Sounds like a perfect example of engineering process controls if you ask me. Some process control was probably put in place to make sure symbols weren’t forgotten, so the easiest thing to do is include all the symbols on all the models.

As a guy who works in a design and manufacturing facility (not cars), here’s my take:

This sounds like a good engineering practice. While they might not reuse the entire cluster they may want to reuse just that plastic piece. Adding the unused symbol is likely free/very cheap vs just the cost of engineering hours to add a new configuration of the same thing with it, and maintaining two parts numbers.…

EVs are secondary vehicles. Until charging networks are upgraded, they’re not really going to work for road trip duty.
However, they do excel at what they’re meant for - daily driving - which constitutes between 80% and 95% of miles travelled annually.
Also, where have you been? They’ve already gone “mainstream”.

Cummins 6BT
Power a car! Power a truck! Power a boat! Fuckit power a building! Cummins 6BT.

In terms of legendary large engines that did make it into the passenger vehicles, it’s the Cummins B series(6BT, ISB, B6.7). These are engines that hit 7 digit mileage with ease in hot shot applications. Even the modern CM2350b engine can have the DPF and other emission equipment surpass 500k without issues.

Street price on new Bolts has been ~$25k for several years.

Briggs & Stratton 2hp

I know it’s kind of a cliche at this point, I know I’m sort of sick of it as the go-to for ambitious engine swaps, but...

I mean, if this is a legit question, then compared to a 1st gen leaf, this battery (and range) will likely last longer because it’s liquid cooled.

I think you might be over-estimating how much life/range a 2011-2016 era Leaf has in it by this point. Even if you took _really_ good care of it, by this point a typical Leaf is going be down by two capacity bars (< 80% of original capacity).

Thank you to the grayed person who said it was water cooled - thanks to Kinja I have to leave you there. Stoopid Kinja. 

If one is serious about getting into a short-range used EV you can pick up a Nissan Leaf or Chevy Spark EV from the same era for thousands less. 

You have an 85-mile driveway?

Yeah, it’s not like Wheeler Dealers, where Edd China is a genuinely likeable, knowledgeable, professional, and Mike Brewer was just a trash used car salesman cliché.

EV’s are special if you live in a place ruled by CARB. Check out these lease rates:

Uhhh… the Leaf did not do “terrible” in the crash tests. They aced everything except for the small overlap…. Just like pretty much everything designed before they started testing small overlap. 

And the original home show, This Old House. 

Ever notice that the cable “education” channels that were touted as a market-driven replacement for PBS like History, Discovery, TLC. etc. have all turned in to homes for crappy reality shows, conspiracy theories and pseudoscience? I guess that pays better than boring old facts and science.