As automakers announce their second quarter 2023 car sales figures, one thing becomes clear: EVs, at least from legacy automakers, must be outselling other vehicles in sales. Porsche is a good example. Almost every model in the German brand’s lineup has increased in price since 2022. When it comes to the Taycan, however, things could be more brightly. In comparison to the second quarter of the previous year, it sold approximately 900 fewer electric sedans, a 35% decline. According to various additional criteria, we are “crossing the chasm” in EV adoption, to use the phrase used by business expert Geoffrey A. Moore in his book of the same name. The early adopter phase is ending, and we’re in limbo between EV nuts buying up everything and ordinary people who want a better car. Output constraints remain in place. Due to a lack of battery cells, certain automakers, notably Stellantis, cannot release an electric vehicle in the United States. However, the fact that practically all major manufacturers have just shifted to Tesla’s connector, officially known as the North American Charging Standard, says a lot. The Combined Charging System, or CCS, was once assumed to be the standard to which all traditional manufacturers would comply. It is the plug found in almost all non-Tesla charging stations. Then, all of a sudden, GM, Rivian, Mercedes, and other big manufacturers switched to NACS, followed by Ford. CCS was rendered obsolete, at best, and extinct, at worst, in a matter of weeks. The major players want Tesla customers to have access to the company’s extensive Supercharger network. The legacy automakers appeared to have awoken from their collective trance. A dependable charging infrastructure is necessary immediately for the general population to adopt EVs. A lull has descended. Porsche Taycan sales and data from manufacturers like Ford, GM, and others demonstrate this. Legacy EV sales are not booming. GM’s best-selling electric vehicle, the Bolt, is being phased out, and its replacement still needs to be added to dealer lots. The Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lighting contribute to a small part of the automaker’s total sales, with little change from year to year. The leading electric vehicle manufacturers will soon integrate a better charging network into the operations of their vehicles. According to Toyota, mainstream battery technology will also advance rapidly shortly. However, this will be fine tomorrow. The dust from what is happening with electric vehicles right now will not settle for at least a few months, if not several years. Thousands of potential customers are currently on the fence. They will only open their wallets once it is clear that purchasing an EV is the best option.
