Price shows the problem with the economics. You can get this brand new for $15k, or you can get an SUV in reasonable condition.
Which has been a problem for a long time. Let me introduce you to the CitiCar. Starting production in 1974, it has a 2.5hp motor and a 36V battery giving you a whopping 40 miles of range. This would cost you $2,988 in 1974 (going by the best source I could find), or about $20k now.
But why would you do that when there are tons of used cars for less than that? It’s hard to justify as anything more than an expensive novelty.
To be clear, I’m quite aware of all the reasons cars as we know them are terrible and do terrible things to our cities. When the average person looks at the price tag, though, they’re not going to be convinced. They see something just as expensive as a car (at least as far as the piece of paper right in front of them says), is seemingly less capable than a car, and then go buy the car.
Price shows the problem with the economics. You can get this brand new for $15k, or you can get an SUV in reasonable condition.
Which has been a problem for a long time. Let me introduce you to the CitiCar. Starting production in 1974, it has a 2.5hp motor and a 36V battery giving you a whopping 40 miles of range. This would cost you $2,988 in 1974 (going by the best source I could find), or about $20k now.
But why would you do that when there are tons of used cars for less than that? It’s hard to justify as anything more than an expensive novelty.
To be clear, I’m quite aware of all the reasons cars as we know them are terrible and do terrible things to our cities. When the average person looks at the price tag, though, they’re not going to be convinced. They see something just as expensive as a car (at least as far as the piece of paper right in front of them says), is seemingly less capable than a car, and then go buy the car.