[Iron Lung Jimmy]

Originally Posted by Martinjlm

Or maybe, just maybe I’m actually right about this.

Could be... I'll give you that

Remember, US government has no say on the transition of auto markets in China or Europe. And yet, both of those regions are headed in the same direction, but even faster. So maybe the same responsible players are operating in each region? Who are the common players? The automakers.

The common player between the US and Europe are the climate alarmists (I said "climate alarmists" but have NO intention of debating that subject) but China has me puzzled because they don't give a rats ass about the environment. So maybe between the US and Europe it is the climate lobby and in China it is the fact that electric cars are the only ones they know how to build that are actually even marginally good?

Every time an automaker makes a portfolio decision they are “forcing” something. US automakers turned everything front wheel drive for a while. They did away with station wagons. They did away with most minivans. They’ve done away with coupes (except Mustang). Every portfolio decision forces some buyer somewhere to do something different.

All of those things were just a variation of the existing vehicle. They did not require any basic lifestyle change. They were still ICE vehicles which could be operated like any other ICE vehicle and were perfectly compatible with the existing infrastructure.

This is the same thing on a much larger scale.

Understatement of the year.

You’re on to something with the Tesla line of thinking. When I was at GM, this was the progression of thinking on Tesla:

• Pffft! What a joke. They’ll never make it.
• Wait until they realize how hard it is to actually assemble a car.
• How is it that they get away with things we would never be allowed to do? (No dealer network, direct sales, various shenanigans with the display screen)
• Ok, but it’s only fast in a straight line.
• We need to tear some of those down and see what the deal is.
• We need to develop a car that out Teslas Tesla
• How do we shift our business model to compete with Tesla?
• Maybe we need to take Tesla head on.

I’m sure similar conversations were had in Dearborn, Auburn Hills, Munich, and Stuttgart. And they all arrived at the same answer. Imagine that. Meanwhile, and I’ll say it again for those who haven’t heard me say this in this and other threads…

Best selling passenger vehicle in THE WORLD in 2023? Tesla Model Y.

When Miller Light was introduced and took off did all of the breweries vow to go all light beer by 1990?

No, because that would have been stupid.

Why are cars different?