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Comment by jabroni_salad | Hacker News Reader

Isn't the upsizing of vehicles because of consumer demand, though?

They can sell crossovers and trucks into the consumer base at such volume and margin that it is worthwhile to simply stop making sedans.

There are people like me who just want an electric honda fit but it seems like there aren't enough of us to be worth the effort.

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The trick here is to understand that the small electric vehicles are an entirely new segment between a bicycle and a car.

There will still be consumer demand for large vehicles, and vehicles the size of a modern sedan or even compact car.

But consider electric bikes: they replace some trips in larger vehicles, and make classes previously too-inconvenient trips happen.

Tiny electric cars fit in above the electric bike use cases, where they enable carrying more cargo, protect the user from weather, can still be parked conveniently in a city, and really poor people can afford them.

That and the way the curves are made by the gov. Many small cars they just can not make because they would not fit the requirements set by the gov. So they classify them as trucks (different set of curves).

I think EVs would not have difficulty meeting those small car fuel economy standards, even though they are very strict.

But they may not feel safe on a road surrounded by Dodge Rams and Raptors.

> an electric honda fit

IoniQ 5 comes close. It's the first EV that made me go "omg I want that!".

One of these days I'll take one for a test drive. Looks so cool, isn't super huge even though it's still big, and doesn't even try to look like a SUV. Although maybe I've been in USA too long and my perception is skewed because Wikipedia calls it a "compact crossover suv".

Maybe battery size is a limiting factor here? The electric mustang looks like an SUV, but has a lower ground clearance (5.1in) than the sports car internal combustion version (5.3in)

SUV is also an over-abused term because it used to only refer to giant vehicles, but now all the various compacts and crossovers are just cars that ride a bit higher.

And all things considered, a car with a trunk will almost always lose to the same vehicle with a more SUV-like end, because it can hold more.

> a car with a trunk will almost always lose to the same vehicle with a more SUV-like end, because it can hold more.

Modern SUV-like vehicles often have such raked back-ends that they barely hold more than the equivalent sedan. The opening and ease of loading is much better, however.

Something like a 3/4 size Subaru Outback would be a really killer EV

IoniQ 5 comes close.

We've got one. Great car, but it's no Honda Fit. As it had to fit in the same garage slot as the Nissan Leaf it replaced, I can confirm with my own eyes that it's only about six inches longer than the Leaf. But, man, a compact car it is not. I look at a Honda Fit as an even smaller version of the Scion xB we also have, and the Ioniq 5 dwarfs the Scion for interior passenger space. Additionally, judging how well a 3/4 acoustic bass fits, even has a bit more cargo space with the seats down. My six foot body could sleep with legs extended in the Ioniq 5 (I even bought a Backseat Bivy[0] for it), but the Scion is shy a few inches for that.

Re: "compact crossover SUV", well, they had to call it something, didn't they? But, no, it's not an SUV. "Station wagon" is close, but it's not one of those, either. It's really a four-door hatchback, but if you're thinking "hot hatch", well, not exactly that, either.

So who knows what to call it? But if one is looking for an electric version of a simple, small car, I don't know that the Ioniq 5 qualifies. Still, as Ferris Bueller said, if you have the means, I highly recommend one.

[0] https://backseatbivy.com

Buy an electric car from a company that didn't bother to put immobilizers on their cars for 10 years? I wouldn't be able to get past "What did they skimp on this time?"

https://www.engadget.com/hyundai-will-pay-200-million-after-...

This is definitely a US mindset. In Europe I look at the Ioniq 5 and think “that’s a huge car”.

I love the Citroen Ami and the Microlino. I very nearly bought an Ami earlier this year (I test drove it. It’s insane and absolutely should not work - but somehow it does!) but decided I’ll hold off for the Microlino

Citroen Ami: https://electricscooters.eu/citroen-ami/

Microlino: https://microlino-car.com/en/

Fiat is releasing a similar one soon, the Topolino: https://www.fiat.com/fiat-topolino/topolino

> electric Honda fit

Are you looking for one specifically made by Honda? Or what is missing from the small electric hatchbacks like the Chevy Bolt or Nissan Leaf?

They are both being phased out/discontinued is one good reason

https://www.gearpatrol.com/cars/a43720198/chevy-bolt-discont... https://electrek.co/2023/05/19/what-we-know-nissan-leaf-ev-r...

"Chevrolet Bolt EV Isn't Dead: It Will Return with GM's Ultium Batteries"

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44639082/chevrolet-bolt-e...

The Leaf is in a weird position, since Nissan keeps betting (incorrectly) on CHAdeMO even on the latest model Leaf

No, but something that stands out about the Fit is that Honda actually gives a shit and gives you a first rate experience in a small car. Compared to other cars in the same model year, the Fit always gives you more headroom, more interior space, more usability of that space, better visibility out every side, and a smaller overall footprint. Other manufacturers treat the category as just a fleet mpg helper and don't really care about what it is like to live with the car.

My 09 Fit is about to cross 350k miles and if it broke tomorrow I'd probably be cross shopping a newer used Fit and a used Golf. Electric is only a nice-to-have in my personal wants list, and I am not buying new so I don't really care about what's around the corner.

With regards to the chevy bolt, Regular Car Reviews drove a gen 1 Fit for ages so if he says a small car is sad, I think I can trust him.

BYD Seagull is probably a good Fit alternative.

https://cleantechnica.com/2023/04/29/byd-unleashes-the-seagu...

Don't know if they have US sales planned though.

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