I think the dethroning of Toyota in the DR started about when I bought my new 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe at Magna Motors in Santo Trafficjam.
Nissan and Mitsubishi also went by the boards when they used to be 2 and 3. Honda? You see some CRVs.
Nissan models could not catch up to the lead Toyota had built. Only Hyundai, and now Kia, gained significant traction. Honda has remained the number two player for some time now. Misubishi really was a one trick pony with the Montero.
I have no idea on the fuse model issue liability in the US. I doubt Scotty is wrong, but it is possible.
I know for sure the words "No es me culpa" will come from the mouth of any seller of an EV here.
If insured for fire or theft, your insurance company would pay the claim and then subrogate against the at fault party. The vehicle owner does not need to go after the charging company by themselves.
As Scotty pointed out, there are the initial buyers that have to have the new shiny EV cars. They have the pesos to spare, or sacrifice a bit to allegedly Go Eco.
Then they start to build up on dealers lots after the initial sales and the dealers call HALT!
Certainly the more well heeled will be buying the new technology. That is true of any products in recent memory. What did a computer cost initially, or a mobile phone or a vcr, or flat screen tv's or smart phones. It is the trickle down effect. New products.............got to have them.
Why would that not happen here? They are simply too expensive to purchase once those with the disposable income already have them.
And since they are "zero maintenance" the dealers will only make money on sales and not on parts and repair charges.
That is not a winning situation for dealers who will have excess inventory and batteries that fail by just sitting there over time while keeping a staff
of repair people that don't have any work.
Hyundai/Kia are the clear winners now. Perhaps next it will be Chinese EVs.
Well, actually they are for the most part less expensive and getting cheaper. Tesla has lowered the price of its EV's three times this year. Musk wants to be competitive ............and he will be......................and others will follow as technology drives innovation that drives prices lower.
Factor in the US government incentives for both new and used, the reduced tax regimen in the DR and you have a catalyst for continued EV adoption in the DR. Not to mention my clients further tax break for those vehicles being used in and part of a a so called "tourist project."
And I saw lots of Chinese EV's too. But as I said above, the quality issue has not been fleshed out and it may take several years for them to establish a track record.....good or bad.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
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