this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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Rivian CEO issues strong statement about people who purchase gas-powered cars: ‘Sort of like building a horse barn in 1910’::"I don't think I would have believed it."

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Rivian CEO should keep his mouth shut until a few grand gets you a used compact electric hatchback (VW Polo or similar) with a decent battery.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

To be fair the headline is a bit clickbaity. The quote is referring to someone buying a new Chevy Suburban in 2030. It would be kind of dumb to do that in my opinion, but I also would never buy a new car anyway.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Who cares what a CEO has to say?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

We can give them a little credit when they speak out against fossil fuels, as a treat.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Actual (chopped up) quote from RJ:

“I think the reality of buying a combustion-powered vehicle … is sort of like building a horse barn in 1910,” he said. “Imagine buying a Chevy Suburban in 2030 … what are you going to do with that … in 10 years?”

This article is clickbait garbage.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Selling $80k electric cars and making comments like this is sort of like saying 'let them eat cake' in 1780

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Those trucks/SUVs weigh 8500lbs. Since there is no fuel tax being collected, these monsters are destroying the roads and not contributing to their upkeep. My city is passing laws to significantly increase the registration on these vehicles, according to their annual mileage. I'm all for going electric, but an 8500lb truck is not helping the environment.

2023 F150 weighs between 4,021 to 5,740 lbs, just as a reference point. All electric vehicles weigh significantly more than their ICE counterparts

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is true, but fuel taxes are very low. Most states that are charging an EV "road maintenance fee" (with whatever phrasing they select) are charging way more than an ICE vehicle would contribute in fuel taxes. And while it is true that BEVs are heavier than ICE vehicles, all else held equal, and that road wear and tear is strongly dependent on weight... as I recall reading, the overwhelming majority of road wear and tear is the result of freight trucks and similar vehicles.

I’m all for going electric, but an 8500lb truck is not helping the environment.

The issue here isn't that it's an EV in this case. It's that it's a truck. I'd wager than >95% of people buying trucks in the US would be perfectly served by a four door sedan or comparable sized vehicle. Trucks have largely become expensive vanity items to act as an external signal of a person's cultural identity. Contractors and similar that actually use a truck for truck purposes still exist, but they're comically outnumbered by people buying trucks for no good reason.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

My city doesn't allow big trucks on our roads. The wear and tear of roads is heavily dependent on weight, as you and I both stated. Weighing 3500lbs more (the weight of a Toyota Camry) than even the largest personal vehicle is a problem which I hope they solve soon.

I'm not sure why people think it's propaganda that EVs weigh 1.5x or more than a standard sedan. It's a fact, and it's easy to find information. The tech crowd wants to call anything that hurts their opinion bullshit, but they refuse to look it up. It's right there on the manufacturers' websites. I sincerely doubt the owners of Rivian or Tesla are in on some government "propaganda" to lower their own sales.

I appreciate the votes. That proves you read the comment but have no idea how to respond, because you can't.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Stupid out of touch billionaires.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

How to tell the entire world that you're rich and entitled.

Have you seen the price of electric cars it's ridiculous. No way I can afford one.

Also never mind the fact I have no way of charging it because I only have access to on-street parking. If they really wanted to help they should bring down the cost of their massively overpriced vehicles and also invest in distributing charging points around the country.

Isn't the ultimate plan supposed to be that they'll be at least one charging point and every highway at least every 8 mi?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I buy what my meager wage allows me to afford...

Make an EV that competes on price with a Corolla and I'll be there.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Much like his company, it's a copy off of Elon Musk

"If you buy a car that does not have the hardware for full self-driving, it is like buying a horse,”

Edit: This is supposed to be an insult to the Rivian CEO, making the same dumb jokes. Not a state of support to Elon, the whole context around that quote is wrong.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Mans just mad people arent buying his cars.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'll consider buying an electric vehicle when they are no longer irreparable, unmaintainable, privacy blackholed, iPhones on wheels.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

My last car purchase was £8650 for a 1L petrol from 2016. And I bought it this year.

If he could direct me to the nearest electric car of the same price and range I'd be happy to buy one, until then it's a stupid comment and ICE are going to be here for a LONG time, purely because not everyone can afford expensive vehicles.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yeah, so, how much is one of those Rivian trucks, exactly?

$73,000?

Yeah, fuck off. That's more than the median annual gross income for American workers. It's all good and well to tout a slightly more sustainable form of transportation--still not nearly as sustainable as busses or trains!--but when you're pricing it well outside what most people can rationally afford, you're not helping the situation.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

All these products have to come to market in order for prices to eventually come down. People need to see that they have viable options to gasoline cars.

In Norway, more than 80 percent of new cars sold are electric. There are many other options that don't cost $73,000. Rivian is just one option.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

IIRC, Norway also offered substantial tax incentives to people that bought electric cars. IIRC, the fed. gov't did the same in the US, and car companies responded by raising prices by the amount of the incentive.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Problems with electric cars :

Cost morenup front Claimed range is NEVER real not even close Batteries are super expensive to replace or repair and wear out sooner than ic engines Bad on the environment to manufacture Lack of charging stations makes fake range numbers super bad Slow to charge Useless on road trips Range even worse in the winter Its better for the environment to keep an older car on the road than to make a new ev

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Let me help you

Cost more up front: yes, new stuff always does

Range is never real not even close: evidently tesla has been lying about range, but for the most part, if you use an AC in an electric vehicle the batteries die sooner...which is the same with ICE vehicles. Use more energy = deplete faster.

Expensive to replace: yes

Wear out sooner than ice engines? Oh I don't know about that. There's no moving parts in an electric car. No oil to change, timing belts, no yearly tightening. There's still tires, brake fluid, and a host of new issues though. But they do not wear out sooner than ICE vehicles.

Lack of charging stations: yes, a limited problem, but in my area there are tons of them and you also charge at home and work (work is free, so it's free gas)

Slow to charge? 10-15mins wait is really not a deal breaker, you're just making some extra time to use the bathroom and get coffee.

Useless on road trips: I personally just rented a full electric and did an 800 mile round trip. It was not that bad.

Range worse in winter: goes along with 'that's how batteries work'. Plan your trip.

It's better for environment to keep older car on the road? Hard NO. Older ICE cars are less efficient with gas, which uses more gas. Getting a newer more efficient ICE car is better for the environment.

Creating a battery is bad for the environment up front, but after that there's a very small impact over the lifetime usage of that battery.

On the other hand, creating an ICE engine is light on the environment, but through its lifetime pollutes. Way larger impact on the environment than the electric.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

I just looked up the price for a Rivian truck and holy shit is this guy for real? Lmao. Just another out of touch CEO virtue signaling. If he really felt this way he would make them affordable lol

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Forgive me, sire; I hadn't $80,000 to spend on a luxury truck.

You fuck.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

A luxury truck with the ugliest headlights on a car today.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

I love the front end of the Rivian.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago

Fuck you! Not everyone can afford that shit asshole. Guess I can add another electric vehicle to the do not buy list if I can ever afford one.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

You gonna be ok, friend?