What’s your ultimate EV?

tuna55 said:

I believe that I have said this often, but here it is again.

A minivan with the external form factor of the Canoo with the frunk like the F150 has with enough battery to go 300 miles and recharge as fast as a Tesla for roadtrips, airy seating for eight (not like the Canoo), 0-60 in around 6-7 seconds is fine. RWD or AWD or FWD I don't even care. I'm a buyer today at $40K.

Basically take Rivian and put their efforts towards hauling people affordably instead of making an amazing off road rig.

Seconded, again. Electric minivan would be perfect. Drive wheels don't matter. I bet it would tow great too.

The EV gaps I'd like to see filled:

SportEVehicle: Fun over fast for the street. Smallish, lightish, single motor, RWD-only, mechanical limited-slip, reasonably priced, sports car, moderate range, and modest tires being the primary performance limitation. Motor sizing and rudimentary throttle programming should reasonably allow driving in anger by 'enthusiast level' drivers with all other nanny programming fully disabled. Available in BREV coupe and MiatEV convertible.

MinEVan: Totally conventional except for a nothing-special by todays standards electric drivetrain.

ToEVehicle: The technology and infrastructure for this to be practical is some combination of not yet available and/or existent.

My EV would have a nice 5 litre V8 and a 6 speed manual transition.  I'm 83 and still enjoy driving my 97   Boxster on the street or on the track doing touring laps at Daytona.  Thank goodness I won't be around to see how EV's  and the mining for minerals to build the batteries  damages Mother Earth.  Dave

one of two concepts: The first would be a 1st Gen Scion xB and the second would be something like the Classic Motorsports Elva Mk VI...

In reply to frenchyd :

My GTI is nimble enough for the corners and it's paid off. My bike is nimble everywhere, it's paid off. Not saying you're wrong with your assertions but spending $21k to save on an oil change doesn't seem like it benefits me at this point. I don't gain much for nimbleness but I do gain a bunch of features that I'm not missing. I don't want cameras, I have eyes. I don't want angry cat noises, I have a couple of those at home. So, when I have to go EV it will be a decision made on utility unless I find myself nerding out about the color range of my air duct LEDs. 

Lots of people are excited for EVs, that's neat. I'm not but thought I could weigh in on a casual discussion. 

The Honda e with a sliding fabric sunroof might be nice.  I want to be able to enjoy some air in a run-about.

The Taycan Sport Turismo pretty much does it for me, other than the price tag.

Why isn't there a EV minivan? Seems like an easy sell. 

In reply to yupididit :

Because US consumers buy more SUVs and CUVs than minivans. Check out the top 25, there isn't a sliding door in sight: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g36005989/best-selling-cars-2021/ 

But this is coming, and VW has upped their production estimates already.

Yes, there should be a people mover (6 people or more) EV.  It could also be a small freight hauler. 

The Toyota Sienna hybrid is a game changer getting 36 mpg.  If the world were different and Toyota wasn't already selling every one they make, I'd recommend they make a cargo version. 

Imagine this as a hybrid getting 36 mpg with a 1900 payload capacity or a 3500 tow rating. 

I really like a lot of the characteristics of my BMW i3, it just needs normal-sized tires, a bit longer range, and faster DC charging.

I'd love something with ~200 miles of freeway range, 150 kw charging speed, and enough room for four. Something small enough to park easily in the city but not so small it's unstable on the freeway. A bit fun to drive with rear wheel drive, but it doesn't need to be fast, even 0-60 in 8 seconds is fine.

If they made it a small wagon, even better. The Ioniq 5 is close to perfect but it's too tall for my taste, and too spendy. Maybe something like a Jetta Wagon in EV form instead of diesel. $30k new after any incentives.

93EXCivic said:

Something around the size of a Honda Element with the fold up seats, flat rubber floor and at least a 3500lb towing capacity.

This. And on the side maybe a Rivian with a prettier face.

the most recent Volvo V70, but full EV. Volvo has needlessly complicated that wagon, I suspect a fully electric version would be much faster and more reliable. 

A hybrid. Astro  Van  with 200 plus mile battery and a small 3 cyl turbo diesel if needed , 

or a 200 mile EV Astro Van that recharges in 5-10 minutes , 

Yes I do like the Astro Van size and simplicity ......

pres589 (djronnebaum) said:

The Honda e with a sliding fabric sunroof might be nice.  I want to be able to enjoy some air in a run-about.

I'll take one of these along with my minivan

In reply to John Welsh :

I have zero interest in a hybrid minivan. I have near 100% interest in a full EV minivan

In reply to tuna55 :

we have the plug-in Pacifica and the only complaint I have is it's a Chrysler product so who knows what the longevity will be. Where we are in Michigan there's no full electric that would do a road trip to and around the Upper Peninsula with current infrastructure, so any road tripper currently needs to be a hybrid in my opinion. This may change someday, but right now a BEV is better for interurban trips.

Here's the current crop of >70kw DC CCS chargers in Northern Michigan. There are currently two locations with one plug each in the UP. Not good. 

In reply to Driven5 :

My thoughts almost exactly. I'm on board for the SportEVehicle coupe. Small sporty RWD coupe....yes!
 

Of the concepts I've seen so far, the Alpha Ace is probably the most intriguing, and I even like the Alfa GTV/British Escort vibes, but I fear it will only be vaporware. The Hyundai 74 styling really kicks me in the feels, but it is too big and powerful IMO. Also just a concept. The styling wouldn't have to be retro, but if it isn't retro, my suggestion is to channel some scaled-down Jaguar F-Type or Aston Martin coupe, some ND Miata with a fixed top, some BRZ/GT86, and similar.

Something like this.

Electric AC, PS, etc. Other than that, totally silent, smooth, and invisible. Stock gauges and interior.

Or maybe this.

If I gotta give up the stick shift, I'm going full luxo-barge. 

Since converting one of those to a stick shift is possible, would you do it?   

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to yupididit :

Because US consumers buy more SUVs and CUVs than minivans. Check out the top 25, there isn't a sliding door in sight: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g36005989/best-selling-cars-2021/ 

But this is coming, and VW has upped their production estimates already.

I wonder what the priority is going to be, is it reasonable to look at total production and assume that's the order various types will come out in?  

For me I would want a plug in hybrid without the cvt that most of them come with & a high revving fun motor.  The idea of driving to work on electric all week, then at the push of a button getting the sounds & experience of a gas engine sounds like the best of both worlds.  The electric drive could even fill in the torque down low so you could have a 9000 rpm screamer of a gas engine.

So a Honda crz with more electric power & better gas engine & more battery range.  If its my car make it RWD while we are changing things up, and give me DCT & manual transmission options

In reply to frenchyd :

I often commute on my motorcycle and gas up once a month. But that's a pesky inconvenience to the EV Truth so we'll ignore that. I also don't park in my garage, so I can use some of those saved minutes to walk an extension cord down my driveway every night and back up in the morning. Of course, I don't have room for another car so I just have to offload the ones I have and like for the thrill of instant torque. Maybe a car payment is what I've been missing to enhance my driving experience? Why enjoy operating a complex machine when you can be conveyed by a computer that simply must save me time and money. So what if it's unappealling to me and doesn't do anything different, at least I'll be able to test the limits of traction at the press of the one pedal on each and every residential street. 

yupididit said:

Why isn't there a EV minivan? Seems like an easy sell. 

Modern minivans are amazingly space cramped underneath because everyone insists on (or believes that their customers insist on) having in-floor folding seats.

Having had to deal with seats that you had to remove and find space for, I can sympathize.

I'm picturing here the difference between a Honda Odyssey and a Ridgeline/Pilot.  Same chassis, but the Odyssey is not available with all wheel drive because the floor in it goes all the way to the ground to make room for the stowable seats.  Makes the fuel tank and exhaust a pain, too.  To get decent battery size for a big box would most likely require ditching the stowable seating and now you've lost a bunch of customers.  Or so they believe, at least.