Considering how much Bosch tech is used in that powertrain(Bosch refers to Nikola as a customer), i fail to see what Nikola is doing there apart from paying. If there was money to be made by mass-producing these things, CNH could easily do it on their own ticket. If they became profitable, CNH will probably just dump…

The tube thing is pretty cool. It uses the Magnus Effect, which is the same thing that gives a curve ball the curve in baseball. It does require electricity to spin the tube, but far less energy than the propulsion it is able to extract from the wind.

I just don’t find that super impressive (the electric version of an extant truck).

yeah my take on Nikola is that they’re an umbrella to aggregate a lot of the disparate hydrogen projects around the industry that wouldn’t be able to make it on their own without all the headaches of trying to get the giants to cooperate. Sort of like sticking two half asses together to make a whole ass.

It’s…

You literally just described the Chevy Bolt.

You ever get the feeling that the thing that actually sinks these EV startups is that they are trying way to hard to hit an unrealistic standard? Like, they all want to come out and be the best most luxurious EV with all the best technology that’s barely even finished being invented. Then they get ripped to shreds…

“The only two manuals in the system were both black, and the dealerships I went to claimed that Genesis won’t let you order one to spec, which seems really off-brand for a luxury marque,”

We were told the same thing. What we did was actually to wait for the spec we want to be built by random, it took 4 months.

I think it looks fantastic, but now I have no reason to buy it when I could buy so many other cars that have an automatic. I was one of the few people who tried to buy a previous generation with a manual, and I had only one condition, I didn’t want another black car. The only two manuals in the system were both black,…

Until a decent hurricane hits New Orleans, Houston, or Corpus Christi Texas and shuts down the refineries for a couple weeks.

Well “too high” is subjective. The equation SHOULD work this way: Price = cost of parts + cost of labor + profit. Unfortunately, with new technology, it goes like this: Price = cost of parts + cost of labor + profit + cost of resistance to adoption for a new technology. The last one is really hard to quantify without…

The biggest barrier to EV adoption is price point. Lower price points cannot be achieved without economies of scale. Its a chicken or the egg problem.

You won’t get that trade. Maybe some boutique cars, but doubtful. The Mustang and Corvette likely won’t offer non-hybrid V8s by 2030.

Complete 180 counterpoint: affordable performance EVs can still be counted on one hand (Model 3 Performance, Mach-E, .......that’s it?) The field is still wide open for an automaker to redefine the segment, and I nominate FCA/Dodge. Your car is already called a Charger - make it literal and give it low-mid 3 second…

Y not both?

Sometimes I kind of enjoy his outrage at the man, but you really do have a point here. 

They’re selling $80k Sierras. Of course they’re not interested.

Coincidentally Jalopnik saying stupid shit and half-reporting news also saw page views and commenter engagement grow.

“People are really into a handsome electric car that you can actually afford? Interesting. Maybe GM should give that a go here. Just a thought.“

What are the robots going to do now that their jobs are being taken?