One of the things I would like to see the EV's change for cars... but I'm not 100% optimistic, and EV's haven't accommodated this so far, well not by preference.
The ICE drive-train is age limited to mileage on that engine. And it is not cheap to replace. Maintenance hikes up as they get older. Even more, you can't normally expect to upgrade to any new tech, even the EPA rules make that difficult. But ICE tech always changes, as well as the space required to support it, so you are always replacing the whole car. It is a very specific fit matched to the car.
Now with EV's, it's the pack that is the most limiting. And unlike an engine, the pack dimensions do not have to conform to the most recent format.
And until your electrical or electronics goes bad, maintenance is extremely low over time.
If you could replace a $1,500 pack every 3 to 10 years instead of a $31,500 car, let's say twice, saving on average $60k in 21 years. That saves society in the US every year, $2,857 per driver, (200m drivers) or $571,400,000,000 in total, every year. Right to the pocket that deserves it the most. Usually, right when you need it the most.
It is possible, as EV's become the norm, there could be a robust after-market just for that purpose. If nothing else, there might be refurbishers that buy and upgrade EV battery packs for the used car market. Unlike ICE driven cars, these will still be relevant hardware for one, two or three cycles of the packs.
And if it becomes a collector car, maybe more.
Currently, This is actually one way to keep your classic vehicle relevant. Porsche 911's, 914's and 356's do this all the time. Even 928's.
The ICE drive-train is age limited to mileage on that engine. And it is not cheap to replace. Maintenance hikes up as they get older. Even more, you can't normally expect to upgrade to any new tech, even the EPA rules make that difficult. But ICE tech always changes, as well as the space required to support it, so you are always replacing the whole car. It is a very specific fit matched to the car.
Now with EV's, it's the pack that is the most limiting. And unlike an engine, the pack dimensions do not have to conform to the most recent format.
And until your electrical or electronics goes bad, maintenance is extremely low over time.
If you could replace a $1,500 pack every 3 to 10 years instead of a $31,500 car, let's say twice, saving on average $60k in 21 years. That saves society in the US every year, $2,857 per driver, (200m drivers) or $571,400,000,000 in total, every year. Right to the pocket that deserves it the most. Usually, right when you need it the most.
It is possible, as EV's become the norm, there could be a robust after-market just for that purpose. If nothing else, there might be refurbishers that buy and upgrade EV battery packs for the used car market. Unlike ICE driven cars, these will still be relevant hardware for one, two or three cycles of the packs.
And if it becomes a collector car, maybe more.
Currently, This is actually one way to keep your classic vehicle relevant. Porsche 911's, 914's and 356's do this all the time. Even 928's.