New Revolution revealed

[tron67j]

I saw that. It has renewed my concern about what if the battery pack has a couple bad cells. I have bought brand new Duracell batteries and found bad ones, so what if there is a few in a EV?

Longer term, I like the idea of the Ram having a range extender, I think that might couple with a smaller battery pack. This reduces the cost to replace for people like me (if I ever were to consider it) who keep a vehicle for 15+ years. Of course this would just be a 2nd vehicle in my case, I don't see giving up my 2500 for 10 years or so.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Remember GM had such bad batteries from a Korean supplier last year they committed to making them in the U.S. themselves?

Making lithium ion batteries correctly is process-sensitive. You can't cheap your way into a quality LiIon battery, but the execs have gone all-in on cheapness the past 40 years. They're reaping what they've sowed.

 

[HEMIMANN]

"The carmaker stopped (F150 Lightning) production in response to one vehicle catching fire during a pre-delivery quality inspection in a company holding lot in Dearborn, Michigan, on Feb. 4, according to the Detroit Free Press. Deliveries of already-ready trucks have also been suspended.

The second-biggest US automaker by sales after General Motors expects the manufacturing lines to be down until at least the end of next week, as reported by Motor Authority, while an investigation into the problem is conducted.

Engineers have now apparently found the root cause of the issue. Adjustments to the truck’s battery production process to fix it could take “a few weeks."

South Korea-based SK On, a spinoff of SK Innovation, is the battery supplier for the Detroit automaker’s truck.

GM recalled hundreds of thousands of its Chevrolet Bolt EVs over battery fire problems, and it even halted production for almost eight months. LG Electronics, GM’s battery maker, reimbursed the company $1.9 billion."


CHEAP = GOOD

 

[Narg]

This is all new. Not just batteries but also how they are used, and many other parts of what would be considered a "normal" vehicle. There will be bumps in this road to say the least. I'm fully at ease that the engineers working on this stuff will not rest, ever. They are as committed to this as they were to any vehicle style in the past. There's lots more new to come, and improvements to say the least. I remain excited about the future of the automotive industry, and what they will do next.

 

[tron67j]

I was just reading a story from an influencer on the EV scene where recounted an interaction with someone. Seems a woman borrowed a Tesla but was parked at a different charging port and couldn't figure out how to charge it. After helping find an adapter, setting up payment, and then coming back later to help with the defective port, he lamented the state of charging infrastructure and education. Hopefully, Ram will include training to buyers and hard copies of a quick guide in how to utilize different charging adapters. Nothing worse than being out in an intense situation and having to take the time to find the right YouTube video that isn't 3 minutes of jabber/follow me here/there/everywhere followed by the necessary 30 seconds of actual information.

 

[tron67j]

The link below details a Ford patent but reflects the capabilities for manufacturers that may come about in future years. I can't imagine a world where I don't have complete control over the features of my vehicle. Now, before I get comments that big brother knows about my driving, I am talking about how I decide if I update my 8.4 radio (I never do, it works exactly how I want it to without problems 4 years later), my windows won't stop working for some OTA update bug, I don't have to pay a monthly fee to adjust my seat (it's manual), and the cost of my vehicle was not inflated by the cost of features that may or may not work based in some subscription I have to fork over money for.

I am sure there are people who are fine with this type of potential future as that is what they grew up with and/or don't know any different. And I challenge anyone to prove that the sales process has changed in a way where salespeople are incredibly knowledgeable about the features of vehicles to explain (successfully) that such purchases will be just the start of a lifelong relationship with software engineers ensuring our need to continuously be waiting for the next update/new cost to use a feature we paid for in the sales price.

Ford files patent to allow self-driving cars to drive away from owners who don't keep up with payments

Repossessions are about to get a whole lot more impersonal.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[HEMIMANN]

Edmund's did an expose about car sales people some years back. I'm sure it's archived.

If you really want to get depressed, read it. Otherwise skip it.

They sent undercover applicants to various dealerships across the U.S. The number 1 hiring criteria was stating wanting to make a lot of money. Nothing, and I mean nothing else mattered.
Complete lack of ethics.

Surprised, are we?