cross-posted from: https://lemmit.online/post/5691972
This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/technology by /u/Wagamaga on 2025-04-19 17:06:58+00:00.
Aptera can’t start shipping soon enough. Especially in sunny places like California. Drink Tesla’s milkshake. Drink it all up.
Good.
The Bay Area is probably the only thing keeping that company alive. Every stoplight you pull up to there has at least a couple Teslas
I know a lot of people who bought teslas before musk became a full blown oligarch and feel uncomfortable about it
Any car is sold at a loss. As someone who recently paid one of these off, I can’t stomach a new car payment in the face of our melting economy because six years ago I didn’t foresee the head of a car company turning out to be a freaking nazi.
Considering my Tesla replaced a VW TDI, I’m feeling particularly salty and completely disillusioned about ethical consumption under capitalism, etc. etc. I wish people on Lemmy could have some empathy and not just assume that everyone driving a Tesla is sanctioning anything that Elon Musk does.
They just weren’t paying attention then because Musk has always been exactly that.
Do you look up every owner of the manufacturer of everything you buy? I agree he has been this way for a while. But people buy cars for transportation. Not for their owners.
Supports a literal Oligarch Nazi
Feels uncomfortable about it
Doesnt do anything about it
Sounds about right for America in 2025.
Realistically though what are they going to do about it? They probably can’t sell the vehicle because of the now stigma attached to it and if they don’t sell it they probably can’t afford a new car.
Even in iowa you see them all over. There are so many drivers any car make other than the most exclusive will be seen soon if you fixate on it (read look).
Stastics show tesla is a tiny brand by market share. However they are wer the only ev brand until reciently so people focus on them.
And that’s really the only reason I have one - it was the only long range electric car available when I bought it. Now I would choose any of the many other options first.
I’d be curious about why you haven’t taken the moral stance and sold it.
What’s going on in America needs people to take actual steps. Votes aren’t enough anymore.
This belongs in uplifting news
0% would be uplifting. This is still way too many people supporting a piece of shit.
Just imagine if there wasn’t a crazy tariff on Chinese cars the figure would be even lower. BYD are making some great cars
BYDs are everywhere now in Australia. Not sure what alternative brands are available in the US, is it just Rivian?
And other Chinese brands!. The MG4 is super popular in Australia too. Can get it for about $38k AUD ($25k USD).
Even if Tesla wasn’t tarnished by association with Musk, they have absolutely nothing at the budget end of the market. ie for buyers that traditionally bought corollas, little Mazdas and Hyundai’s.
And BYD has the whole range, if I want a luxury sedan the BYD Seal goes toe to toe with the model 3.
I think China is going to eat everyone’s lunch here in the same way Japan did in the 70s/80s, and Korea went in even cheaper in the 90s and 00s (how many Hyundai Excels/Accents were there in Australia in late 90s early 00s).
On the more affordable end around here I see a lot of electric cars from Ford, Chevrolet, Kia, and Hyundai around here, and to a lesser extent Volkswagen. On the high end it’s mostly Mercedes-Benz and BMW, sometimes Porsche. Once in a while I’ll see Rivian but they don’t have a dealership in our state. Even more rarely I’ll see Polestar, which does have a dealership in a city at the other end of the state, and at least one person here has a Lucid Air.
Edit: also on the high end, there’s at least one Hummer EV driving around here.
Are you asking if Rivian is the only company besides Tesla selling electric cars in the US?
No, nearly all major manufacturers sell EVs. Something like 25 brands.
Edit: although a few of those may still only be selling plug-in hybrids. I know Alfa Romeo is one, for example.
I believe there was a 100% tariff in place pre-Trump meltdown on Chinese EVs in the U.S, making them less viable in that market. The EU also tariffs them heavily, which is quite a pity.
The EU also tariffs them heavily
Yes, to tip the scales back towards fair competition pricing by offsetting the subsidies the Chinese brands are getting from their government. It doesn’t fully offset it though, they’re still quite a lot cheaper than e.g. VW BEVs
Ford has 3, the F-150 Lightning and the unfortunately named Mustang Mach-E, and the E-Transit van I think is primarily for commercial customers.
