[jedberg]

For almost everyone out there, they don't care if it's gas or electric or how many MPG it gets. They care about the look, how it feels to drive, and what features are offered inside.

If everything goes fully electric, we'll just be back into pre-2000 territory, where every car was ICE and they differentiated on handling, interior features, styling, and engine power.

[IshKebab]

> For almost everyone out there, they don't care if it's gas or electric or how many MPG it gets

What? MPG is one of the things people care about most! At least in the UK.

[decafninja]

Probably truer of the US market than most other countries. Unless you're really living close to poverty or a pennypincher, I feel most people in the US don't care about minor MPG differences.

Sure, they'll care about the MPG difference between Tiny3CylSubcompactHatchback and GiantThreeSeatV8SUV, but not between two GenericMidsized4cylOrV6FamilyCUVs.

Which is why you'd see something like 4cylinder BMW 5 or 7 series in Europe a long while back, but in the US until relatively recently a 4cyl 5series would have been seen as a joke for an expensive luxury car.

Even now I don't think the smallest engine size tier of vehicles get imported into the US - we get (at least) one level up as our "entry" trim.

[jedberg]

That's because you guys have reasonable gas taxes that discourage driving. But in the US gas is so cheap it doesn't matter to most people middle class and above.

[elihu]

That's a stereotype; it's true of some people, but not everyone. Probably not even most. In fact, I have a hard time believing there are many people out there buying cars that don't care at all whether the car they get is gas or electric.

Sure, appearance matters. Most people don't want to drive around in an ugly car. But functionality is pretty important too. Fuel economy. Safety. How many people or how much stuff fits inside. How much gas does it use per mile (if it's a gas car). How easy is it get parts. Is it expensive to maintain.