This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
This plant was supposed to make EV batteries. Then Trump got re-elected.
Completely frustrated when millions of people had numerous reasons to vote against him, but simply didn't.
I'm disappointed the electric F150 had such a short shelf life. That vehicle could have been a gamechanger.
Technology isn't there yet and frankly the overlap between people who want to drive supersized pickup trucks and the people who want to drive electric vehicles is so small you'd think the sliver is just the margin of error.
It can still be a game changer. In making people see that pickup trucks are ridiculous vehicles. Especially in countries that aren't USA and thus do not have tax/insurance benefits for pickups.
Its disappointing, but not surprising. US battery tech and charging infrastructure isn't advanced enough yet to support EV pickups or SUVs. Its just barely adequate for small, aerodynamic sedans that are not towing/hauling anything. An EV pickup needs a deeper battery and a charging station capable of refilling it on a timescale competitive with the ~5 minutes it takes to refill a tank of gas for several hundred miles range.
Go watch the Aging Wheels Silverado EV road trip video. Charging infrastructure is fine, and even when the truck itself broke and wouldn't charge at the proper speed it was still fine.
EVs aren't being adopted because the fast charging infrastructure is lacking. Improvements can be made, sure, but that's not the reason. 95%+ of people do not need fast charging.
When (slow, 120 or 240V) charging is more available to people without garages/driveways (read: at apartments and in workplace parking lots) you'll see EV adoption in the US ramp up substantially: new car buyers will opt for the thing that's less likely to suddenly cost double-per-mile next week, and used car buyers will have an increasing supply of 3-10 year old EVs to choose from.
… and a charging station capable of refilling it on a timescale competitive with the ~5 minutes it takes to refill a tank of gas for several hundred miles range.
You could argue that about ANY EV yet they’re still selling even though the charge times aren’t on par with gas fill up times. ESPECIALLY with gas/diesel prices going up in the US.
Let's be real, the vast majority of pickup owners aren't long hauling or towing anything. Just like the vast majority of SUV owners aren't offroading. It's an identity they've been fed by auto manufacturers to sell them bigger, more profitable vehicles.
