Global Gas Vehicle Sales Peaked in 2017 \ stacker news ~tech

Global Gas Vehicle Sales Peaked in 2017

this chart from bloomberg is quite interesting for a few reasons…

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GFHdU0gXsAElZUO?format=jpg

first, global vehicle sales are still down when compared to 2019 sales.

second, there has been no rebound at all in gas-powered vehicle sales. every single year since 2017 has been lower than the last.

finally, it’s looking like plug-in hybrids are not the path forward, and seems likely that they’ll be remembered as a transition tool to prepare people for EV ownership. kind of like how blackberry phones represented the transition to smartphones with both a big screen and a keyboard.

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384 sats \ 5 replies \ @kepford 30 Jan

I have no data on this but functionally hybrids make way more sense to me over EVs as a replacement. EVs can be a replacement for many people in many places with varied lifestyles but hybrids are more versatile. The move to ban ICE autos is one of the more foolish things I've witnessed in my lifetime.

0 sats \ 4 replies \ @kr OP 30 Jan

what makes hybrids more versatile?

imo they inherit a lot of the negatives of both EVs and gas cars which hurt the overall product.

for example, EVs are safer because the front half of the car is a crumple zone rather than an engine, faster to accelerate, and less costly to maintain

gas cars have longer range than evs

hybrids miss out on the safety and speed of EVs, and their range comes with the added cost of needing both battery packs and an internal combustion engine (which also introduces more parts that need to be maintained)

480 sats \ 3 replies \ @kepford 30 Jan

You list some good trade offs. You missed these.

Hybrids work with gas. Gasoline has massive pros as a battery. Gasoline can sit for up to a year and not lose any energy. Batteries have issues with cold and heat that gasoline doesn't have. By definition a hybrid can use gasoline or electricity.

There is no reason to only have EVs or only ICE vehicles. I mean other than State mandates.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 30 Jan

I'm not against EVs at all. I've just seen their negative tradeoffs being swept under the rug for decades. That is starting to change though. As usual the state has manipulated the market pushing in areas that didn't need a push.

0 sats \ 1 reply \ @kr OP 30 Jan freebie

yes, gas is a better medium-term battery than EV cells.

batteries do lose a lot of charge in cold weather too, but actually perform at their best in typical summer weather.

i hear you on having the option to use gas or electricity, i’m just not convinced that use case is important enough to justify having two entirely different systems in the car.