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Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) intends to sell electric cars for less than 20,000 euros ($22,836) and protect German jobs by converting three factories to make Tesla (TSLA.O) rivals, a source familiar with the plans said.
VW and other carmakers are struggling to adapt quickly enough to stringent rules introduced after the carmaker was found to have cheated diesel emissions tests, with its chief executive Herbert Diess warning last month that Germany's auto industry faces extinction.
Plans for VW's electric car, known as "MEB entry" and with a production volume of 200,000 vehicles, are due to be discussed at a supervisory board meeting on Nov. 16, the source said.
Fallout from cheating on diesel emissions tests continues. If German automakers, of which VW is the largest, switch to electric vehicles (EVs), will other car companies have to follow suit?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 09 2018, @10:28PM (4 children)
Plus dealerships HATE electric cars. They make most of their money on their maintenance garage. Electric vehicles are terrible for those. They require almost no maintenance and what they do require (short of a blown motor or battery) can be done by any Joe Blow, let alone a certified mechanic. The schedule is literally air filter every 25k, coolant system every 150k, and, as necessary, rotate tires, change light bulbs, fluids, wiper blades, and brakes.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Saturday November 10 2018, @02:42AM (3 children)
And as far as "fluids" goes, that means "windshield wiper fluid".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 10 2018, @02:50PM (2 children)
No brake fluid? Are they all using electronic brakes?
(Score: 2) by ElizabethGreene on Saturday November 10 2018, @09:07PM (1 child)
> No brake fluid? Are they all using electronic brakes?
By and large, Yes. Regenerative braking converts the cars kinetic energy into potential energy stored in the battery. This dramatically increases the lifespan of brakes. Regarding brake fluid specifically it usually lasts the service life of a modern vehicle.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 11 2018, @04:32AM
Not sure where you live, but here (NE USA, salted roads in winter), it's a good idea to change brake fluid every few years. It's hydroscopic (absorbs water) and the times I haven't changed it, calipers have been internally corroded to the point of replacement, one time took 4 years, the other (more recent car) about 8 years (it was stored for the last 3 years, calipers ruined while in storage). Have not lost any calipers on cars with preventative fluid changes, this includes a Corolla I kept for 20 years (other parts of the Corolla did rust out).
Oddly, I haven't seen brake fluid replacement in the manufacturer's recommended service, but some dealers have figured it out and recommend it.