Alpha Ace EV

[smark]

Honda has it Honda e. The issue with it, driving range, small city car, and high price point. Honda reliablity. Not a start up company at all. Honda has no plans on importing it here. Only European and Asian market will see it.




I really like the new Mini EV. Go kart handling, instant torque power, negative is its driving range. A low price point. The Mini brand is still strong. You can have it service at any Mini dealership, across the country.




My favorite small EV is the 2021 500. Excellent driving range, beautiful fit and finish. I’d buy one today. Sad we my never see it here. If Fiat pulls out again.

[map]

Our local BMW dealers doesn't sell Mini's, but is a registered service center. The EV Mini should solve some of the car's reliability problems.

My friend in Salem has a friend, Mike, who owns an independent shop that does mostly BMW work. He branched out into Mini Coopers, saying much of the expense was already invested. (They use the same software, a big BMW expense for his shop.) Mike isn't impressed by the ICE car but just bought a Mini EV model for the shop as a loaner. One of his complaints for the ICE is excessive oil usage. His approach during all services is to do a video check-over of the car and (too often) show owners that there's no oil on the dipstick. Apparently the problem is bad enough that used engines, in decent shape, are not available.

Since he has such a low opinion of the Mini, it surprised me when he bought a new EV.

[smark]

Our local BMW dealers doesn't sell Mini's, but is a registered service center. The EV Mini should solve some of the car's reliability problems.

My friend in Salem has a friend, Mike, who owns an independent shop that does mostly BMW work. He branched out into Mini Coopers, saying much of the expense was already invested. (They use the same software, a big BMW expense for his shop.) Mike isn't impressed by the ICE car but just bought a Mini EV model for the shop as a loaner. One of his complaints for the ICE is excessive oil usage. His approach during all services is to do a video check-over of the car and (too often) show owners that there's no oil on the dipstick. Apparently the problem is bad enough that used engines, in decent shape, are not available.

Since he has such a low opinion of the Mini, it surprised me when he bought a new EV.

No oil Consumption, or oil changes. On at any Mini EV. The platform base off the BMW i3. That EV, is very reliable.

[Fiat500USA]

I'm surprised by the generic looking front. Seems like they missed an opportunity to do something unique not having an ICE up front. I get a chuckle over how some of these EVs mimic the front of a conventional ICE car with a fake oversized radiator opening. This car has an evocative shape from the past, but it looks like they ran out of time (money? ) and phoned in the rest of the design and details. If you look at a typical Italian design, you'll usually see lots of interesting details and treatments that keep your interest.

Looking at the company's website, I see they boast a "LEGACY OF 100+ YEARS COMBINED AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE CREATING INNOVATIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES" Laying it on a little thick there. I couldn't find anything else about the company other than the head guy is an investment banker

[smark]

I'm surprised by the generic looking front. Seems like they missed an opportunity to do something unique not having an ICE up front. I get a chuckle over how some of these EVs mimic the front of a conventional ICE car with a fake oversized radiator opening. This car has an evocative shape from the past, but it looks like they ran out of time (money? ) and phoned in the rest of the design and details. If you look at a typical Italian design, you'll usually see lots of interesting details and treatments that keep your interest.

Looking at the company's website, I see they boast a "LEGACY OF 100+ YEARS COMBINED AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE CREATING INNOVATIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES" Laying it on a little thick there. I couldn't find anything else about the company other than the head guy is an investment banker

The Alpha just another concept rending. I doubt that it will ever materialize.

The Mini EV uses the same body, as it sister ICE. They both are built on the same assembly line. They just have different power trains installed. It even has the same fake hood scoop. The Mini Cooper EV sits a couple inch higher cause of the bottom battery’s. The wheel well skirts, are slightly larger. So that you’re not aware of that extra space in the wheel wells. The Electric motors marriage into the same place, as the ice engine. That fake plastic grill is installed, instead, of the ICE open one. The automotive reviews on it, are excellent. I would be interested in driving one, when they hit the dealers here.

If I ever buy a EV, it going to be from a real Establish automotive brand.

[HalfPint]

Yes about Tesla, and don't forget Apple is looking about supplying a car in the near future. Electric passenger cars are relatively easy to manufacturer compared to similar ICE cars. Far fewer parts and fewer system integration issues.

Only the powertrain and energy storage are different, everything else from suspension to steering, brakes, doors windows, accessories, interior and a thousand other things are the same. All of that requires a huge amount of design and manufacturing knowledge - it can be contracted but you lose cost advantages. The other thing that is different is that you must use lighter materials for body and structure, all of which are more expensive and harder to work with than steel.

I cannot imagine buying and trusting the lives of my family to a vehicle made by a company that markets cell phones.

[lammie200]

...

I cannot imagine buying and trusting the lives of my family to a vehicle made by a company that markets cell phones.

A lot of people trust(ed) Tesla and they didn’t make anything previously. Brand recognition is huge and as long as people think that it is cool people will buy it. Apple could market a potato on wheels and loads of people will camp out to buy the first one. I doubt that issues in manufacturing or safety it will be difficult to overcome. A network of serviceability might be though. If they can make a disposable car that will last 200k miles without needing anything but charging, brake pads, and tires they might get to the next level as Tesla has done. I say 200k miles because you know that Apple will be overcharging for it. The math for the consumer still needs to work for it to be successful.

[smark]

Since 1985, I made a dam good career off Apple computer products. Our large design firm, worked closely with Apple, since the start, of Macintosh. Apple computer, use to wine and dine us, in San Jose. many moons ago. I had the pleasure meeting Steve Jobs. He made several visits through our company. He tried to introduce his next computer to us to. Our company was in intertwined with Apple, and the PC world.

I wouldn’t hesitate, to buy the Apple car. Why wouldn’t they be safe???? I wouldn’t use any other computer, pad, watch, phone. What ever EV they manufacture will be, extremely innovative. Fantastic customer support.

[HalfPint]

Since 1985, I made a dam good career off Apple computer products. Our large design firm, worked closely with Apple, since the start, of Macintosh. Apple computer, use to wine and dine us, in San Jose. many moons ago. I had the pleasure meeting Steve Jobs. He made several visits through our company. He tried to introduce his next computer to us to. Our company was in intertwined with Apple, and the PC world.

I wouldn’t hesitate, to buy the Apple car. Why wouldn’t they be safe???? I wouldn’t use any other computer, pad, watch, phone. What ever EV they manufacture will be, extremely innovative. Fantastic customer support.

Well I've never been an Apple fanboy. I have an iPhone, but mostly because I'm too lazy to switch, and I dislike Google as much as I do Apple anyway. I used to like their styling but that's about it, and I much prefer Linux to the half-assed unix of MacOS.

To my original point, I've been designing products in a particular industry for about 33 years. There's a lot of specific knowledge involved in a given product type in a given industry, and you don't just start up making something else and do it well. Then again Apple doesn't design most of what's in something like an iPhone anyway - somebody else designs and manufactures all those parts inside.

[map]

No oil Consumption, or oil changes. On at any Mini EV. The platform base off the BMW i3. That EV, is very reliable.

His other complaint with the Mini is the rear suspension bearings. I assumed he meant the ones that support the rear suspension... says they wear out quickly. He thinks the EV might have the same problem, but it could be 10 years before it hits 60K miles, with his use. Of course, he has his own shop to do repairs, which is another plus. BMW dealerships aren't known for cheap prices.