MSN Auto Achieves Worst Automotive Headline In Quite Some Time

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: January 13th, 2010

msn auto achieves worst automotive headline in quite some time

It’s incredibly hard to figure out where MSN Autos came up with the headline “ CT&T Set to Take the EV Mainstream” for its write up on the South Korean firm’s presentation at the NAIAS. Hell, the author even admits:

Unfortunately, none of the vehicles is approved for “normal” use on America’s highways and byways. Instead, they are categorized as low-speed vehicles by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the same classification given to golf carts and other similar-sized, 4-wheeled vehicles.

So how do Low-Speed Vehicles (LSV aka NEV) in any way help “take the EV mainstream”? According to CT&T’s marketing director, “until the battery technologies get to the point where batteries are affordable, full-speed electrics are going to be expensive.” LSVs are cheaper, so they must be the way to bring EVs to the mainstream. Besides, who wants to go faster than 25 MPH? Niche enthusiasts, that’s who. Unless of course MSN Autos was talking about the parking enforcement mainstream.

#CT&T #EV #GolfCart #LSV #Media #MSNAutos #NEV

Edward Niedermeyer

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4 of 9 comments

Nick on Jan 14, 2010

I don't expect that I will see this alongside the XKE at MOMA.

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Kurkosdr on Jan 14, 2010
"Categorized as low-speed vehicle" you said? Just wait 'till some magazine or newspaper crash tests the vehicle, and the whole "mainstream acceptance" goes bust. For those not in the know, if you have a vehicle and you can't get it to pass the crash tests, you put a 25Mph limiter on it and you classify it as a "low speed vehicle", since vehicles of this category don't have to meet any safety standards. But the weak structure is still there, so in normal conditions (road not golf field), even a colision at 25Mph will send you straight to the wheelchair. Things are worse in europe, since there is another category called "quadrocycle", which also doesn't require any safety standards, but it doesn't require the 25mph limiter either. Northern europe will do anything to cut it's dependence on oil, and apparently tolerating less road safety is one of those things. Now you know why the brochures of these vehicles never mention the word "car", just "EV". Except the roadster, which is the only real car of the herd.

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Ernie on Jan 14, 2010

If the lower grille is an INTENTIONAL stab at Hummer, then I totally love this picture ;) Otherwise, we're back to 'wtf' :D

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Accs on Feb 08, 2010

On the risk of sounding stupid.. or talking down to anyone.. Who in their right mind goes onto MSN to check out car news? This is like that old / ancient blasted yahoo on USAToday autos.. who gives/doles out car advice on what to buy... vs his 70yr old taste. To listen to him means I should get my head examined. screws implanted. They both are (in my opinion) not places yo go for car reviews. That's what CAR sites and are forums are for...

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