I think you nailed it - brake fade. Just couldn’t stop.

The argument doesn’t follow. Every time the police officer drives his car anywhere - he could crash and kill someone. The “forces” are the same when he’s driving 65mph on the highway or 65mph on a city street. It’s not the chase that kills. It’s the sudden stop at the end. Turning loose a low paid and barely trained…

Yeah. It’s not too bad IMO if it comes in around 5500lbs, I’ll be pretty impressed.

Another news site said 180. The math works out to 160kwh based on weight and kwh/lb of other Ford batteries. So maybe 180kwh is higher than it really is. So much garbage journalism passed as real info. IIRC the transit EV is only about 70kwh.

I think it’s an open question. Maybe we don’t need to distinguish the two - although it’s hard to say. In the case of the F150 for example, it’s lighter and lighter duty. So it has smaller frame, smaller axles, smaller wheel bearings, lighter springs, etc. All of those things result in a more fuel efficient vehicle,…

The hybrid F150 is 525lbs heavier than the same model non-hybrid. My guess is that the EV will be about the same as the hybrid F150 and the additional batteries from the hybrid are balanced by the weight drop from the engine/transmission. I’m betting the EV F150 weighs around 5500lbs. 

I think the CT just got a re-configuration. My bet is the $40k CT was supposed to have an 80 or 100kwh battery pack. Now that F150 is 180kwh, no way CT can roll out the door with only 100. I think I remember the current cost for the cells alone is about $100/kwh. So the F150 has $18k in batteries. If a CT is…

7100 lbs? I think you might have been looking at GVWR. Empty curb weight of the heaviest spec non-hybrid version of the F150 (supercrew 4x4 with diesel 3.0) is 5,292 lbs. The heaviest gasoline powered one is 5,014 lbs. The powerboost hybrid in supercrew 4x4 is 5,540 lbs. So the hybrid adds 500lbs.

Yep. That’s why EVs create more PM 2.5 and PM 10 emissions per mile than ICEs. It’s the weight. And most of the PM 2.5 and 10 come from the tires and roadway, not the tail pipe.

Yep. I suspect the supra will be a huge long term mistake. It makes no sense for so many reasons. Toyota has better turbo 6 engines in its parts bin that makes 30hp and almost 100tq more. So why go with a magna Steyr built BMW? It’s also weird that the supra sells more. But even then I’m not sure why anyone buys…

It’s hard to separate whether a problem is engineering, manufacturing, or cutting costs on materials. Whatever the case - BMW can’t seem to figure it out. Leaky gaskets are often engineering related. Component or housings that either lack rigidity, lack proper cooling, or lack sufficient clamping points and hardware…

I’ve had similar experience with a few Toyotas and Hondas. My last 4Runner lasted 220k miles with no non-wear or routine maintenance items. Never a window regulator or a power lock failure. Never broke down. Never had a single non-routine maintenance engine, transmission, or drive train repair. it was ultimately the…

I think if the roof falls off on the way home, most owners want that replaced within the first 90 days. 

I think there’s a high level of correlation between quality control and quality engineering and manufacturing. It’s not necessarily cause and effect, but I’d bet that it holds true almost universally - close enough to use assembly quality control to predict long term overall engineering, manufacturing, and assembly…

I forgot that the Model 3 base didn’t come with power seats originally. I guess it wasn’t a luxury car then? but is now?

Toyota Land Cruiser. Base model is far better equipped. (Yeah, it also costs twice as much). But still not a luxury car.

That’s kinda how I see it. I don’t think it’s wrong to do it that way. It’s cheap and efficient, reduces parts, etc. It’s how the Tata Nano rolls. If tesla does it, now it’s a revolutionary design that pushes the limits of simplicity and elegance. Slap some wood grain on there and it’s a luxury car!

The focus on the base model is odd. It seems like you care more about what the base model is than what is actually available in the cars that you can buy. Are you afraid someone might think the Camry you’re driving is a base model so you wouldn’t buy it? Is it the status issue that you’re worried about? 

It depends on what you’re doing for sure. If you’re going from Airport to hotel then back to airport, and it’s not too far the Uber works well. I use Uber and Lyft a lot. But it’s always as a replacement for traditional taxi service. And I do like using the ride share services better than taxis in most cases. At first…

The only part that stands out is the touch screen - I guess, because it comes at the expense of a standard information display in the driver’s normal line of sight. I’d say in most cases that would be considered a big downgrade. The only cars I can think of with center only displays are the really cheap stuff that…