Will BEV adoptions lead to more ICE pickups? - eviltoast

In the US a decade or two ago, we enacted regulations to increase the efficiency of passenger vehicles. However larger vehicles typically needed for commercial and farming uses were exempt. Now we see the results of that as reverse incentive, where trucks became more common, even for simple commuting

Will the same happen with BEVs, a reverse incentive that increases the use of trucks?

I just read an opinion piece (lost just as quickly, sorry) that discussed issues with sales of EV pickups at GM and Ford. They made a compelling argument that EVs still have weaknesses as work trucks and point to the success of Rivian as a recreational truck. Certainly arguments against EV pickups do center on those weaknesses, even for scenarios where it wouldn’t apply (how many truck owners actually tow regularly?). So, as BEVs rapidly take over the car and crossover markets, and the holdouts have fewer choices of ICE cars, will they increasingly turn to trucks?

  • Dr. Dabbles@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Now we see the results of that as reverse incentive, where trucks became more common, even for simple commuting

    I don’t actually think this is the conclusion you can draw from this at all. Larger vehicles have been a cultural movement in the US, spurred on by the idiotic assumption that you’re safer in a crash when you’re in a large vehicle. This is why SUVs have supplanted the station wagon, and behemoth pickups have supplanted reasonable sized ones.

    And no, BEVs won’t cause more ICE trucks. We have BEV trucks.

    • DoomBot5@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      More specifically that was the marketing push by automakers due to what OP mentioned about regulations.

      • Dr. Dabbles@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        That isn’t why the marketing push happened, OP is confusing correlation and causation.