Electric cars.

I didn't realise modern cars don't have a spare wheel.
My car has a space saver but to honest I'd much prefer a proper wheel, for the amount of room it saves is not worth messing around with.
Cheapo spare would be a better disruption.

Also it's stashed right under the boot, so if you need it you have to take everything out the boot to get to it.
What happened to putting them at the side of the boot.

 

Not only do modern cars not have a spare wheel, but many of them also don't even have space for a spare wheel. My Jazz has a wheel well as did later models but around 2018 they altered the floor pan to leave only enough space for the repair kit. Not much use if you have ripped a tyre wall. The reason they did away with the spare was to save weight and reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
Back in the '50s, spare wheels were an optional extra, as were heaters.

 

So what do you do if you get a puncture?

 

The Daily Express reported that in 2020 there was 15 different EV models under 30k now there is only seven. With the likes of inflation and other factors I suppose it is understandable, ICE models will have also increased. The question is, what percentage has an EV gone up in price compared to an ICE. According to the Express which they say was from research from electrifying.com, the cheapest Fiat 500e version was £19,995 in 2020, it now costs £30,645, wow.

Mind you, you can get an EV for a price tag of £7,695 - £8,895

Citroen Ami Review and Buyers Guide | Electrifying

 

But it's the daily express. That's a very specialist newspaper. They take one tiny fragment of truth, perhaps the mere existence of the subject matter or perhaps a place name, and build an entire series of stories around it. A few years ago my mate used to refer to it as Dianna watch. He made it his regular hobby to see what the latest work of fiction was about the apparent assassination of princess Dianna.

EVs are up in price. That will be the tiny nugget of truth that the express has latched onto this time. All cars are up in price. There are several factors at play. One of the biggest being that there are still global supply chain bottlenecks following covid, meaning there are long delays on components and bidding wars are happening. This is also a key factor in inflation.

Used cars are currently insanely expensive too. At least in part because of long lead times on ALL new cars because of the supply chain issues mentioned above.

One of the biggest problems is the supply of electronic components. Many of which come out of China, which is only now starting to relax it's zero covid policy. It doesn't help also that some tech firms are pulling out of China over concerns about their tech being stolen, and the US and the UK have both recently banned certain technologies from going to China over concerns about their imperialist nature and growing threat.

There are lots of things going on that are affecting the price of everything, as we all know, and cars, being so dependent on just in time manufacturing (the idea being your supply chain schedule is so reliable that parts arrive at the factory just as they're needed, and not stockpiled) take the brunt of all that.

 

But if you rip a tyre wall you are stuffed. Mind you, I would just call the RAC out and they carry a universal wheel to get you to a garage.

 

That was not how the article came across, perfect storm loss of subsidies was highlighted in the report. What they are saying, which is exactly what the VW Group are doing, there is going be less affordable cars on the market. The VW Group expect to reduce the models under their brand by 60% by 2030, we already know they are going to reduce manufacturing of ICE vehicles but it looks like they are not intending to replace them with an affordable EV equivalent.

The VW Group announced early 2022. “The key target is not growth. We are (more focused) on quality and on margins, rather than on volume and market share.” The "peoples car" we will prioritise more expensive cars such as our more expensive Audi and Porsche models.

 

I find most of the big tyre people wont actually repair tyres anyway, I do know a small place that will as long as its not too close to the edge though.

Last time I had tyre problems it was two at the same time in a pot hole so I had to get taken but the AA to a garage anyway.

 

So they might be dropping Skoda by the sounds of that. That's a shame, considering they took them from being a joke car to being a good affordable functional brand.

Still, it has to happen sooner or later. Volvo was awesome, then got sold several times in rapid succession, doing time with Ford and some Chinese unheard of company for a while. I don't know who owns them now. It happened to Saab too. Excellent cars, ended up with general motors I believe. The directors wanted the 900 series to be based on the vauxhall Vectra, an absolute travesty (no offense to Vectra drivers). I believe the Saab bosses ignored their GM overlords and continued with their own specifications, so GM dropped them. I'm not sure what happened after that. Does Saab still exist as a brand?

I'm sure some car company will fill the gap for affordable runabouts. Kia used to do that but they upped their prices when they started offering a 7 year warranty. I have a feeling that our French brethren will fill the gap, and I'll spend even more time stuck behind a C1.

 

They are still owned by Geely so I am lead to believe. My mate is a sales rep for Volvo and moved out to Australia to be one of the main sales reps for ASEAN members. He was very dubious of upping sticks as he thought the Chinese would end up delivering an inferior car. He told him they had one of the safest cars on the market and that the far east has some of the most dangerous roads, this was going to be a key selling point. They said their plan was to go head to head with the likes of the Mercs and BMW and improve the cars in all departments.

I don't know how well Volvo are doing lately with sales as they will have had issues with components, like other manufacturers. My mate said it was the best thing he has done, his wife moved out 8 months later and they are now well settled.

 

China will fill the market with cheap EVs.



£3,400 in China.