The Canadian Electric Vehicle thread

[theman23]

It’s been out in Europe, but not in Canada. I saw a few in the wild in Colorado in May for what I assumed was a dealer or press event. It might be out there now.

[trece verde]

Haven't seen any R3's yet, and I work across the street from Rivian's main distro centre in Richmond.

This thread has been very interesting to me as a recently new Tesla owner. Did the math in April and picked up a new model Y from Fremont, because it just made way more sense than any of my alternatives. For me, this just works because I have a regular commute of 55+ klicks one-way primarily consisting of highway driving.

[Truenorth00]

R3 hasn't launched yet.

[Truenorth00]

Great Reuters piece on how the VW-Rivian deal came about. They apparently tested Audis with Rvian harnesses, controllers and software.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aut...ed-2024-06-27/

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I saw an electric VW van yesterday, are they released? It's the only one I've ever seen on the road.

They've had demo models, so could be one of those. They were the shorter European version though when I looked. Longer wheel base NA version should be here soon.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by whatnext

The ID Buzz has arrived at my local VW dealer. There seemed to be lots of interest. Good looking people hauler with way more personality than your average X-over/minivan. So great to see cloth seats returning to cars! I never understood the fetish with leather/faux-leather seating.

[IMG]IMG_4056 by bcborn, on Flickr[/IMG]
my photo

So, roughly a year after I posted it the Buzz still hasn’t arrived in Canadian showrooms….

Interestingly I saw on Motormouth on YouTube that Vancouver Volkswagen sells the most id4’s of any North American dealer. I do see a fair amount around.

[trece verde]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

R3 hasn't launched yet.

...which would explain why I haven't seen one there yet.

Thanks!

[Truenorth00]

An interesting view of the dependency of various brands on different markets. Look at the exposure to the Chinese market. This is why I've said that legacy automakers will be in trouble if they can't compete in those markets.

[lio45]

Not your fault but kinda stupid to have it by brand rather than by automaker. For Hyundai-Kia it doesn’t change much, but for GM it probably would.

Also I’d like to see the metric be sales volumes in $, rather than in units. One base model Sail sold in China is interchangeable for a $100k fully-loaded 4x4 Silverado 3500 sold stateside, the way they’re doing it (I think).

(If it’s by gross sales revenue rather than unit sales, then ignore that criticism. But I’m pretty sure that by “sales”, they mean units not dollars.)

[LeftCoaster]

Volkswagen at 8% in NA is crazy, since there a lot of VWs in NA. Really puts into perspective heir Europe and China sales.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I never understood the fetish with leather/faux-leather seating.

Me neither. It's marginally easier to keep clean, perhaps that's it.

But in winter it's too cold, and in summer it's too hot.

I have a vehicle that has black leather seats. I didn't choose this; it was handed down from my dad after my previous car became a money pit I gave up. He bought it out after driving it while leased corporately, but rarely used it after he retired. I despise those seats. I've never had leather seating before, but I now use the heat function when it's cold (which I never thought I would; I'm a natural furnace) and if it's parked in the sun I need to learn to start the car and let the A/C blow for a few minutes before I sit. They're comfy seats, but I think they'd still be so if covered in fabric instead.

[Nouvellecosse]

Interesting how based on the graphic, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean are being included in both North America and Latin America. I wonder if it's just the graphic that's misleading or if the numbers are actually double counted.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Truenorth00

An interesting view of the dependency of various brands on different markets. Look at the exposure to the Chinese market. This is why I've said that legacy automakers will be in trouble if they can't compete in those markets.

In May this year, FAW Volkswagen sales in China were down 17.5% compared to last May, Shanghai Volkswagen were down 11.9%, GAC Toyota were down 10.2% and BMW Brilliance were down 3.2%.

BYD sales were up 21.5%, (all EVs) and Geely were up 31.6% (45% were EVs). Tesla China increased sales by 29.9% compared to last May, selling over 55,000 vehicles in the month.

Overall May sales showed 1.9% fewer cars sold than last May (a total of 1,710,000 cars, but new energy vehicle sales (EV, PHEV and plug-in hybrid) were up by 38.6% for a total of 804,000.

[Truenorth00]

With the above graphic in mind, consider the implications of Europe and China electrifying. Our perception in North America is completely messed because we're at least 5 years behind and have the rates of electrification. But if these current rates keep up, China could see mostly electric sales by 2030. Europe by 2033. For companies struggling to transition this would be devastating. They'd be losing revenue exactly when they most need it. Oh and the Chinese don't even have bother with North America or Japan and Korea. They can export to Latin America, Asia and Africa and mop up those sales too. If all they do is succeed in constraining legacy OEMs to their home markets, they'll basically turn legacy brands into Lada over time.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Me neither. It's marginally easier to keep clean, perhaps that's it.

But in winter it's too cold, and in summer it's too hot.

I have a vehicle that has black leather seats. I didn't choose this; it was handed down from my dad after my previous car became a money pit I gave up. He bought it out after driving it while leased corporately, but rarely used it after he retired. I despise those seats. I've never had leather seating before, but I now use the heat function when it's cold (which I never thought I would; I'm a natural furnace) and if it's parked in the sun I need to learn to start the car and let the A/C blow for a few minutes before I sit. They're comfy seats, but I think they'd still be so if covered in fabric instead.

I feel your pain. Mine aren’t even black but I’ve gotten into the car in shorts in the summer and yelped!

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I feel your pain. Mine aren’t even black but I’ve gotten into the car in shorts in the summer and yelped!

Yep. Done that too.

And it's a 2006 Honda Accord. That thing will run forever and the engine is tip-top. I'm grateful to have it, but I'm the type who tends to buy used cars and drive them until they die... maybe it will become a "hand me down" as my niece and nephew get to driving age and I can afford a newer vehicle. My dad already treats it like the family heirloom. Before I accepted his generosity it was "The Car", and still is (and he's morphed into this amalgamation of Morty Seinfeld and Frank Costanza... "you know it has cruise control" was one of his selling points; "the back seat folds down for additional trunk space" was another )

So to bring this to the point of the thread, there are many people like me who will not part with a perfectly performing ICE vehicle and switch to electric until that older car is no longer viable, despite any shortcomings or frustrations. And living where I do (a rental apartment in an older building, in a "central" city area) charging is an issue... not an insurmountable one, but for now the choice to stay with what I have is easy. In a few years, my situation will probably change and I'll consider the full range of options.

[WarrenC12]

Leather/fake leather is way better with kids. Spills on cloth are gross.

[harls]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Leather/fake leather is way better with kids. Spills on cloth are gross.

I sold my old Grand Caravan with cloth seats. If that van could tell stories..

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by harls

I sold my old Grand Caravan with cloth seats. If that van could tell stories..

Angelic ones, I'm sure.

• Video Link


I do not have kids, so any spills are my own or that of passengers.

But that car will probably get me around for the next 3 or 4 years, at least while I'm living where I do. At the point of change I will re-evaluate.

[harls]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I do not have kids, so any spills are my own or that of passengers.

It was brand-new in 2012. We took a road trip from Ottawa via S. Ontario, Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis.. That van was ruined by the time we got to Manitoba.

5 and 2 year old passengers will do that.

Edit - In threadly news, I'm going to MB at the end of the month and my soon to be 17 year old son is itching to drive his grandparents' electric F150 and Mach E GT (legally this time).