Electric Camaro...NEVER!
 

A few months back I would have told you that I would never own an EV. I'm not driving an appliance.

However, after a few months of my wife twisting my arm, I finally bought her a Tesla Model 3. It's what she wanted and I don't have to drive it.

Well after owning it, and driving it, for 6 weeks. What is running through my head now, is wow, what if this car looked and handled like my Camaro.

I'm in if GM makes an EV that is truly a Camaro...

To each their own .. I've been in a few Teslas and it could never replace my V8 Camaro no matter how fast they are. Driving a sports car is more than just the 0-60 or quarter mile times.

It won't be GM. It will be gm.

I expect more and more responses such as yours as more enthusiasts try out EVs. The reality is the Tesla is an unbelievable daily driver. They are quick, smooth, quiet, low maintenance, OTA software updateone pedal driving, great tech, plug in at night leave with a full charge in the morning. The Model 3 actually handles very good with its low center of gravity and the SR model with one motor on the rear axle feels like a mid-engine car from a handling perspective. Even the slow Tesla feels faster than many high horsepower cars.

I owned a Tesla Model 3 Performance for about 2 years and my wife still own a Model 3 Standard Range for the past 4 years. From an enthusiast perspective, the Tesla or any EV will lack the noise, vibration and driving engagement you get with a manual transmission. If those things are important then you will want to have an performance ICE based vehicle in the stable. Otherwise for the majority of buyers, like your wife, an EV will be more desirable.

From an acceleration perspective the Tesla M3P (0-60 in 3.0 sec) would roast my ZL1 with the A10 to about 70mph but then the ZL1 will chase it down on the top end. On a highway pull the ZL1 will dust the M3P since the Teslas have no gearing but the reality is that the Tesla and EVs in general have more usable power down low on the street and they accelerate effortlessly.

I agree with you. If GM can get the styling right and implement all the great handling features such as magride, maybe an electric motor at each wheel so you don't even need tech like E-diff, etc. then I would be interested. The issue right now, is that GM has to prove they can build reliable EVs. Ford F150 Lightning battery short circuits, GM Bolt battery fires, etc. Tesla is still a quite a bit ahead from a tech perspective but we will see if they can catch up.

Even the enthusiast population will be split on this one. Some who say they love V8 muscle but actually, in their heart of hearts, only really care about comfort and convenience will flock to EVs, the rest will stick to ICE.

The qualities you listed (quiet, low maintenance, OTA updates, one pedal driving, tech/infotainment) are clearly non-enthusiast preferences and values—nothing wrong with them per se, it's just that they belong to folks who don't really want to drive, and an EV is just perfect for them. It's all right, though, I actually would've bought an EV for the wife if a decent one existed at a decent price, but the truth is an EV can never truly replace a Camaro or a Challenger.

:word:

Quietly going 0-60 in 3.1 seconds while your head slams into headrest is pretty cool though

How are most of those non-enthusiast preferences? You have tech/infotainment and tons of electronics anyway, OTA only modernizes them and has nothing to do with electric vs ICE. Putting up with additional maintenance for the ICE experience is one thing, but why on Earth wouldn't you want less of it?

quiet: nope, we want sweet cross-plane crank noise

low maintenance: I enjoy doing maintenance on the car

OTA updates: that one I'll grant to some degree, but at the same time this is a car and not a computer/phone, it's not the primary focus

one pedal driving: like bumper cars in a theme park, not really for the enthusiast but rather the budget/convenience conscious (and even I am a borderline dissenter with my automatic trans, although I did have a reason for not going with the M6)

tech/infotainment: again, not the primary focus but just a nice to have, what enthusiast would trade engine noise and feel for the ability to use a whoopee cushion app or play Cookie Jam on their car's main screen?

I understand that infotainment tech is not implicitly tied to engine tech, but again, it's not particularly the focal point for an enthusiast and EVs tend to be almost 100% focused on this, some Teslas don't even give you a gauge cluster. AA and Carplay was already offered in 2016 and their presence means the car's system getting upgrades is less important.


Needless to say, this is of course just my opinion.

My EV was perfect for my driving to work and back. Only drive around 50 miles a week and only cost me $6 a month to charge it. I traded my 2021 Carmaro LT1 for it and kept it for 1.5 years. But a C6 Vette called me back as missed the sound the most. The C6 fits me the best and i have had 3 over the years. Don't think i would care for a EV Vette.

Exactly...

Maybe just your opinion, but it's spot on.

The son of my neighbor was always coming over to visit driving a Porsche 911 (not sure of the year but reasonably new). Late last summer he showed up with a black Tesla Plaid. He was over last weekend. It looks like he lowered it, added splitter and small spoiler, bronze aftermarket wheels and "e power" personalized tag. He was just checking on the house as his dad (who owns a pro street 1956 Chevy Belair as his toy) hasn't returned from Florida yet. Anyway, I was walking my dog when he was leaving. He still owns the Porsche but he's really liking the Plaid.

In case anyone's wondering where this push for electric cars is really coming from...here you go. There's millions of women like her in the First World and they're voting against you.

If you ever find yourself in MichaelG's shoes, show the woman in your life a glimpse of how lithium batteries are made, "safely" tucked away in third world countries:

https://cuencahighlife.com/wp-conten...022/08/1-3.png