What Car/Truck Would Be Better As An EV

dj06482 (Forum Supporter) said:

Where are all the Tesla Model Y's selling?  The reason I ask is that I feel like I'm in a pretty Tesla-heavy part of the US (Southwestern CT), and I think I've only spotted 2 or 3 Model Y's in the wild.  The Model S and Model 3 are everywhere, and even the Model X seems more popular than the Model Y.  And our area is generally heavier on SUVs because of the snow and of course, image.  I never would have dreamed that the Model Y has sold as well as the sales figures suggest.  I'd even say I've seen more Taycans that Model Y's. 

I guess I'll have to keep an eye out for them!

Around here (MD/DC) the Model Y is about as common as Accords.

These are 2021 sales figures for the Y and Accord. The Accord has sold well for a long time, so there are a lot of them in the fleet already. You need to filter out all Accords more than a couple of years old to compare to the Ys you see.

They also look a lot like the 3, so if you're not paying too much attention you can mix them up. Around here, I see a lot of new Ys and I'm not sure what the current Accord looks like so I have no idea how common they are :)

Anyhow, the point was the relative sales of all minivans vs electric SUVs. You have to go back more than 15 years to find a single model of minivan that is selling in the same volume the Y is now.

In reply to Ian F (Forum Supporter) :

I'm not dismissing the idea entirely. My apologies if it sounds that way. 
 

I am saying it's not a slam dunk with construction. That's all. 
 

I wouldn't buy one for my construction company yet because I like each vehicle and crew to have similar capabilities and capacities.  I wouldn't have a crew that did local and another that traveled. I would have every crew set up the same.  It worked for me for a very long time. 
 

Others are welcome to run their companies how they choose.  But most of the construction professionals I have worked with over the years think like me. Therefore, I don't think it is a slam dunk for my industry. My $0.02. 
 

Why does my opinion based on my specific experience in my specific industry sound like a dismissal of the entire idea?  That sounds a bit over the top. 
 

I'm a fan. But with 126 miles of range, they don't quite meet my needs yet. 

I see a lot of Model Ys here in Ann Arbor, but you kinda have to be watching to notice them. A little more bulbous than the 3 but not quite as big as the X. I'd say half our physicians drive a Tesla, the other half a mix of Audi/BMW/Mercedes in that order. 

If you really are interested in minivans, take a look at the (unfortunately not sold in the U.S.) Hyundai Staria.  It looks like a minivan that has been to a California customizer's shop.  Oddly, or maybe correctly(?)  Hyundai has decided that having a minivan " sister " to a KIA minivan isn't worth the cost.

In reply to Carsandbikes :

We've discussed the Staria before. Reactions were mixed, but I love it. 

Rock crawlers.  No crazy multiple transfer cases needed, heck no driveshafts needed.  One pedal driving may make some obstacles easier.  No worries about "range" when you spend most of your fuel idling around or getting spotted and stuff - how much juice does an EV burn sitting still?  No worries about the oil pressure or fuel pressure when the rig is close to 90 degrees from horizontal... shall I continue?

Put the motors in the axles - or the hub! - and it's a great application. You'd get a lower CG too. I'd love to convert the old Land Rover. 

In reply to SV reX :

True... it would be a PITA to have "A" crews and "B" crews that had specific work areas that didn't always overlap. 

126 miles of range doesn't really meet my needs either. That and replacing my daily driver (pretty much only used for running errands and carting my mtn bikes around) is rather low on the priority list right now. A camper van that I can drive across the country and park in remote areas to ride is more along the lines of the vehicle I want next and I am not confident an EV will be able to serve that purpose within my lifetime.

Appleseed said:

This:

2000s style train wreck chopper. Hear me out. These things are uncomfortable as berk. Never, ever ment to be ridden long distances. A bar hopper. Range issues with EV would never be an issue, because you want OFF the thing after 50 miles.

The Clowns from Akira might be a good inspiration for how to do an EV or hybrid chopper.