Fewer people are buying electric cars in the US

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

A contentious Business Insider claim that “fewer people are buying electric cars” is challenged by commenters who note EV sales are still hitting records, even if growth is slowing as the market leaves the early‑adopter phase. Participants point instead to high upfront prices, patchy and unreliable charging infrastructure (especially outside dense urban areas), range loss in cold weather, and poor model mix (few small, affordable EVs) as the primary barriers to wider adoption. Many see plug‑in hybrids, smaller vehicles, and better public transport as more pragmatic near‑term climate solutions, and argue that policy, media narratives, and legacy automakers’ struggles—not lack of fundamental demand—are holding back a faster transition.

Headline and data framing

  • Many argue the article and HN title are misleading: EV sales are still at record highs and growing YoY; only the growth rate is slowing.
  • Several posters criticize business/tech media for confusing “slower growth” with “decline” and for cherry‑picking to imply demand collapse.

Cost, affordability, and total cost of ownership

  • Core constraint: upfront price. EVs are reported as ~28% more expensive than ICE on average; many launches advertise low trims that aren’t actually available.
  • Some owners claim 5‑year TCO beats comparable ICE (fuel + maintenance savings, tax credits), especially where electricity is cheap.
  • Others say TCO is worse once higher insurance, expensive repairs, and high kWh prices (e.g. parts of California) are included. Used ICE cars still undercut EVs heavily.
  • Several note high interest rates and overall new‑car unaffordability as bigger headwinds than EV‑specific issues.

Range anxiety and charging infrastructure

  • Strong split: EV owners (especially Tesla drivers) often report long trips as a non‑issue with Superchargers and home charging, and say they now “never think about fuel.”
  • Critics cite sparse rural coverage, broken non‑Tesla chargers, apartment living with no home charging, cold‑weather range loss, and long waits at peak times.
  • Debate over how much to optimize for “edge cases” like a handful of long trips per year vs everyday commuting. Some see these trips as central, not edge.
  • Charging time vs 5‑minute gas fill‑ups remains a sticking point for many.

Hybrids and PHEVs as compromise

  • Large contingent argues standard hybrids and plug‑in hybrids are currently the best mass‑market solution: electric for daily miles, ICE for trips, no range anxiety.
  • Vehicles like the Volt, Prius Prime, RAV4 Prime, Pacifica PHEV are frequently praised; some regret the industry’s pivot away from PHEVs toward full BEVs.
  • Counter‑view: PHEVs are mechanically complex, heavier, and less efficient overall than either pure EVs or simple hybrids.

Vehicle size, weight, and road/health impacts

  • Broad dislike of the SUV/pickup “arms race”; many wish for small hatchback EVs (Bolt, Leaf‑class) or compact coupes instead of heavy crossovers and trucks.
  • Disagreement over road damage: some claim heavier EVs meaningfully wear roads; others cite the fourth‑power law to argue trucks and buses dominate damage and passenger‑car differences are negligible.
  • Several note safety issues: big, heavy vehicles are more dangerous to pedestrians and smaller cars, regardless of powertrain.

Policy, taxes, and infrastructure

  • Concern that gas‑tax revenue will fall as EV share rises; suggested remedies include EV registration fees, per‑kWh road charges, or general taxation (income, sales) to cover roads.
  • Some argue current EV incentives and infrastructure subsidies skew benefits to higher‑income households; others see them as necessary to bootstrap a new tech.
  • Tension between spending on chargers vs investing in public transit, rail, and walkable zoning, which many see as more impactful for emissions.

Environmental and ethical dimensions

  • Posters generally agree ICE emissions are a serious problem; disagreement is over how fast and via what path to decarbonize.
  • Some raise cobalt and lithium mining harms; others respond that newer chemistries (e.g. LFP), long battery lifetimes, and grid decarbonization mitigate this.
  • Several emphasize that EVs alone won’t solve congestion, land use, and safety problems; fewer and smaller cars plus transit are seen as necessary.

Market dynamics and automakers

  • Many see legacy automakers as behind on efficient EV manufacturing, software, and supply chains; they struggle to make affordable EVs profitably.
  • Tesla and BYD are cited as cost leaders that built EV‑first factories and are now pressuring prices; expectation that <$25k EVs will appear in a few years, especially from Chinese makers.
  • Protectionist tariffs in the US are mentioned as slowing the arrival of cheap Chinese EVs.

User experience and design philosophy

  • Some love EV drivability (instant torque, quiet, little routine service) and say maintenance has been near zero.
  • Others dislike touch‑screen‑everywhere design, lack of physical controls, and “unfinished tech” feel. Interior quality complaints surface, especially vs German brands.
  • DIY‑oriented posters worry about parts access and repairability for EVs compared to simple, long‑lasting ICE cars (e.g. old Toyotas).

Battery longevity, replacement, and modularity

  • Batteries are reported by owners to be holding up better than early fears; many cite 8‑year warranties and 200k+ mile lifetimes, especially for LFP chemistry.
  • Concerns remain about high pack replacement cost, even if infrequent; some argue future battery $/kWh will be much lower, others note savings may not reach retail.
  • Ideas for modular or swappable batteries are discussed. Most replies consider them impractical for mass market (weight, packaging, evolving designs), though some niche efforts (Nio, Better Place, micro‑EVs) are noted.

Cultural and behavioral factors

  • Several threads probe why buyers overweight rare scenarios (annual ski trip, theoretical towing) in car choice—status, aspiration, and convenience are seen as drivers.
  • Suggestions to “rent for the edge cases” get pushback due to rental cost, hassle, and availability, especially around holidays.
  • Underneath technical debates, posters differ sharply on acceptable personal sacrifice for climate goals and on how much government should push vs let markets evolve.