To be fair, I really like the BX. That too might be a fetish though.

So this is one of those cars you do need to visit France for.

Good luck finding any nice condition Renault 21 though. Not many survived.

Just get the current gen Fiesta ST instead.

It would have a higher sales potential in Europe had it been smaller and cheaper. Even though the article claims it’s ‘compact’, it’s a big car from a European perspective. But as it’s been sold out anyway, I doubt Mercedes will care.

I cannot predict the future, however I do assume we will find a way to store electricity in a cheap and efficient way. Maybe not next year, but it will come. 

You are right about the A1.

It also lacks perspective. It’s about A-segment cars (Fiat 500, Smart) only. Not about B-segment cars (Yaris, Fiesta) and certainly not about C-segment cars (Golf, Corolla). All of which are considered 'small' in the US.

Which fuels for cars are nearly 0 emissions?

A Golf is not considered as a small car in Europe. It’s average sized. A C-segment car. Usually bought as a wagon.

You are exactly right. Manufacturers for the EU market are moving away from ICE to EV due to emissions reasons. A-segment cars cannot be made competitively as an EV, today, so they are going away. For now. Once battery tech has matured enough, they will come back.

European customers require different engine options. The more the better. Don’t offer this, and consumers will find what they want at the competition.

This is only about the A-segment cars. So cars like the Smart and Fiat 500. Cars smaller than a Yaris, which is B-segment.

Your looking at the US market here.

Agreed, with the exception of the A-segment target demographic moving to public transportation. They will simply go for a used B-segment car for now. In a few years, when manufacturers can build competitive A-segment EVs, this segment will come back.

I don’t think the Polo is on the way out. It’s a huge seller, and the Polo has grown so big it’s the size of the Golf/Jetta from a few generations ago. Competitors from VW are offering great EVs in this segment already, which sell okay. It’s the VW Up! size vehicles that manufacturers struggle with.

The Renault Zoe is not as small as an Audi A1. Additionally, it is not hit by emission regulations as it’s an EV.

The ID3 is a compact, so the Jetta EV if you will. No one buys sedans in VWs main markets, only hatchabacks/wagons/crossovers, so no sedan EV makes sense for them. The Golf is a big seller in Germany. The Jetta has been discontinued. The Passat tends to be sold as a wagon in Europe.

The Micra is a B segment car.

Now imagine having to pay a 5 figure emissions tax on your Subaru, and very little for the competition. Would you still buy the Subaru?