Originally Posted by
Klondyke
Why not? Not exactly but almost. Who has got experience with e.g. electric forklifts, electric bikes, even with electric lawn mower, can see how simple it's built and how simple can be handled with.
When imagined the combustion engine, quite complicated nowadays, hence not so cheap. That's all replaced with a simple electric motor and some kind of electronic control.
Yes, then the batteries, but that's not problem. The problem is the hegemony of the car industry and their prices.
For easy comparison one should look on the electric bike - I had driven it every day for a time period, twice daily 5 km, sometimes more. The motor is incorporated direct in the wheel, no gear, no chain, quite a small battery - could be much larger. Anyway, so easy to drive and not to care for the gasoline filling (mostly overdone with the engine oil addition), not to car for the dirt in the carburettor, gear, chain and many others.
Here in Thailand, there are zillions of motorcycles, up-country mostly the shitty Hondas, Yamaha, 100ccm, all for 60 - 80,000 B, what cost so much for the 5 - 10 km daily drive? The electric ones for less than half would do better, but there is no promotion and Thai people do not do otherwise than the neighbour.