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Saw this yesterday ... I would not own one, but I like what they've done with it. Not only that, the craftsmanship and attention to detail are excellent. The sinister glance got me. Not the color I'd pick. I'd have to go to chart to see what they're offering. The yellow seat belts are interesting and stood out. Love that side air scoop. Also, who'd have thought we'd be seeing Americans produce a mid-engine sports car? This current Corvette makes quite a statement. I hope that it proves to be successful and reliable.

Saw two things this morning while running errands. First was a very old Chevrolet Suburban from the 1950's era in the process of being restored. It was on a trailer being towed someplace while I was driving on I5. Second thing was a Toyota Tacoma that had an interesting bumper sticker. Pro-America Buy America Anti-Trump So not a political statement or discussion I want to start, but I am interested in what others think is meant by the Pro-America/Buy America part of this. IMHO I find this a contradiction that they are driving a Toyota with that part of the bumper sticker. Thoughts?

Saw 3 C8s last week on vacay…a bright blue one on a small town Ohio Chevy dealer lot, one in this highlighter yellow on I-86 in NY and a dark gray one park beside a church’s sign in Erie PA (odd way it was parked, was there two days).

It is sized between the Equinox and Blazer so it's not really a direct competitor but the vanilla styling will probably appeal to the Honda bore me crowd. It is also probably starting at lower price than the Blazer so higher sales would not be surpassing but it sure as hell won't be due to the Blazer being inferior in any way, as your post implies.

Reviews and Comparisons are starting already on the EQB and they are just equal in some areas, failing in others and in the end there are better options out there than the EQB. End result is a fan boy who has to have the badge will buy it, but the general public that is informed will pass on this EV. 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB vs. 2022 Tesla Model Y Comparison (jdpower.com) 2022 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-EQ EQB: Choosing the Right Trim - Autotrader 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB Class vs Genesis GV60, Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model Y - The Car Connection 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB Prices, Reviews, & Pictures | U.S. News (usnews.com) Kia EV6 vs Mercedes-Benz EQB vs Ioniq 5 Price, Specs And Feature Details Comparison | Wapcar

@ccap41 I understand that you could think that Kia/Hyundai are on par with Tesla and that Tesla will have a few more years before someone passes them. Consider this: Kia will be launching 2 new EVs every year starting 2023. They will go from one to three EVs by the end of 2023. EV6 and two others. A car and another SUV is what is expected. They also will have another SUV and Truck in 2024. That will be 5 EVs two Tesla 4, maybe 5 if the Cyber truck truly gets going. Yet, interior and fit n finish have been praised by many over Tesla. Kia presents 2030 roadmap to become global sustainable mobility leader (kiamedia.com) Hyundai has the IONIQ 5 SUV, IONIQ 6 Sedan in both standard and long rang models to compete with Tesla 3. They have stated the IONIQ 7 will be out in 2024 as they focus on the Genesis line with the GV70 EV out end of this year and adding to it with two more models in 2023 and then 2024 will be the final change over as all 2025 Model year Genesis cars and SUVs will be electric. https://www.hyundai.news/eu/articles/press-releases/hyundai-motor-accelerates-electrification-strategy.html That is allot more EVs than Tesla has been able to design, test, ramp up production and bring to market. This is why Tesla days are numbered. As American, Asian and European Legacy auto makers bring capacity online for cell production and auto production. Their experience will ramp faster than Tesla has been able to. Tesla, I suspect will be in the news due to their electric Semi, Roadster, Home roof solar cells and their Powerwall more than their autos by 2025.

Do vehicles get more "blah" than Merc's EVs?

Yeah, you can't charge 50-70k for a vehicle with a maximum range of 227 miles with a max charge rate of 100kw. 227 miles alone keeps it off a list I'd consider. IMO, I think it'll be a couple years before Tesla really gets passed. Hyundai's/Kia's products seem great thus far but they're still really new and still only two vehicles that can compete with Tesla. They're very good but they're not something that stops on anything Tesla's doing. I'd say they appear to be on par with Tesla. Things are changing SOOOO fast. It's pretty crazy to think what the industry will look like in only five years. If you asked, "what will the auto industry look like in five years?" twenty years ago, people likely would have just said, cars will be a little quicker, a little more fuel efficient, a little larger, etc. The last year plus the next ten years, things will look drastically different than today.

I just read a EQB review and have to say the same thing, but not for the 800v system. I'm less concerned about the max capacity charging, as there aren't a million super fast chargers around plus I don't think most owners will/should charge publicly anyway. But a max charge rate of 100kw is low, 150kw should be minimum for anything coming out in 2022 and beyond, imo. It just sounded quite half baked for 50-70k. I think it was only rated for like 227 miles of range, didn't seem all that quick for an EV (like the Lyriq) but not actually slow, and the floor was raised to interior room was slightly decreased. I just couldn't even consider it when the Q4 e-Tron and Lyriq exist.

Why do I feel like this would not be an issue at all if Benz was actually capable of exploiting 800V chargers. Fact is that is where it is heading and the "best or nothing" is already behind that curve.

Yes the Kent IKEA is still there, none in the north end. I agree with you, hate the maze, hate the cheap stuff they sell, was not willing to wait in a long line to try the food, so who knows if I would like it. Over all, my son likes IKEA and I think it is because it is cheap. I would say Acura took till 2022 to fix their issues with the RDX and MDX. My sister inlaw, wifes sister has a 2019 of each. She drives the MDX and her husband drives the RDX. Both have had all types of electrical issues, water leak issues and drivability issues that took till this year to resolve. Both are retired and on a fixed income now otherwise they say they would trade them in on something else, not an Acura. Maybe they are just unlucky, but I will say that I think Acura built a name and then went cheap to maximize profits from the line.

First of all, 800V is well supported for those fast chargers and EVs that support it as they do charge in a fraction of the time and weight less than a 400V system. Yes, 800V costs more now, but like all things, economy of scale brings it down. GM, Porsche, VW, Audi and BMW have all acknowledge it as well as Kia and Hyundai and why Honda went with the Ultium 800V system for their EVs. The reason the Equinox will start around $30,000 is due to the mass production bringing costs down. As far as Charging at home, yes if you're only going CHEAP with 110V charging, you will be lucky to pull down 10kWh charging. If you have a proper 220V charger installed, they are 50 AMPs and do charge much, much faster. Yes, there are 220V 38/40 AMP chargers, but the ones from the OEMs as well as ChargePoint that are sold or included are all 220V 50 AMP chargers. Even Amazon sells them, but you get what you pay for. This is in its infancy and so nothing is perfect yet, but we have specs to get there and those that do invest get out of it what they expected. Those that go cheap, well, your mileage will vary.

This is sort of yawn styling, but if priced on par with a Blazer, it will outsell the Blazer.

Difference in definitions. Electric motors, batteries, and air suspension aren't new. But these are totally new designs for all of them... it's a full platform. It's exactly like when the Alfa-Romeo Guilia came out. Everything on that car except the transmission was a new design. New engine, new electronics, new body, new everything... except the ZF-HP8 transmission. And that's why it was a problem for FCA. But that same platform has been perfected since 2015 and now rides under the Grand Cherokee and it's largely fine. All manufacturers play fast and loose with the term "all-new". Is the Integra really all new? The platform is just a Civic, it just uses the CR-V/Civic engine and transmission, it uses a lot of off the shelf Acura components. What about the Bronco? The body was new, sure, but everything under the sheetmetal was lifted from the Ranger and F-150 and they still had issues. The Hummer really is "All new" ... like for real.

You don't really need 800V, most chargers don't go that fast and if you are charing a home, you are talking like 10 kWh charge rates, so then it really doesn't matter. Going 400 vs 800 can save on cost and cooling needs, etc. The big problem with EV's (other than production constraints) is if you look at a generic ICE small crossover they go 0-60 in about 8 seconds, have 300-400 mile range, cost $30-35k. And car companies sell millions of these per year. Then when they get to EV's they think it needs 500 hp and a sub 4-second 0-60 time and costs $70,000. Ford would never in a million years put a 500 hp V8 in an Escape and charge $70,000 for it because they know no one would buy it. But when it comes time for an EV crossover, throw 500 hp in it and change $65,000. I think Mercedes and GM are the only 2 that have it figured out, mirror your ICE line with IV's because then you are marketing to your current customer base and your potential cross shops.

None of what Hyundai and Kia are bringing to market matter if they aren't Hyundai and Kia prices and they don't do Hyundai and Kia volume. The Ioniq 5 has declining sales right now, they are getting outsold 10 to 1 by the Tesla Model Y. And what is an Ioniq 7 going to cost? $50-70k? Cadillac Lyriq money for a Hyundai of the same size? The Equinox is about the size of an Ioniq 5 and will be $10k cheaper plus get a tax credit. I don't see how Hyundai wins that battle.