Carmakers build what sells.
So what went "wrong" is that people prefer powerful cars with plenty of space, comfort, and bells and whistles rather than "3l/100km"...
So what went "wrong" is that people prefer powerful cars with plenty of space, comfort, and bells and whistles rather than "3l/100km"...
This is only true when carmakers are sufficiently experimenting and letting customers decide what sells, but when they all make extremely similar products in each category, it isn’t true. For examples look at the truck category - in North America at least, there is effectively no way to get a truck that is not loaded with electronics and silly features as the makers stopped competing on anything else. There is no “light weight, utilitarian build” truck that can be bought. And magically they all have super high hoods and massive interiors.
The same is true in every category I have looked at.
Sorry but people are not "innocent victims" and carmakers do not increase their own costs for the sake of it.
They kept adding electronics and "silly" features because on average consumers went for it when given the choice.
Some brands have an extended version for the mid/larger sizes, either to accommodate more passengers, have larger boxes or to fit a box truck enclosure on the back.
That’s the difference. I am writing from a North American perspective and I am often jealous of the seemingly endless variety of options available elsewhere in the world. Just know that we North Americans aren’t necessarily choosing to buy the giant trucks - in many cases we would love smaller options but they don’t exist.
[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1127929/best-selling-car...
Preference towards economical cars does not mean any of my previous comment isn't true. At some point cars are economical enough and other features become a better selling point in the market instead of absolute best possible fuel economy.
the rate of increase in mass of european cars is now greater than that of the US
Eh, they build what makes them the most profit.
That's a much more complicated can of worms than what sells. It includes tax policy, rebates, financing rates, mileage standards, engine technology costs, etc.
It's the tariffs making americans buy SUVs, european cars are too expensive!
Then they complain that a tax increase on SUV owners in DC was opposed?
They clearly don't want Americans to have cheaper cars - just force people to use the cars they think are 'correct'. Gotta save the environment, who cares about the consumer?