In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Is this the new direction for Stellantis?
- Buying a used Tesla?
The first question comes from a Dodge owner who wants to know where Stellantis is headed.
Q: (Via: asknathan@TFL.com) A new direction for Stellantis?
I have seen news back-and-forth all the time about tetanus and their troubles. Then suddenly things went dark and I was not able to find any new information about what they’re doing. It’s hard to tell if they’re able to pull out of their nose dive with their new leadership. I’m also not seeing anything positive about the current lineup of cars. You guys seem to be OK with the new ram, but don’t seem very confident about many of their cars. Is there any news coming out about Stellantis? I have been a long time owner of a 2017 Dodge Charger. It’s nothing special, but it’s been really reliable and a great car to own. It’s also more efficient than I thought it would be and Has served me well. I intend to keep it for another five years.
So can you tell me what’s going on with Stellantis Nathan? I appreciate your insight and the fact that you work hard to find answers.
- Jerry the Jersey pizza guy
A: Thanks for the question!
I’ve posted some updates, changes and rumors in the past – but something just came up that caught my attention. It appears that Stellantis is partnering with small EV builder Luvly. Over the course of one year, they will evaluate light urban vehicle technology, with an eye on future production. This means: rather than just scaling up, building grossly heavy and expensive electric vehicles for the market, Stellantis may be looking to build remarkably simple and affordable EVs too.
In my opinion, we’ve been moving the wrong way with EVs for a decade. Rather than a toy for the rich, I was expecting automakers to exploit the potential simplicity and modular setup EVs could offer. Rather than that, we got pricey EVs that weigh as much as a school bus. I mean – the new all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S weighs over 5,600 pounds and costs over $65,000 (base).
Let me explain what I found: Luvly is a Swedish startup founded in 2015. From the get-go, Luvly aimed to build a tiny city car that can be assembled anywhere, in a few hours by a few experts. It could be flat-pack shipped, and simply assembled in a small facility (read: garage) where a quick quality control takes place after assembly. Think IKEA for cars and you’re on the right track. Their tiny EV weighs less than half a ton, yet it can transport two people 100 km at up to 100 km per hour. Not exactly U.S. friendly yet – but imagine something like this on a slightly larger, more powerful scale.
New battery tech that’s hitting the market includes solid-state batteries entering mainstream production, and updates of lithium-ion batteries which will have increased energy density and faster charging capability. It all comes down to weight savings, packaging and efficient spending. I believe some of that applies to Luvly EVs, and may explain Stellantis’ interest.
— N
The last question comes from Twitter/X regarding the right time to buy a Tesla.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@Twitter/X) RE: Is this the right time to buy a Tesla?
With the current anti-Tesla climate being what it is. Do you think this is the right time to buy one? I am thinking about a Model Y or 3 as my first EV. I needs something reliable and cheap.
— Anonymous
A: Good question.
Sure, if you want a Tesla, now would be a good time; but there’s a caveat, higher end Teslas like the Cybertruck, Model S and Model X seem to be getting the brunt of the hate (especially the Cybertruck). Not only would I recommend the Model 3 as a safer bet in terms of a lower profile, it’s also one of the more reliable Tesla vehicles out there.
I am seeing some great deals here and there. As such, this could be a good time to buy. Honestly, I think keeping away from the expensive models (until things cool down) is a good idea, but (and this is my honest opinion) if you simply must buy a Tesla product – the Model 3 is the best one to get.
Hope that helps!
- N
