• Chris
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    102 years ago

    Same with EV’s, this stuff will save the car industry but not the planet.
    We need to figure out how to rebuild our infrastructure and our ways of thinking such that we don’t need individual hunks of carbon toting us around.

  • @Aderyna@sh.itjust.works
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    82 years ago

    My husbands 2009 Corolla finally needed replacing (couldn’t pass inspection due to rusted frame) and he had the WORST time finding a car anywhere at the nearby dealerships. Everything was trucks and SUVs, finally he found one that had 3 cars and 1 mostly fit the price/criteria he wanted.

    We’re in the rural north east and the number of big ass trucks is insane, it’s getting harder and harder to park between them all and I hate trying to get out of parking spaces when I can’t see for shit around them.

    • @Eczpurt@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      I wonder how many people are doing something like this. My plan is to sell my model 3 as well and get a cheap 5speed hatchback, whatever seems most fun when the time comes.

      If you don’t mind me asking, what made you want to switch to gas and what do you like about the fiat 500? I’ve never been in one!

      • @Pillar@sh.itjust.works
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        12 years ago

        Everyone along the way asked the same thing. Everyone thinks I’m crazy going EV to gas or they try to make it political. I loved my Model 3, one of the best cars I’ve had. EV & Gas had nothing to do with my decision at all.

        I personally am a big fan of hatchbacks, and I especially prefer smaller cars. Coming from an 01 CLK, the Model 3 always felt a bit big to me. It’s really nice to be back in a smaller car.

        I love the Fiat for its size and it’s look. It’s a little guy with a lot of personality. The Abarth especially. Some may not like how loud it is, but it really sounds like a big sports car, and that’s with factory exhaust. There’s a lot of aftermarket support so you can really make it your own as well.

        Mine is a five speed manual. And after just shy of four years with one pedal driving, it’s been a huge adjustment. It’s my first manual car, but I like the challenge and have been working super hard at learning all the tricks with it.

        • @Eczpurt@lemmy.world
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          12 years ago

          That’s really great, I’m glad your enjoy it! Super cool it’s your first stick shift. You and I think alike in the model 3 feeling a little large. I really like the hatchback aesthetic and I came from a 6 speed manual to the model 3. While I like the instant power and speed, the fun of rowing gears is something I miss.

          • @Pillar@sh.itjust.works
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            22 years ago

            The acceleration was wonderful! But even going slow, the Abarth sounds like you’re going fast. It’s really enjoyable.

    • dream_weasel
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      2 years ago

      I went the opposite route and instead of selling my 3 I bought a Y as well. Despite elon and all the negative press, it’s hard to beat an electric car.

      The only trouble is that the super charger network pretty much makes the choice of EV for you if you don’t want any gas cars in the garage.

      • @Pillar@sh.itjust.works
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        12 years ago

        Supercharger is exactly why I didn’t own a different brand. I love to drive and often put plenty of miles on it, so not having that reliability wasn’t an option for me.

        As for the Elon business, I ignore that best I can.

        • @buran@lemmy.world
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          12 years ago

          Won’t be that long till you can get an adapter for existing CCS cars, so eventually vehicles like mine will be able to use almost any charging station there is. In the meantime, I’ve almost entirely charged at home and had no failures yet with public chargers.

  • FatLegTed
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    132 years ago

    That’s going to be a hard job. Cue the ones willing to die for their god given right to drive a car the size of a van to the shops they can see from their front door.

  • circuitfarmer
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    1082 years ago

    Americans need to embrace public transit. We need trains that don’t completely suck in both speed and schedule reliability.

    We’re never going to convince a lot of folks to leave their lifted F-150 or massive Suburban behind for a small car. But quality, affordable public transit that is not only efficient but saves money over owning a car would actually make a difference. We’re more likely to be able to get people to just leave the F-150 in the driveway and eventually move away from it.

    Much better for the environment, too, and reduces traffic / congestion, etc. I agree smaller cars would be good, but the goalpost should be getting away from the automobile.

        • circuitfarmer
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          72 years ago

          Yeah. I probably should have been more detailed in my comment, but I did not mean embrace it as it is. I mean investing in it and making it competitive. I don’t think it’s embraceable in its current form.

      • @grue@lemmy.ml
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        2 years ago

        we need to push representatives into office that are far more left-leaning and not fucking autocrats who will MANDATE massive increases in taxes on billionaires and legislate much more significant subsidization of public transit

        You’re framing it wrong. We don’t need to elect scary commies to massively increase taxes in order to subsidize icky collective things; we simply need to elect Fiscal Conservatives™ who will cease massively subsidizing car dependency. In particular, it’s time to repeal Big Government® intrusive regulations that try to tell Red Blooded Americans© they can’t build a multifamily building on their own damn property or that dictate minimum parking requirements.

        This is America, damn it! It’s high time we put the invisible hand of the Free Market back in control!

        [insert screaming eagle noises]

    • @mwguy@infosec.pub
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      32 years ago

      Public transit needs to do what it says on the tin. People won’t choose public transit if it’s the choice between an hour commute each way and a 3 hour each way bus ride.

    • @Mdotaut801@lemmy.world
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      52 years ago

      Embrace public transit? I would if my city and state actually invested in it, cared about it, and actually had lines where my office is. Don’t put this on me. I literally have to drive.

        • @Mdotaut801@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          I wasn’t responding to OP. Dingus. Another person said “Americans need to embrace public transit.” Ya. Ok. When he said “Americans” doesn’t it seem like he’s implying people, like me need to “embrace it.” I’m responding saying how can I embrace it if there’s nothing to embrace and my elected officials do nothing about adding better public transit? Fucking read. Another person responded in a similar fashion as I did and they responded saying they should have framed it better. Again. Fucking read.

    • @FoxBJK@midwest.social
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      82 years ago

      Americans have absolutely embraced public transit. It’s just that not a lot of cities have robust systems in place, but go somewhere like NYC or Chicago and you’ll see a transit system that millions rely on daily.

  • @30mag@lemmy.world
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    412 years ago

    Unfuck the CAFE standards and manufacturers will quit killing off car models and producing so many “light trucks”.

  • @jray4559@lemmy.sdf.org
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    2 years ago

    There still exist cars in 2023. It’s not just SUV’s available on the lot.

    People just want them, because of grocery trips or a kid in school sports or whatever.

    Whether most of them actually need that SUV space is something up for debate, but it’s gonna be hard to convince the average American (already in love with full SUV’s) to just switch away.

  • Dog
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    2 years ago

    I’m here to embrace physics. Small Car + Big Truck = Death.

    Edit: I don’t understand why this is getting downvoted. Americans aren’t going to give up their gas guzzler for a smaller vehicle (although I agree that they should at least not have a gas guzzler), and even if they did, not everyone would. Sure, you’ll probably have points in the replies (once I get some), but I’m going off of an IIHS perspective. If a small vehicle gets into an accident (assuming it’s head on/moderate/overlap) with another vehicle (as most American vehicles are either SUVs or Trucks [yes, I know an SUV is technically a truck, but that’s not the point]), that person in the smaller vehicle will most likely be dead or seriously injured in that crash. It doesn’t have to be particularly fast for a weight problem to show a big impact.

  • @MNByChoice@midwest.social
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    162 years ago

    Increase the gas tax. Set registration fees per pound of car.

    We know how to do this. We also know how scared politicians are of angering anyone.

  • Phoenixz
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    222 years ago

    It’s time for Americans to embrace bicycles and ebikes and, gasp, walking