This is more important than one might think.
At the end of the day, the mass market does not really care whether a car is gas or electric.
The average Joe/Jane just has X dollars budgeted for a car and a mental model of what kind of amenities they ought to be able to get for X dollars.
Most of the "mass-market" electric cars I've seen in the $35,000 range (i3, Leaf, Bolt) look like $18,000 subcompacts. They just have electric motors inside.
You fundamentally cannot take an $18,000 car, slap an electric motor inside, and call it a $35,000 car.
If the car is going to cost $35,000, make it a $35,000 car.
At the end of the day, the mass market does not really care whether a car is gas or electric.
The average Joe/Jane just has X dollars budgeted for a car and a mental model of what kind of amenities they ought to be able to get for X dollars.
Most of the "mass-market" electric cars I've seen in the $35,000 range (i3, Leaf, Bolt) look like $18,000 subcompacts. They just have electric motors inside.
You fundamentally cannot take an $18,000 car, slap an electric motor inside, and call it a $35,000 car.
If the car is going to cost $35,000, make it a $35,000 car.