It's a well-written article that addressed all my questions without wasting any time.
It's pretty cool that they managed to make a good, cheap and profitable electric car without building megafactories and redoing everything from scratch.
I live in Texas and 90% of the trucks I see are used for some small business. Usually towing a light duty trailer filled with lawn equipment or tree trimming stuff. Sometimes they are packed to the gills with tradesman tools or mobile auto-detailing gear. Family vehicles are usually minivans or small econoboxes.
My brother bought his truck to haul his wife's food trailer, make dump trips, and carry stuff for his welding and gun smithing. My Dad bought his old beat up lift truck to haul metal for his metalworking and carry appliances, dirt, and junk as he remodels his house and rentals. My truck is just an old 1990 monster that I repaired to move junk around and eventually I want to camp out of it when visiting family in other states.
Do we use our trucks to make Costco runs? I usually ride my bike. Dad uses the family car. Brother uses the minivan. Trucks are for work in our family! We kind of giggle at the derpy, lifted, short bed, gleaming clean, straight piped, idiots that spent $80k+ on a truck that can't even haul...
I'm surprised that "Hochdachkombis" (basically a high-roofed station wagon) never became popular in America. I just bought an old Renault Kangoo, and I love it. It's big enough to carry furniture, bicycles, a bed or a few friends, and it still handles like a car, making it perfect as a day-to-day vehicle.
The closest equivalent would be the minivan, but I remember those feeling smaller, and more sluggish.
Not exactly the same but we’re on to our second used MPV and we love it (first was run until no longer roadworthy).
Initially Mrs. headmelted was dead set on a crossover (mini SUV) but she’s now in love with this car.
There’s something deeply satisfying knowing that the rather expensive family transport you bought was built with utility in mind rather than mildly impressing oncoming motorists.
not only are they unpopular in America, they're essentially non existent. I think there are two reasons for this: they're ugly and underpowered. The American market is not interested in practicality.
Suburbanite here. I use mine year round to: make home improvement store runs, haul yards of mulch each spring, transport camping gear, and perform random tasks that seem to come up all the time that require capacity beyond a midsize SUV.
It's pretty cool that they managed to make a good, cheap and profitable electric car without building megafactories and redoing everything from scratch.