It’s been a long week. We’ve had some folks out, my wife and I have been caring for crying newborn and moving homes at the same time, I had to drive a Vector M12 yesterday because I’d be a fool to pass that up, I’ve been trying to help edit a book, and that’s all on top of my job as editor. But now it’s Friday, and it’s time to take a few minutes to reflect — not just on this week, but on the site overall and on our future. So, dear Autopian readers, let’s talk!
I always enjoy our “let’s chat’ sessions in which you not only tell us how you’re liking (or not liking) The Autopian, but also just generally talk about what’s going on in your car-worlds. Consider the comments section here a great place for both feedback and car-related discussion with fellow Autopians.
I’m about to drive to U-Haul to pick up a 6ft x 12ft trailer to tow with my 1989 Chevy K1500 because I’m too cheap to get the box truck (which has a per-mile fee) and also too cheap to hire movers. This weekend is going to be rough. I’m still trying to figure out how to transition from “single dude who did everything himself” to “married dad who hires things out.” The number of projects at this new house – plus all the cars I own (though I’ll whittle that down soon) — means I’m going to have to fundamentally change my mindset should I want to spend time with baby-Delmar (and I do; that’s my #1 priority).
So that’s what’s on my mind right now. What’s on yours?
The Autopian is now over three years old. We’ve gone from being literally just an idea into a site that outperformed The Drive back in March. That’s wild! And we have you to thank for it. As we look ahead at ways we can not only improve (we just cut autoplay videos for paying members!), but expand in different directions, we’re keeping our ears open to you, dear readers. How are we doing? How are you doing?
I recently took my car to the dealer to get some minor repairs done on my convertible roof – twice.
I went to the dealer because i needed a loaner and wound up with a new E350 4Matic sedan with all the driving assist gizmos.
Although the steering and braking feels soft and with little feedback – the driving assists made it worthwhile. I could tell the car where I wanted to go, and it would bring it up in the Nav. The cruise control took over major tasks – such as braking and maintaining speed in traffic – steering itself as long as I had a hand on the wheel – changing lanes with just a flip of the turn signals – braking for exits and picking up speed after. The interior LED lighting changed color in tempo to my streaming music, which automatically synched every time after the first pairing. The car even reminded me to take my phone with me when I exited the car – It’s a technological wonder!
The car was equipped w/ Hyperscreen and a central camera for video calls, etc – but I would not have chosen to tick that box – but I did appreciate the accoustic glass that helped keep the car quiet.
When I had to bring my car back after a couple days – I was given a new C300 loaner. It was not optioned with the driver assists – and I missed them. I also hated the cheap piano black plastic on the center console cover – There’s no option for wood.
I found that I preferred the horizontal center display from the E Class to the vertical orientation of the C Class (which is also in the S Class, SL & CLE) I also missed the optional HUD in the E Class, which shows navigation mini-maps – whereas in the C, you could change the driver’s display to Navigation – but with minimal driver’s instrumention in that mode. The C is noisier too despite having the same engine – probably because of the lack of acoustic glass. Mileage is similar – as C comes with a 7 speed, and E has a 9 speed.
Would have been interesting to compare a comparably equipped C Class to the E Class – but overall, if I were in the market for a new sedan, I’d be inclined to spend the extra dollars for a well-equipped E Class.
I feel like this month has been the first time in a while where I can talk to other people who like to DRIVE (not just people who like technology) and say something positive about EVs. The Slate, Telo, and SC01 are all cars that people here seem to want, be curious about, or at least tolerat their existence. The answer to every new EV announcement isn’t “y u cancel mah gasoline” every time anymore. I used to feel like I was the only person on the planet who cares about “the joy of driving” and also likes EVs.
Any chance of building out a forums section?
I just read all 261 comments. Experience was weirdly cheering. Where would we all be if we didn’t have David to give advice to?
I find this all to be very hopeful and uplifting in an odd way. Makes me very fond of this community.
I’ve commented on the mood here before. It’s wonderful to see how it persists. When the mood is positive, I can enjoy reading about anything, apparently: transmissions, for instance. Baby puke. Personal crises. The infinity of cars I’ve never heard of. (I thought I knew about cars??)
Same. I always like how it provides a counterbalance to our common experience of the internet as a place that divides people into angry, easily-manipulated-by-bad-actors groups. Here, I always come away with a good feeling that instead, the world is actually quite stocked with knowledgable, measured people who want good things for both individuals and society. It’s a nice reminder that our tools are only as good as what we use them for.
“Our tools are only as good as what we use them for.” Especially transmissions, right?
People are fun, nice, hilarious, and knowledgeable. An overwhelming majority of disagreements ends well. It’s refreshing.
*Looks at fleet size.*
Oh, yeah, I have no idea who you would give advice to if David weren’t around. lol 🙂
I sell cars at a Buick/GMC dealership but I’m nervous about the changing car climate, business is quite slow. I’m thinking about switching brands but not sure where I would go. I worked at Subaru in service for a few years and wouldn’t mind going back there. Toyota wouldn’t be bad either but I really don’t want to move and get stuck at a brand who has been legislated out of existence.
What brand(s) should I consider?
I still think Toyota is fairly safe, they’re still making money, still coming out with updated models, and they actually build quite a few in the US so they’re in a good spot.
Cant really answer that without knowing where you live. In my experience the Coasts are Toyota, Honda, Hyundai / Kia country unless you are selling trucks. Midwest it is GM and Ford. In the PNW it seems you cannot find a block without a Subaru or 3.
If you are worried about tariffs – Toyota and Honda make the majority of their US models in North America. Hyundai is getting there. Toyota is the largest and most profitable full line automaker in the world with a decades long focus
Buick is a brand that imports most of their cars and simply has no real reason to exist in the USA anymore. If GM really had to make Buicks in the USA it would make more sense to just shutter the brand
It may be that my phone is not long for this World, but trying to reply to a post is kinda glitchy. Freezes up often. Hope you don’t need muscle relaxers & narcotics after the move, children are more fun after you get the diapers & pull-ups over with. Keep up the great work at the site between being a family man! We know you have it in you!
This has been the site I spend the most time on since it first appeared and I don’t imagine that will change in the near future. The great writing, interesting stories and wonderful people you have working here make it the best website on the internet- not just the best auto website. I recently upgraded my membership in response to the auto-play change. I was an early and loud proponent of the membership option from day one and I’m so glad you listened to your readers and instituted it (and I hope it works well enough to provide significant support).
As a father of four (and now grandfather of four), I can testify that raising kids is one of the most rewarding (and most difficult) jobs in the world. Having progeny changes your whole perspective on life. You start to view your own health and existence in a new light because you want to make sure you’re here for them when they get older. What I’m saying is: hire someone to help you move! Even if you don’t get a company to do it, U-Haul has a helper service you can use to get some strong backs to assist you. Your body will thank you.
Start training little Delmar early and you’ll have a car-buddy for life to help you with brake jobs and oil changes and such. And you’ll have the joy of advising and assisting him in his own car purchasing and maintenance when he’s an adult. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Paying for a couple guys to carry the heavy stuff and pack the truck is a lifesaver. A couple hundred dollars was never spent better when it comes to moving.
The Autopian is still my daily read. Every day since the start. Keep going and keep posting! David: do yourself and your family a favor and pay for some help. Your body will thank you in 10 years and your family will get to see more of you. Moving sucks.
As for me, I bought a 2.5 swapped NC Miata with a turbo. My son has his NC Miata that he bought as his first car. Now we can do autocross together and swap between cars for laps just for fun. The older I get the more I appreciate simplicity, less crap and more time that matters with family.
I ve moved a few times. Some I did myself. Some I hired the local company. The greatest value on The Lord’s earth is hiring it out. I ll never miss the $850. No sore back. No cut hands. No Monkeying with a rental truck. Oh – and since you are asking your 2 buddies to help – you ll have to reciprocate. So- that ll be 2 more moves. ARE you INSANE?
I kinda feel like shit. We’ve finally bought a house about 9 months ago, which is great, but the garage is quite the step back and the mortgage is rather large, impacting the mechanical shenanigans budget.
I’m in the same boat as you David, I like to do shit myself. But with my customer who occupies me 5 days a week, the side hustles, the house maintenance, the garden, the garage expansion project … I feel like I’m losing control over my time (life?) and the fleet of cars is suffering for it.
It’s been ages since I hit a trackday and even mechanical maintenance is hard to accomplish now, and I’m not sure who I am without that. Yet, I’m not ready to pay someone 100€/hour to fix my problems. I feel sort of cornered.
I was in a similar situation. I decided to sell and purge a bunch of stuff. Projects that were unfinished, items I thought I would save for a rainy day. It feels good even though it’s hard to do.
Well, there’s not much to sell in my case besides the cars. The work is good, though I may need to start refusing extra projects, something the worried poor man in me has a hard time doing.
And things will definitely improve when the garage gets done, but getting there will be a bitch.
Hang in there. It’s hard to carve out time when getting pulled in different directions. I wish I had a larger garage space!
I think we can all end up in situations like this; mazel tov on the house, by the way, and if you can, just try to remember that this period will pass, things will settle, and you can find the time again. It may not be the same, but I bet it’ll be rewarding, too.
Thanks Jason, I’m sure you’re right. There’s always sunshine after the rain.
> I like to do shit myself
I read that a little too fast
Regarding the site… To say I love it would be an understatement! I’ll happily read an article about a vehicle that otherwise wouldn’t interest me just because the writing is so darn good. And I still can’t believe that the comment section is generally civil and helpful. There really are some great people here! The Discord has been amazing too.
Moving? Definitely hire the pros. There’s nothing like watching an experienced team lift a giant armoire up through a stairwell and over a railing. I’ve also learned that if you can’t get people to take furniture you don’t want anymore (example: ancient sleeper sofa), and you have no way to leave it at the curb, it’s ok to hire a junk removal service. The ones I’ve used are reasonably priced.
Uhaul has lists of helpers for hire. They aren’t too expensive and really help with the big stuff. Plus they know how to efficiently load the truck.
What’s on my mind? The same thing that’s always on my mind (besides that Elvis song): packs of stray wild dogs that control most of the cities in North America. Also is there a way to leave my account logged in? My old phone left me logged in but my new one boots me whenever I close and open the browser. Unless the correct answer is “use the desktop version”, I don’t know what I’m doing differently
You all are firing on all cylinders.
I’m a bit gassy, I think it was the broccoli.
I’m about to lose my job designing engines, thanks in no small way to global politicians mandating that banning fossil fuels is best achieved by banning engines that can also run on green alternatives, rather than banning the thing that’s actually the problem. My final two projects both use green fuel, but long-term engines are dead, so no one cares.
I’ve been engineering ingenious engines for so long that I’m not sure who I am without this job.
I’ll be fine once I get settled in my new career, whatever it is, but the next year is probably going to suck.
However the likely increased commute means maybe buying a new motorcycle, and I am looking forward to that.
I’m sorry to hear that. How long have you been doing powertrain engineering?
25 years.
I’ve asked legal how much of my confidentiality contract is still enforceable after I leave…
I used to work in Aircraft/Defense. Spent 20years+ in automotive (big 3 and tier 1-2). I should have NEVER left Aircraft/Defense. Automotive is horrible.
An interesting comparison. My dad spent decades in aerospace/defense and rarely had anything good to say about it.
“engines that can also run on green alternatives, rather than banning the thing that’s actually the problem. My final two projects both use green fuel”
Sorry about your job. That sucks.
I’m curious to know what that fuel is and its feasibility as a FF replacement. All the green alternatives I know of are laughably inadequate.
Sitting in my armchair it seems to me designing ultra high efficiency range extenders is the future of ICE design. IMO an ICE capable of converting over 50% of the fuel it burns into mechanical energy with the waste used as plenty of cabin heat would go a long way to a cleaner world with a lot less hassle.
The problem with green alternative liquid fuels is that compared to just pumping oil out of the ground they are expensive and/or use a lot of power or land to create, making mass adoption seem unlikely.
Ban fossil fuels (or just run out like they kept telling us would happen) and you end up with the only option to keep the current vehicle fleet running. Or for customers who’s requirements can’t be met by EVs.
The biggest inefficiency with the current ICE vehicle fleet is that drivers just can’t be arsed to use them economically. Both as driving style and buying the wrong type of vehicle. It’s wildly frustrating to slog for a couple of years getting a 2% improvement from an engine and then see drivers idling when parked, continually brake and accelerate with no forward planned, ignore in vehicle gear change indicators, turn off stop/start, leave a roof box on, buy a two tonne 4×4 to carry a five year old child one mile to school in 10mph traffic and generally waste fuel like it just bubbles out of the ground or something.
I’m no better. Humans just can’t be trusted not to waste precious stuff.
A really neat battery technology would make ICE obsolete, but to bin ICE just because fossil fuels are bad is stupid.
Also no one cares about high efficiency range extenders. It’s something you use a few times a year for long journeys, it’s like worrying about the efficiency of your Christmas lights. I’ve been there, it’s a hard sell.
Ironically the Christmas lights I have noticed being sold over the past few years are high efficiency LEDs. Then again I prefer Festivus and actual (free) starry skies over Christmas and it’s garish light displays so I’m not the person to ask about Christmas lights.
I think though if what you say was true, that people didn’t care about having something they only needed a handful of times a year full sized pickup tricks would only be bought by actual ranchers, oil rough necks and contractors. Instead they are purchased by cosplaying office workers to solo commute on the freeway and go to the mall. I think if people don’t care about high efficiency range extenders its because marketing hasn’t told them to care. If marketeers put anywhere near the effort into pimping efficiency as they do inefficiency, bloat and excess the world would be a much better place.
Weren’t Mazda going to do a Wankel range extender? They clearly think packaging and performance are more important than efficiency.
I’m not sure marketing people have much real influence over us. Look at how much money has been spent trying to get kids to eat vegetables. Marketing is mostly about getting us to want a particular brand of thing we already wanted.
If marketing experts could really change public opinion then we wouldn’t all regard them as parasites who routinely lie, we’d think of them as heroes.
“Weren’t Mazda going to do a Wankel range extender? They clearly think packaging and performance are more important than efficiency.”
Or its Mazda trying to find a niche for the Wankel.
I will give them some credit here. Going by the published numbers of 400 miles combined range, a battery capacity of 17.8 kWh, a range on that battery of 53 miles, and a fuel tank capacity of 13.2 gallons I guesstimate the REX has an efficiency of about 26.4%. Not bad…for a Wankel.
“Look at how much money has been spent trying to get kids to eat vegetables.”
Probably because its a token PR effort. The ads are targeted at adults to give the impression of doing something to improve kids health while the kids are bombarded with ads for sugary cereals in their own programming.
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/04/nx-s1-5285413/cereal-sugar-kids-advertising-health
This is why its important to watch content with your kids. Every time a commercial for one of those nasty ass sugar bombs comes on make sure the kids hear exactly why its bad for them and being sold to them by people who don’t give a hoot about them outside of mom and dads money. It’ll help the anti drug lessons later.
“I’m not sure marketing people have much real influence over us.”
YMMV. Have you seen how much crap some people store in their garages? So much crap they can’t park one car in there much less the 2+ it was designed for. Sometimes so much crap they end up renting a storage unit, fill it up with more crap and end up paying the rent because its easier than dealing with all the crap.
And if advertising wasn’t influential people would simply buy equivalent generic products over brand name. Last time I looked a 12 pack of name brand soda was cunning $12 while A 12 pack of Sams Club soda was about $5. Personally I can’t taste $7 worth of difference but advertisers have convinced plenty of people there is such a difference.
Or for that matter bottled water. Look how many people buy cases and cases of fancy bottled water when filtered tap water is far more convenient and far, far, FAR cheaper. That’s not even getting into the horrendous energy squandering of shipping water from Fiji to Arkansas.
Or “organic” food. Study after study show negligible to no difference on health benefits between “organic” and regular food yet people routinely spend 2-5x as much on “organic” food because they think it’s better. Even the popularized definition of “organic” is a product of marketing.
“If marketing experts could really change public opinion then we wouldn’t all regard them as parasites who routinely lie, we’d think of them as heroes”
Politicians change public opinion all the time, do we think of them as heroes?
How was the performance of the recent F1 content provided by Alanis? I’d love to see some content around F1 each race weekend.
Seems like it would make sense to ride the wave of popularity that F1 is having in the US.
A lot of F1 discussions turn toxic on the internet but I think The Autopian could host a great discussion given the current track record.
As a car-guy who likes EVs, Blackwing Cadillacs, IMSA, the alt-car universe that is the Brazilian auto industry as well as discussions on the finer points of 50’s GM taillights that move out of the way in order to add gas to one’s ride, this site truly has everything. As my daughter said awhile back when I was pointing out something cool here: “It’s nice that you’ve found ‘your people'”.
I’m glad you’re here, and compliments all around for having the best site, and the best writers, among all the other “current car news” sites. I still check the J site now and again, although there’s more chaff than wheat nowadays. And TTAC still has 2 good writers, but the rest is dreck.
I just want to know what happened to your truck.
Yeah, the continuim from believing “I think my truck just blew its engine up with no warning for no reason!!” to “seems to be working again and I don’t know why” to “In trust this truck to not break down on the 10 while hauling my family’s valuable possesions and heirloom Jeep manuals” seems like a rather broad one to traverse in such a short time. I’d be a little shy about depending on a bunch of parts you thought had been rent asunder that you can’t even see!
He commented elsewhere it was the “Saginaw Wobble” causing his ignition to trigger the starter motor while the truck was already running. I re-read that article thinking I missed it but didn’t see it mentioned.
Did you ever hear the tragedy of Jatco Xtronic the CVT?
I thought not. It’s not a story The Autopian would tell you.
Jatco Xtronic was a continuously variable transmission, so continuous and so variable, it could even use the continuous variation to keep the engine at its most optimal speed.
It had such efficient power delivery that it could even keep the engine it was attached to, from revving.
The dark side of engineering is a pathway to transmission behaviors some consider to be… unnatural.
Have you heard the story about the capon?
The thing about CVTs is that when someone explains that instead of the 6 speeds a manual has, or the 9 speeds an auto might have, it has infinite speeds, and can always be in the perfect ratio for whatever you’re doing, it sounds like the perfect gearbox solution.
Then you see a diagram of how simple a mechanism it is, not the mess of cogs and shit you get in a normal gearbox, and you think this is somehow simple, light, cheap and functionally better than the alternatives by a huge margin.
Then you drive one and it is, at best, massively underwhelming.
It’s like the opposite of a Wankel engine, which on paper is an unreliable waste of fuel that only an idiot would waste money on, but is wonderfully stupid to actually use.
I wonder what a Wankel CVT would be like to drive?
An unreliable waste of fuel that was underwhelming to drive, I imagine.
Yeah, I guess good fuel efficiency for a Wankel and nice noise for a CVT are both quite low targets.
The Jatco Xtronic was in fact so efficient and variable that the only thing it feared was losing it’s oil pressure and overheating, which eventually most did.
Got to say David, I admire the willingness to move everything yourself. Used to do the same thing until about 10 years ago, I threw out my back loading furniture. That ain’t happening again. Now I throw it out lifting batteries out of cars.
My big car issues are there’s an old broken down BMW X3 sitting in the driveway. I could get it running, at a little expense, but over the winter when we got several heavy rains, the sunroof drains backed up and filled the car with water. By the time I realized what happened, mold was all over the leather. All over everything. Nope that ain’t happening. Scrap it is!
Also my wife just inherited a 90s Toyota Avalon that has barely moved in almost a year. It doesn’t look terrible, but its good days are long past. I know that V6 is probably just fine, but to get it to a decent level for everything else is not an expense I want to take. Maybe a charity will take it.
This site has been a daily read for me, even if time only allows minutes. Never know what you’re going to get.
I think I just strained my neck packing.
At least you’re going to have a truck and decent sized (I’m assuming) trailer – my last two moves were done solo using a 98 ZJ and 5×8 flatbed utility over the course of a couple weeks and few dozen trips…
Give it another 20 years, and you will wake up wondering how you injured yourself, in your sleep….
I broke my wrist 18 months ago, and my lawyer wants a report on how much pain it is now, as part of a settlement deal.
I’m in my early fifties, and while my formerly broken wrist hurts occasionally, so does everything else.
Sleep is dangerous over the age of 50.
I injured myself in my sleep in my 20s. Do not recommend.
Once you pack, consider using Uhaul s loading help. https://www.uhaul.com/MovingHelp/
They aren’t too expensive and know how to load efficiently. Great for the big stuff.
Y’all are doing awesome and amazing work! This is definitely the best site on the net! Thank you
My life is in nearly as much turmoil as yours, DT! My youngest daughter is getting married tomorrow, and my youngest son graduates high school on Monday. Then, in about two weeks, my oldest daughter gets married!
My wife and I also just celebrated our 30th anniversary, so you could say we’re just about done with all the joy.
Congratulations! Empty nest around the corner.
Congrats! You should be so proud!
I guess my big car-related news is that I just got my car out of the body shop after being sideswiped on my way home from work about a month and a half ago. I was the victim of an improper lane change. Thankfully, everyone walked away, and both cars drove away. At the moment it happened, by the time I spoke to the occupants of the other car, I felt worse for the other driver than I did for myself.
Imagine how awful it would feel to cause an accident that was your fault, when you are
1) A 15 year old driver with a learner’s permit, with
2) your dad in the passenger seat, while driving
3) your big sister’s car.
Oof. I really felt for the kid. I wasn’t happy that my car was dorked up, but they had great insurance and so do I, so I wasn’t worried about it. I was more worried about what was waiting for this poor bastard when he got home. His dad was very cool about it and copped to it being their fault right away, as did the kid – you could tell he was raised right. Dad seemed to be thinking along the same lines as I was – “don’t worry about whether I’m mad at you, just wait till your sister gets ahold of you.” I really felt for him, as I told him while we waited for the police to show up, because I was in four fender benders that were 100% my fault before I graduated high school – three from inattention, one from trying to impersonate the guy in my profile picture. I don’t know if it helped that I told him I had been there, but I hope so. Even though I don’t think it would have helped me back then. He spent the whole time standing at the side of the road looking, in the words of the late great sales guru Zig Ziglar, “like somebody had licked all the red off his candy.”
Oh, and as a cherry on top, naturally the state trooper taking the accident report also wrote him a ticket for an improper lane change.
And here’s the punchline. The kid and his dad were Vietnamese, and when the kid handed me the insurance card to take down the information, I had to stifle a laugh when I saw his ironically funny-not-funny last name, which also served as a comprehensive final word the whole debacle:
Dang.
I mean, the whole thing does make you say, “Dang, man.”
Loving your content. Yours is the first site I’ve ever had a paid subscription for, and I don’t regret it for a second. I had abandoned Jalopnik quite a while before joining here, so this is the first place I’ve read content from some of the writers here, and I gotta say you have a great crew. Lots of diverse experiences and interests. I don’t always have time to read the longer articles, but I’m glad you have them.
Right now the biggest thing in my life car-wise is that I’m preparing my race car, The Homer, for a 24 Hours of Lemons race in 2 weeks. Likely its final one after having raced in the series on and off since 2008. Not just that, but a full 25 hour overnight race. I’ve been devoting most of my weekends since March to pulling the car out of mothballs after we blew the engine in 2023 and getting it race ready, which included having to install lighting on the car.
I’ve had some help from friends here and there, including several friends who came over and helped to get the engine and trans swapped in one day, but I’ve done the majority of work myself. Back when we started racing in my 20s, the idea of wrenching all weekend was great. Now in my 40s, not so much. I’m getting kinda burnt out, I’m pressing on regardless. I don’t have kids which admittedly allows me to do this, but even so, there are other things I’d rather do with my time.
That, plus we have a lot on the line this race – a 1200 mile round trip tow, multiple people traveling in from out of town, plus all the time and money I’ve put into it – so I’m pretty nervous about the car’s survival. I’ve prepped it as well as I possibly can (within a budget that’s in the spirit of Lemons) but anything can happen. The “new” engine I put in the car has 180K miles on it. And parts for BMW E30s (the chassis of our car) and E36s (the engine donor for our car) are getting hard to find and expensive.
So if it survives the race I’ll probably sell it. Not sure where or how, but it is a giant piece of Simpsons memorabilia so maybe some crazy fan will buy it for Matt Groening’s autograph on the quarter panel.
The site is great, but it is getting stagnant in some areas. Im tired of reading about electric vehicles with horrible range. Give me an article on how battery life could improve.
I’m just happy we can talk about EVs now without it becoming a huge flame war in the comments. But maybe they moderate the angry comments? I dunno. Climate change is real tho. (Seeing if my comment gets moderated lol)
I think their current view is range extended EVs are the answer, for most of the US, and the current state of batteries and infrastructure, and they’ve done a few articles on David’s i3 and the new Scouts and their potential ones, so there’s that.
Also I’m not sure who among them has EVs outside of David’s i3, and Jason’s Chang-li. I think David got rid of the Leaf too. Maybe Mercedes could get an electric Smart, cause she needs more lol.
I think they have a writer in China that has been giving some updates, like the one about the Zeekr that could charge to 80% in like 10 minutes, it was just a prototype but knowing China they’ll probably be selling them next year, that’s where a lot of the progress is being made as the US is taking a step back. Even GM with Ultium, they traded some efficiency in packaging for serviceability.
Unless you mean like existing EVs how to improve battery life, like diesel heaters for cold climates or best tires for grip and efficiency? Or putting a fastback on an EV truck to see how much better it does on the highway? Cause that’d be some interesting reads(at least to me).
My favorite EV of all-time is the Th!nk City. It’s just my kind of blend of rare, weird, and punishing. Sadly, it’s becoming quite hard to find working examples for sale. Yeah, there aren’t really replacement parts for them, so unless you’re comfortable doing DIY on an EV it’s game over once something major breaks.
I think the scariness of the EV DIY aspect is that it’s a mostly different skill set than mechanical. But there’s several people that are working out the motor/controller/battery management of modern EVs, mainly to repurpose the components for DIY projects, but this also opens the EVs up to being repairable.
There’s a guy who’s taking all of the parts from a Bolt and has put them in a Delorean, as they were, so essentially the Delorean thinks it’s a Bolt. There’s the teams that made the Resolve controller to re-use Leaf motors and batteries, and there’s Zombieverter that will talk to several different types of motors and batteries, mainly from sniffing CAN-BUS signals and figuring that all out.
One of the issues is all the infotainment/computers on modern EVs that are coded to the VIN so you can’t just swap a failed component, but there’s people that have worked that out too, like on my old Volt I wanted to upgrade to the infotainment with GPS, got one off eBay, shipped it to a service that reflashes them to work with your car’s vin, bingo bango I had a horrible GM GPS in my dash. (literally one time it told me to turn and then “drive”, no miles, no street name, just drive, I’ll tell you when to stop!)
With your IT background I’d say give it a shot if you find one that at least will move that maybe just needs new batteries or you can get 2 and make a good one, like Robert Dunn does with his(maybe not the best example with his several Codas and Escape project status 🙂 )