Take a car with an internal combustion engine and replace everything that is needed for an electric car. Now you have a no-nonsense car.
Instead, we have a rolling data center that feels like a smartphone.
OP is drinking the oil industry Kool Aid. All cars come with the same sensors and send the same data home. It has nothing to do with the engine.
We should have laws against it, but it certainly isn’t limitteed to EVs.
I find the Opel Corsa Electric and Renault Zoe to be pretty alright, regarding knobs and buttons. They still are very much tablets with wheels though.
While I hate the dimensions, shape and pretty much everything else about it, I belive the Citroën e-C3 is available with just a phone mount in the center, and no smarts whatsoever. I’ve only ever driven the model with an infotainment system though.
I have Seat Mii electric, it is dumb as a rock. I love it.
I think that’s part of the reason BYD does so well in Australia.
Their cars look like normal cars.
What frustrates me most about my wife’s Kona is that the shift stick is gone & you have to use buttons. That & how confusing it was to figure out how to open the charging unit when she first got it.
My issue is that a lot of manufacturers have tried, incorrectly, to mimic Tesla in ways they don’t understand.
Tesla have a 16" screen in their car.
Ford: We put a 17" screen in our car!
Tesla: You can watch movies, play video games, browse the internet, etc. when you’re charging (as it used to take a long time - but we’ve kept the big screen).
Ford: You’ve got a bit ole screen! It’s bigger than a Tesla’s! Your driving map is huuuge. When you’re charging you can watch it charge - in HD!
Buttons and dials are coming back, at least.
Not sure where I read it, but the story goes that loads of manufacturers used touch screen controls “because Tesla” but Tesla didn’t do it because it was cool and fancy, they did it because it’s cheaper. Spinning up entire supply lines to get plastic buttons and switches just wasn’t feasible for them in the startup days.
It’s literally the opposite of premium.
Not everywhere. BMW stupidly are nixing more controls in favor of touch bullshit.
And that stupid tablet in the middle design seems to only ever quicken its pace.
I think that that’s kind of a problem with almost all new cars, not just EVs.
Slate’s a pretty stripped-down EV. It’s got a mount where you can stick a phone or tablet if you want, but nothing built-in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slate_(vehicle)
No cell radio. Doesn’t even have power windows in the base configuration; it comes with air conditioning and air bags and that’s about it.
Note that the range is shorter than, say, a Tesla Model 3 or something.
The range is shorter than a Tesla but the price is about a third so it’s not so bad when you factor that in. I wish Slate success I really like their approach to the automobile, they remind me of Framework computer on wheels.
Estimated range: 205 miles.

It’s got a mount where you can stick a phone or tablet if you want, but nothing built-in.
I believe that is a mistake, carplay and android auto are designed to work well when driving, my phone automatically removes all text message notifications and makes me not even notice getting texted to prevent me from getting distracted.
I would like a stripped down car that still has Carplay/Android Auto.
You can install head units into older cars easily to do this. Did it with my old Ute. Android auto for a song.
Because the overlords want data. So data collection must be in everything because top dollar is being paid for it.
Why are there no normal
electriccars instead of gimicks on wheels? is probably the first question.your statement goes well outside just cars too. all house appliances to start.
I haven’t bought appliances in a while. I get the feeling the high end stuff has mandatory tech crap on it, but the low end stuff is still mercifully free of it; I feel like it would be easier to by a fridge that does not spy on you than a car.
I drive an Opel Corsa E. It’s basically just a normal Opel Corsa with an electric engine.
Or is that not what you had in mind?I owned an Opel Corsa once. I don’t ever want to get reminded again.
It’s all cars. It’s more profitable to sell fewer cars at a higher price. The tech bloat is used to justify the high price. Regulations requiring the tech bloat are designed to keep competitors from entering the market. Regulations are paid for by
bribeslobbying.They couldn’t build them fast enough if there were, they would run out of batteries.
People buying cheap basic cars aren’t going to pay extra for it, or mess around with putting in L2 charging at home.
Why make 2 budget EVs and make $5k each when you can make 1 expensive one and make $10k?
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You can buy Hyundai, Renault, BMW, VW. … all pretty good “normal” electric cars.
With switches and knobs? Without a touch screen?
I don’t know so many details, sorry
There aren’t no nonsense gas powered cars anymore. Everything is computer controlled.
Anti lock brakes, collision avoidance, controlling the fuel injections. You have to go back to the models that used carburetors to get what you want. Then the federal goverment requires tons of expensive safety equipment and testing to keep new companies from entering the market.
But to answer the question, profits. The production line for low price gas cars are already built and optimized with statistical process control. There aren’t high profits in the low priced autos. They will only switch when nobody buys their current models.
Just look at the big three turning their nose up to electric.
Meanwhile Hyundai is rolling out a super cheap model in china. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/hyundais-new-ioniq-v-undercuts-the-cheapest-ev-in-america-by-over-10000/
FYI: Companies are getting your message and vibe. But so far it’s just for farm tractors.
https://wheelfront.com/this-alberta-startup-sells-no-tech-tractors-for-half-price/
There aren’t no nonsense gas powered cars anymore. Everything is computer controlled.
Anti lock brakes, collision avoidance, controlling the fuel injections. You have to go back to the models that used carburetors to get what you want. Then the federal goverment requires tons of expensive safety equipment and testing.
I don’t think OP is referring to any of that. More so the infotainments systems, touch controlled dashboards etc.
Idk, just because a car doesn’t have a touchscreen doesn’t mean the computers aren’t tracking you. Anything with ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) is going to phone home, and vehicles are required to have a lot of the systems now.
Welcome to Car Industry Protectionism 101.
You want a no nonsense electric car at an affordable price point? Tough shit. Your country’s politicians love those car industry kick backs.









