Europe’s EV makers pivot to smaller electric cars

EssaysConcern23

Yes indeed. And the Renault 4 e-tech has the practicality of an SUV but at a smaller size - retro chique not mini SUV. Low embedded carbon too. Just been camping - incl the dog and 4m bell tent - and it was wonderful. With V2L we could leave the gas cooker at home. #electrification (reposted)

Cyclopath10

Bicycles. Slowing down, enjoying nature. Letting nature back in and learning to live in harmony with our greatest mother.

pminde.bsky.social8

Here's this clown taking up 2 parking spaces with an enormous truck that's never done a day of work.

Danny de Vreede7

In narrow city streets bikes or ebikes are even more practical and affordable than "small" cars.

Repent Harlequin6

In America, you need to travel with your house, like turtles. That’s why SUVs are so popular. If I stop at a burger drive-up, I need ALL my stuff with me.

Rhymenoceros6

Cities just need to start mandating zones where only little vehicles are allowed to go. The answer is permitting and lane restrictions. It should be expensive to drive a gigantic SUV through a big city

Isherer5

For some reason EV makers have concentrated on larger vehicles and now only just started consideration for city vehicles.

skabob1.bsky.social3

The world is not going to be “saved” by anything. The best we can hope for is slightly delaying. Sorry. Doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing, just should be realistic about your expectations.

brackenhill.bsky.social3

Just picked up my new Renault R5. It's tiny and it can do 240 miles on one charge. It's fantastic.

zespiole3

Yep. Small is the key word here. But small does not match with vanity. As for few... ouch.

Luke2

Regulate big cars out of cities, charge quadruple for registration and insurance if you live in a suburb. Pump up parking prices based on car size. Live rural? Need a truck or some other big car to get stuff done? No worries you get a discount on your taxes equal to the increased registration.

uniongal.bsky.social2

But also, until corporations change their ways and get off fossil fuels the small changes individuals make won’t be enough, they’re never enough because it’s not an individual problem, it’s a collective one. We have to act collectively and that probably requires govts changing corporate laws.

nhdisneyfan1.bsky.social2

Electric trains are nice too.

Geraldine Mongold2

Cars are not the answer. Not even electric ones.

Bruno17

Sound economic policy would dictate a cap on vehicle mass, so the Twingo driver doesn't need to fear for his integrity when facing a Range Rover, doesn't need to pay for the road damage it causes, or fear the danger it represents for his children.

Jay Shaw12

Let’s take out Tesla AND fossil fuel companies. This is the way

tshandy.bsky.social9

Now if only they'd sell them in North America.

velyvan.bsky.social6

It's disappointing that the article doesn't talk of the policies that allow this. For example, in France the government subsidized a "social leasing" scheme, where people with income below average can lease cars at a good price. But they imposed rules on the car price to the makers.

mynameisalexp.bsky.social5

They increased SUVs prices by 50% over the last 5 years and now offer small electric cars for the price of a Chinese SUV. Not sure it will safe them

Irritable Yet Soporific4

But, of course, we won't get nice things in the "Land of the Fee."

Hugo4

Fewer roads (asphalt & concrete) are good news.

Martin Kimber4

@davidho.bsky.social these articles still manage to be maddening even though I agree it’s great to see more small models being viable. (As an owner of an old electric car with somewhat variable range, I laughed at “this reporter had to stop for twenty minutes to charge up” as if this was […]

Elise Cutts3

I‘d seriously love one of these little cars but as an apartment dweller I‘d have no way to charge at home 🥲

SheWhoHasHope3

Dacia have made a little belter, am considering when the time to change arrives.

Ian Spencer 🐧13

Typical EV does not need a centre console and does not need 5 seats*. So you can slice out 15-20cm out of a car width without impacting practically for 95% of users. Also, car reviewers are still fixated with storage and cupholders, cars as places to live. *Surely 5 seater is 1960s demographic?

Lindsay 👩‍🔬🚲12

Renault's got a habit of being really good and really bad at the same time. Motors using wound rotors, meaning no need for rare-earth permanent magnets and powerful regen that means you barely use the friction brakes? Good! Not telling owners the slip-ring brushes wear and need maintenance? Bad!

Tara F5

Oh thank god. When I finally get a car again I want one that's the size of my VW Polo that was my first car. Definitely not a big crossback. They're huge and unnecessary.

Arthur 🍉🍉2

Downsizing seems necessary if we're ever going to live sustainably.

Michael Armstrong2

I suspect the Twingo is still bigger than the original mini. Meantime I'm all for larger pedal cycles ;~) broxcompact.blogspot.com/2012/08/brox...

captainfrogbert.bsky.social2

We drive SUV's because George Bush started the first gulf war in 1990, the media fetishized the new Humvee and the military, in general. Congress passed laws allowing "light trucks" to bypass fuel efficiency and safety regulations making gas-guzzling monsters cheaper to manufacture than sedans.

I am the Lord your Dog!2

You mean it doesn't make sense to rebuild city infrastructure to accommodate bloated gas guzzling Americanized land yachts? Now someone tell them every car doesn't need to go 0-60 in 2 seconds and have top speeds double the speed limits!(maybe it will produce an affordable car)