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EVs Could Last Nearly Forever—If Car Companies Let Them (www.theatlantic.com)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (2 children)

There's an old expression: Any idiot can build a bridge that stands, but it takes an engineer to build a bridge that barely stands.

If a car has a warranty of 10 years, it will last 11 years.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Any idiot can build a bridge that stands, but it takes an engineer to build a bridge that barely stands.

Oof.

In the defense of engineers, they are usually trying to optimize around a few more variables than ability to stand. Cost is a big one.

If a car has a warranty of 10 years, it will last 11 years.

...If it's well engineered.

[–] Honytawk 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

You don't need to defend the engineers.

The expression is saying that engineers build bridges that are efficient and cost effective.

Although I do believe the full quote ends with "bridge that almost collapses", which would make it more clear.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

But battery cells don't just fail after a specific time. Maybe a component in the battery will like a switch or gasket though.

Motors are highly resilient as well.

I'm not as sure about the motors, but I really am optimistic on the LFP batteries.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (2 children)

The battery doesn't have to fail for the car to be useless. One of those circuit boards that holds it all together goes and it's "whoops, we don't make that any more".

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Sounds like we might need some new regulations around parts availability & stocking up before subcomponents go obsolete.

At some point it becomes an environmental thing just as much as a consumer protection thing.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So just like a regular car.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Indeed just like a regular car.

If cars lasted forever, they'd all go out of business within 20 years.