Tearing Down the Model T of Our Time

those guys are so brilliant. why can't they make cars that just work? then they would have more customers than just the ones who have a love affair with their dealer.

 

Ward's Auto selected the BMW i3 motor as one of the 10 best engines for 2015. I know that a motor is not really an engine, but it was the only electric motor on the list. It must be pretty remarkable. I have not been able to find out what type of motor it is.

 

and yet, is it any better than the leaf? more comfy and handles better, probably.

 

As most of the motors used in hybrids and electrics, it is a permanent magnet 3 phase syncronous motor-generator.

 

and yet, the only one in the top ten over at wards.

 

Speaking of I3, here is the 2007 Toyota 1/x Prius original concept idea at the Tokyo Autoshow!

 

Model T of our time?
Quite a strech...
Autoline After Hours Drinking...

 

A Toyota Plugin version possible - from 8 years ago. Boy - how sad is that. What a long time - just to get delivered to a handfull of states - with no word of what - if anything the PiP gen II will offer ... if anything more. (sigh)
As for the i3 being the new model T? Yea ... being late to the party - it's a great ride I'm sure, but still, the model T claim is kind of a stretch. The cost of the Model T was fit so the ordinary Joe(ann) could afford one. BMW? ummm not so much ... especially when you throw in that teeny ICE with the 2 gallon gas tank. Still ... it's a start ... so in that in a pigeon hole, BMW can call it a modern day model T.
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I think Prius PHEV was being tested around that time; Taking a test drive in the Plug-in Prius prototype

Then came the lawsuit: NIMH batteries Held Hostage by Chevron-Texaco | Fuel-Efficient-Vehicles.org

 

How is it better
1) It's ugly but not as ugly as the leaf
2) interior
3) liquid cooled modular battery pack should be more reliable. Time will tell
4) Acceleration, handling
5) cool construction powered by hydro in washington state and wind n germany, and slightly more efficient operation.
6) optional rex

The only way its worse than a leaf
1) price
2) leaf L3 charger has about 5x more installation in the US.

I hazzard to guess i3 drivers will take much longer trips than model t drivers, especially if they only go as fast as model t drivers drove.

Let's face it model t was popular because it was built to be inexpensive and easy to repair. Not the goal of the i3.
100 Years of Change
model t cost $525 ($12,500 adjusted for inflation) when average wage was $800

Nissan Versa is probably the model T of our time, at a smaller proportion of the average wage today of $23,364. But nissan does use the assmbly line ;-)

 

price is pretty important when you're trying to move the general public toward renewables. don't discount it's value. it supersedes everything else on your list, imo.

reliability will be interesting. hopefully, not typically german.

 

That along with the possibility of tesla 3 or anouther more desirable car coming along in 3 years are why I'll lease if I get a volt gen II or i3. But the design of the i3 pack (samsung batteries) seems well done. The question is how well they implemented the design and software, which we won't know for years. Still we know the leaf and civic hybrid had troubles, but both nissan and honda have made design changes after pissing off some customers.