There's a phenomenon I call "The Great Squeeze-Out." It's the best way I can describe our weird, current economic moment in America (and frankly, much of the world) where everyone seems to be getting squeezed out in all areas of their lives: rent, mortgages, groceries, energy bills, you name it. And, yes, cars.
The average new car in the U.S. still hovers around $50,000, and if you want a used car that's three years old or less, it's gonna cost $30,000 on average. Great electric vehicle deals can be found everywhere, but they're still generally more expensive than gas-powered cars. It often feels like the affordable car segment—especially the small, affordable car segment—in America has been largely abandoned
But China's BYD Seagull shows what's possible when a car company actually tries to get it right.
On today's Plugged-In Podcast, I'm joined by InsideEVs' own Kevin Williams (Tim Levin is on vacation) who came on to talk about his experience driving the Seagull in China. While there's no way the Seagull could cost $8,000 in America—even in Europe, its local version is around €20,000—but it still represents something we barely see anymore: a small, affordable, dignified car that doesn't punish you for not spending a ton of cash. We also discuss the Lynk & Co 900, and why the "big battery, small engine" approach to plug-in hybrids feels like the future we want.
Finally (and because news of the Elon Musk-Donald Trump split happened after we recorded this episode), we have a more fun discussion: What car isn't an EV, but should be? Kevin says it's the Honda Civic, and he's certainly not wrong. My idea is the Toyota Prius, for a version I call the Prius Zero. Cut out the gas entirely, maximize range through compact size and good aerodynamics, and I bet such a car could find an audience here.
Check out the show wherever you get your podcasts: We're on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more. If you haven't yet, please subscribe to the show and leave us a review.
And we're looking to answer more listener questions on the show! Drop your burning questions about EVs, EV buying and the future of transportation below, or email us at podcast@insideevs.com.
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
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