Why aren't battery power vehicles cheaper?

Florida family drives into electric car problem: a replacement battery costs more than vehicle itself

Of course this happens to gasoline vehicles in certain cases. Back when I had reason to visit junkyards I was surprised at how much stuff just 5-6 years old was there. When I did car loans I started to notice that certain model cars went off the road and others did not. Usually this was because an engine or tranny went and it was not worth the replacement.

But two things here. First, the article says you cannot buy the replacement battery was not even available! After 10 years the manufacturer does not have to keep making them. Second, electrics are being sold in part as "more simple" than gasoline and thus should just keep running.

Will this hit the residual values of EVs?

Man blows up his 2013 Model S after Tesla tells him a replacement battery will cost $22,600.

'Katainen explained how his vehicle ran “excellent” for the first 932 miles (1,500 kilometers). However, after that, error codes started to appear.'

No word on who pays for the disposal of these batteries. It's an expensive process.

Great.

So here is the reality: do NOT expect to get more than 50-100K miles from your EV as when the battery fails it is game over (too expensive).

This will be an expensive lesson for early adopters of EV technology, those starry-eyed do-gooders trying to save the planet.

Quote: missedhervee

Great.

So here is the reality: do NOT expect to get more than 50-100K miles from your EV as when the battery fails it is game over (too expensive).

This will be an expensive lesson for early adopters of EV technology, those starry-eyed do-gooders trying to save the planet.

I paid $900 for one of the first CD players on the market. SONY cdp 101. Hardly did anything compared to what came out not so many years later for 1/5 of the price. Only lesson learned is early prototypes of something are expensive and there’s no record of reliability. But I had early digital recording. Impress your friends by being one of the few.

Quote: rxwine

I paid $900 for one of the first CD players on the market. SONY cdp 101. Hardly did anything compared to what came out not so many years later for 1/5 of the price. Only lesson learned is early prototypes of something are expensive and there’s no record of reliability. But I had early digital recording. Impress your friends by being one of the few.

Like the old joke about a guy who bought the first fax and had to wait for someone else to get one to use it.

Quote: rxwine

I paid $900 for one of the first CD players on the market. SONY cdp 101. Hardly did anything compared to what came out not so many years later for 1/5 of the price. Only lesson learned is early prototypes of something are expensive and there’s no record of reliability. But I had early digital recording. Impress your friends by being one of the few.

The term "early adopter" refers to an individual or business who uses a new product, innovation, or technology before others. An early adopter is likely to pay more for the product than later adopters but accepts this premium if using the product raises the early adopter's social status.-Investopedia

Black tie party guests admiring the hotesses new refrigerator.

Quote: AZDuffman

Like the old joke about a guy who bought the first fax and had to wait for someone else to get one to use it.

Literally there were only about 12 different CD recordings in all existence to choose from when I bought it. At first they were only sold at the stereo store where I bought it. In about 2 months, I finally couldn’t financially keep up with the pace of new recordings. But they still weren’t sold many places.

Oddly, I am seeing a resurgance in the sale of vinyl LP's: mass-marketer Wal-Mart now stocks and sells them.

Quote: missedhervee

Oddly, I am seeing a resurgance in the sale of vinyl LP's: mass-marketer Wal-Mart now stocks and sells them.

It wasn’t that long before purest proclaimed cuts in vinyl were superior. I have no opinion on that.

Quote: missedhervee

Oddly, I am seeing a resurgance in the sale of vinyl LP's: mass-marketer Wal-Mart now stocks and sells them.

Been going on for some time. Back in the 80s a local DJ said he was playing the vinyl of some song, by the Rolling Stones IIRC. He explained some things on CD sounded "too clean." I saw his point when he played a short clip on both formats.