cross-posted from: https://linux.community/post/2362831
I don’t know how extended this is, but apparently there are car makers selling cars with no keys. Instead you download a proprietary app and use it to access your car.
I like being practical and talking to a car to turn the volume up or down, to open the door or to turn the temperature higher are things I don’t need nor want. Give me mechanical levers, reachable stalks and no proprietary bloatware. I don’t need a movie theater on wheels.
Imagine an early 2000s car running on an electric motor. That’s what I want.
GN has some “regular car” EV options available. The Bolt EUV and the Equniox EV start at $27k and $35k USD. Both come with a panel of physical buttons and come with a traditional physical metal key.
Bolt:
Equinox:
The Bolt EUV is as close as you’ll get with new vehicles as far as I know in North America.
You can find a Nissan Leaf, they started production in 2010. But from what I heard the batteries degrade quickly due to how they were designed.
The Leaf is being redesigned to finally modernize it. The new one coming out later this year should be better now.
It’s a suv now, no longer a hatchback
Everything is an SUV now… :(
That is what I am hoping/waiting for. I’ve been looking to switch to an EV for a few years now but have been turned off by the price, lack of physical buttons, and poor battery performance in cheaper models. I am praying the redesigned Leaf will clear all 3.
The last Bolt model year was 2023 - you can’t really find new ones at dealer lots anymore. There is supposed to be a new version coming at some point, but no official details or timeframe yet.
Imagine an early 2000s car running on an electric motor. That’s what I want.
Step one: Buy 2000s car.
Step two: Converted it to EV.
Step three: Done!There are business made on this promise with more or less benefits of economies of scale.
You can find videos how people do it on YouTube.
Example: https://www.fellten.com/system/mini
Dacia Spring is literally 2000 car converted to EV. I love it.
Sweet fuck I’ve been over in the Canada boards for too long. You have no idea how much “No Frills EV” just hurt my brain lmao. Worst part is, my brain out the capitals there.
At least in the US, You will struggle to find a car newer than like 2015 that doesn’t have a screen, and it’s basically impossible to find one newer than 2018 because it’s mandated at the federal level to have a backup camera installed.
you may not find full on infotainment system, there will be some sort of screen involved. But many manufacturers go by the methodology that if they’re installing a screen anyway for backup cam they might as well just go the whole nine yards and have it be a full-on infotainment system
Sadly I don’t have any recommendations, but I’m considering taking this plunge as well so I’ll keep my eye out on this thread
One of the reasons is that in i think 2018, they made backup cameras mandatory.
EDIT: 2018 NOT 2016
I’m unclear if you’re the reason Pika has an edit to their post, or if you just missed the fact that they said that. Although they said 2018, you said 2016.
I edited a few times within the first few minutes of posting it, so it’s also possible that it didn’t Federate the changes, but no I haven’t edited it since the first five ish minutes of the post
That is my bad it is 2018.
Go test drive some cars that aren’t Teslas. None of them require phone apps. Pretty sure all the manufacturers are also walking back the touch screen nonsense and I think Kia is the best in the US right now for EVs with physical buttons.
I truly feel sorry for anybody that is in the not sweet spot I guess the sour spot of not being able to select the vehicle of their choice due to economic factors, and being forced to buy one of these used pieces of shit that is replete with garbage technology that does not serve the user in any meaningful way. Oh my God, I’ve never one from that generation and I never will, and I consider myself blessed. Just operating a microwave nowadays is torture, give me a fucking chunky button and let me press the fucking thing.
Does it have microphones, other surveillance sensors, and internet access?
Because if this baby is airgapped, I’m buying.
the latest Citroën e-c3 is super-stripped. physical key, no frills at all. the range also takes a hit to keep costs down though.
VW sold the e-Golf in the US between 2015 and 2019, which was available with physical key and no-frills interior - some base models even sported an analog instrument cluster!
I know they’re not for everyone, but Smart Cars are actually devoid of Smart as in IOT. If you’re not huge, get in one and try it out. I have a gas one and it’s my favorite car ever, and I last drove a Porsche Boxter. They’re fast enough, sip gas (or electricity I’m sure) and are so easy to drive. The turning radius is like 90 degrees and it’s so nice having the front of the car stop where your feet are instead of a giant protruding hood. They’re very cheap too and they’re made by Mercedes so it’s easy enough to get them worked on.
Carice is a cool option.
An old school, no frills sports car, that happens to be all electric.Sure, they’re hand built to order. But in that class, they’re surprising cheep. Less than €50K if I recall
The Kona EV still has physical controls for the A/C and other essential stuff. It uses a key fob though, just like most regular cars nowadays. But at least it’s not a card or something.
The profit margins on cheap cars isn’t high enough yet to introduce EVs at that price.
Closest you can probably get is the Corolla hybrid base model. It’s not full EV and sadly isn’t even a plugin hybrid.
The profit margins on cheap cars isn’t high enough yet to introduce EVs at that price.
What price? OP does not talk about cost at any point, they only require specific features.
“No frills”
Right now EVs come with frills. The leaf, bolt, and that Mitsubishi golf cart were the no-frills EVs.
There actually are super cheap evs at the no frills used car market price, they’re just illegal to import in the us due to protectionist policies.
What do you mean? Dacia Spring exists and it starts at £15k. That’s pretty much a budget petrol car price.
I’m only aware of US market.
Depending on the car, you might be able to just rip the modem out of it and so you just use your key fob to enter. Essentially making it a dumb car
Are there instructions/hobbiest forums for just that?
A while back I was looking in to this and I just did some quick online searches and found youtube videos of guys doing it. Not sure if there are forums dedicated to it, that would be interesting though.
If you’re in China you can probably get one.
Most of the traditional automakers will do keys or key fob without an app AFAIK.
For usability/get in and go, you can’t go wrong with a Toyota or Honda. Perhaps consider a used Prius prime (PHEV) if you’re on a budget
