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Toyota is taking the Corolla electric

446 points · 838 comments · cisc

  1. octoberfranklin · · focus · HN ↗
    I want an electric Supra.

    Nobody's making good lightweight superfast electric sportscars except for Kia (EV6 GT, 600hp). That car is amazing but the interior is super-cheap and Kia failed to "do the Acura thing" that made the NSX respectable (it isn't a "Honda NSX").

    The Porsche Taycan is an absolute boat, an old man's car, the thing weighs a ton. Handling is terrible, center of mass is way above the axles. BMW electrics are the same. Mercedes doesn't even have an electric performance car. The German car companies are really just "mailing it in" when it comes to electic sportscars; they refuse to actually try to build a good one.

    Tesla Model S isn't much better and is discontinued.

    Other than the $250k+ upcoming roadster and the $60k EV6 GT (cheap cloth seats, no leather option, Kia badge) there's really nothing out there that handles well. Pretty huge gap in the market there.

    1. formerly_proven · · focus · HN ↗
      The EV6 GT is a 1550mm tall crossover SUV-coupe weighing almost 4900 lbs with 577 hp, but is more of a young man's sports car than a 1380mm tall sedan weighing 100 lbs more but approaching twice the power? Seems sensible.
      1. octoberfranklin · · focus · HN ↗
        You clearly haven't driven both.

        Who cares if the roof is higher off the ground? The EV6's center of mass is much lower than the Porsche's.

        The EV6 GT suspension is vastly superior, and it's active electronic; the Taycan just toggles between two settings ("normal" and "high-clearance" for going over speed bumps).

        The EV6 GT's rear differential has electronic control; you can feel it when you take freeway turns at >80mph -- your brain tells you "the rear wheels should be fishtailing"... but they just don't. It's crazy. I think they actually factor in the steering wheel position, something you can't do with a simple mechanical differential. I've never felt anything like that in any other car.

        But it still has the Kia badge. And the cheap interior. It's a shame; they could've used this car to launch an "Acura"-like brand with the EV6 GT as their NSX.

        Still, Porsche should be embarrassed of the Taycan. That car is a joke.

        1. BuffaloEric33 · · focus · HN ↗
          "But it still has the Kia badge. And the cheap interior. It's a shame; they could've used this car to launch an "Acura"-like brand with the EV6 GT as their NSX."

          Isn't that kinda what the Genesis GV60 is supposed to be? Granted it doesn't have the same HP as the EV6 GT, AFAIK....

          1. octoberfranklin · · focus · HN ↗
            Maybe. The interior is probably nicer, but that's an SUV not a sportscar.

            Genesis/Hyundai owns 33% of Kia. The GV60 Magma is basically the same powertrain as the EV6 GT but doesn't have the other cool features (electronic suspension, electronic rear differential). And it's an SUV.

            Maybe we'll see a Genesis sportscar at some point. That would be cool.

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