline.tv/daily/
Tesla has shown that a clean-sheet, EV design beats traditional automakers who try to cheaply swap a motor and batteries into an ICE body using legacy ICE design rules. Traditional auto EVs are heavy, modest performance, and costly. They try to retain customers who otherwise would join the “4%” growth of Tesla. For example, the Karma Revero vs BMW i3-REx (see web link.)
EV range: 37 mi vs BMW 126 mi. kWh/100 mi: 56 kWh vs BMW 32 kWh. Gas MPG: 20 MPG vs BMW 31 MPG. The Karma still uses gas car design rules and it shows in lower performance versus the clean-sheet, BMW i3-REx.
The also reported:
DRIVER’S DON’T TRUST LANE KEEPING SYSTEMS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS did a study on lane-keep assistance and cruise control. Many of the test drivers participating in the study thought the systems had a few small issues, but some felt that lane keeping systems were flawed to the point that they didn’t trust them. It all boiled down to the vehicles making choices without the driver’s input. In our experience, lane keeping system make the steering feel vague and indirect. They nibble at the lines marking the lanes especially going around curves. And there’s your technical term for the day. Nibble is the term engineers use to describe how the steering is making little inputs on its own, like when you’re driving on pavement with grooves in it and the steering wheel jiggles a bit.
As for lane keeping, Tesla released V10 AutoPilot, 2019.32.11.1, which I got six days ago. Lane keeping has improved with every AutoPilot version and the latest is even smoother with excellent keeping in the lane center. Earlier AutoPilot versions that the IIHS tested were ‘fidgety’ and a little wandering but stayed within the lane markers and curb. This also highlights how Tesla 'over-the-air' updates outrace traditional studies and news reports. Worse for traditionalist EVs, I understand they have to return to the dealer for updates.
Bob Wilson
EV SALES SLOW IN SEPTEMBER
Sales of battery electric cars stalled out last month in the U.S. market. While they had been growing by strong percentage gains every month, in September they were flat compared to a year ago, though Tesla did post a 4% year over year gain. Even with the addition of the Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro and Audi eTron, the segment did not grow. Audi must be especially worried. Sales got off to a good start but have been falling every month since then and are now down by half. The same pretty much goes for the Jaguar I-Pace. This does not bode well for traditional automakers. They can’t seem to make much headway selling electric cars.
Sales of battery electric cars stalled out last month in the U.S. market. While they had been growing by strong percentage gains every month, in September they were flat compared to a year ago, though Tesla did post a 4% year over year gain. Even with the addition of the Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro and Audi eTron, the segment did not grow. Audi must be especially worried. Sales got off to a good start but have been falling every month since then and are now down by half. The same pretty much goes for the Jaguar I-Pace. This does not bode well for traditional automakers. They can’t seem to make much headway selling electric cars.
Tesla has shown that a clean-sheet, EV design beats traditional automakers who try to cheaply swap a motor and batteries into an ICE body using legacy ICE design rules. Traditional auto EVs are heavy, modest performance, and costly. They try to retain customers who otherwise would join the “4%” growth of Tesla. For example, the Karma Revero vs BMW i3-REx (see web link.)
EV range: 37 mi vs BMW 126 mi. kWh/100 mi: 56 kWh vs BMW 32 kWh. Gas MPG: 20 MPG vs BMW 31 MPG. The Karma still uses gas car design rules and it shows in lower performance versus the clean-sheet, BMW i3-REx.
The also reported:
DRIVER’S DON’T TRUST LANE KEEPING SYSTEMS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or IIHS did a study on lane-keep assistance and cruise control. Many of the test drivers participating in the study thought the systems had a few small issues, but some felt that lane keeping systems were flawed to the point that they didn’t trust them. It all boiled down to the vehicles making choices without the driver’s input. In our experience, lane keeping system make the steering feel vague and indirect. They nibble at the lines marking the lanes especially going around curves. And there’s your technical term for the day. Nibble is the term engineers use to describe how the steering is making little inputs on its own, like when you’re driving on pavement with grooves in it and the steering wheel jiggles a bit.
As for lane keeping, Tesla released V10 AutoPilot, 2019.32.11.1, which I got six days ago. Lane keeping has improved with every AutoPilot version and the latest is even smoother with excellent keeping in the lane center. Earlier AutoPilot versions that the IIHS tested were ‘fidgety’ and a little wandering but stayed within the lane markers and curb. This also highlights how Tesla 'over-the-air' updates outrace traditional studies and news reports. Worse for traditionalist EVs, I understand they have to return to the dealer for updates.
Bob Wilson