Chinese EV teardown

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

 

MichaelG.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I also would be worried about the possibility of something failing in a very complicated multi module part. Not that I would ever be buying an electric car.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Could not agree more with Old Mart’s observation. I shudder to think of the repair cost for a minor failure in such a multi module. The idea is great for the manufacturer, but not very smart for the customer.

Andrew.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

I’m not in the market for one, buy for someone who changes their car regularly, the warranty should cover many eventualities on the BYD, basic 6 years, drive unit 8 years & battery 8 years.

https://www.byd.com/uk/service-maintenance/warranty-policy

My concerns would be depreciation, or if the company pulls out of the UK.
On the other hand, many people lease their vehicles these days.

Bill

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

A new Directive recently came into force in the EU:

Right to Repair

Perhaps in the future this should be extended to motor vehicles.

Russell

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

I wonder where Microsoft’s decision to “require” a certain level of HW functionality* in machines being upgraded to Windows 11 fits in this directive. Many Windows 10 machines are rendered obsolete and destined for junk simply by management/marketing fiat.

Given that most new cars are almost entirely software driven and increasingly the software business is moving to a subscription model, how long before cars are being obsoleted in the same way.

* Windows 11 does in fact run well on many “unsuitable” machines if you bypass the checks imposed by the installation routines. So obsolescence really was/is a Microsoft decision.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

I was mildly interested in the topic, but I can’t be bothered to watch 20 minutes of bland, drawn-out AI narration. I don’t fkng care what it isn’t, just say what it is!

[Peter Cook 6]

On Peter Cook 6 Said:

Given that most new cars are almost entirely software driven and increasingly the software business is moving to a subscription model, how long before cars are being obsoleted in the same way.

 

It’s already going that way.  The basic model of many new cars contain all the hardware for many of the extras you pay for on a higher spec model but the extras are not enabled by the software.  When you sell the car on they are not transferred to the new owner and have to be bought again.

There are already 30 to 50 separate ECUs (Electronic Control Units) in the average new car.  What happens when the custom chips are no longer available?

Russell

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Selling “disabled hardware” isn’t new, my father told me how IBM did this with their servers already back in the 80’s.

In the 00’s I overclocked CPUs as all the chips came from the same line. They were tested during manufacture, but they usually ended up with far more high performance chips than they could sell. So they were downgraded to suit the marked. You only had to rub a pencil over a couple of cut traces on the chip and voila.

As for parts availability, it can be an issue with very short lived brands/models. But usually there will be used parts available from wrecks. I have a 45year old bike that was only made for 2 years, I still manage to find parts for it.

[Fulmen]

On Fulmen Said:

I was mildly interested in the topic, but I can’t be bothered to watch 20 minutes of bland, drawn-out AI narration. I don’t fkng care what it isn’t, just say what it is!

Exactly my thoughts

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

One of the problems now is total lack of service information outside of the MFR agents. I have seen several people with failed electric bicycles that just don’t want to go. The battery and motor seem to be fine but the complex interface electronics are a mystery.
I’ve heard that an ordinary BMW now needs a special battery only available from them of course that has to be paired to the vehicle electronics so only their service agents can fit it.
Same for tyre pressure sensors for a Ford. The parts are a fiver really but pairing to a car computer is an arm and a leg.

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

Yes the video is a bit dreary, and doesn’t really tell us anything that hasn’t been becoming de-facto for years.

How many of you gave up even trying to sort out car problems years ago, when modular electronics crept in? Apart from basic mechanical things like brake pads or obvious issues that can be sorted with a spanner / hammer, I don’t even consider looking at anything deeper than that these days. I cant even change the battery on my 2020 VW without a computer re-jig (well you can physically change it, but several ‘features’ may not work afterwards without the computer re-setting)

I just think that the Chinese have just speeded things up a bit with the super-modular idea, cheap & efficient for them, just super-costly for owners when one goes wrong! A captive market I’m afraid.

Choices (if you can afford one of them) 1. Lease 2. By new from ‘good’ brand (what that may turn out to be is anybodies guess) with at least 7 years warranty 3. Get a classic car (Land rover etc) if you still want to get your hands dirty. 4. Renew you bus pass.

regards Mike

 

[Author]

Posts