Arcimoto

[Mark BEX]

And they have ties in China for cheap labor.

Sorry, this is a myth. I pay wages in China, I know this, besides even if it was true, labour is only a very minor component of production costs.

The majority of Chinese workers usually work 8 til 6, with a 1 to 2 hour lunch break, 5 days a week, and often Saturday with overtime rates, in other words, pretty darn normal. Employers also have to pay worker's retirement insurance by law. Also so many holidays through the year, it drives me crazy.

As one example, consider that China is the largest market in the world for new car sales, if they were being paid "cheap", how are they buying all those cars ..

I suggest watching the whole of this video, people will find it interesting, but if you don't have the 30 minutes, then watch it for just 1 minute, starting at 9.30 minutes .. Preferably the complete first 10 minutes.

 

[Rickb]

The Arcimoto FUV and it’s platform models are made in the USA with long range plans for worldwide AMP locations to include China. Canadian based ElectraMeccanica has a manufacturing plant location in Arizona with a manufacturing partner in China. Go USA! Perhaps BEX plans include a manufacturing partner in the USA? Likely cheaper than shipping.

 

[3wheelin]

Sorry, this is a myth. I pay wages in China, I know this, besides even if it was true, labour is only a very minor component of production costs.

The majority of Chinese workers usually work 8 til 6, with a 1 to 2 hour lunch break, 5 days a week, and often Saturday with overtime rates, in other words, pretty darn normal. Employers also have to pay worker's retirement insurance by law. Also so many holidays through the year, it drives me crazy.

As one example, consider that China is the largest market in the world for new car sales, if they were being paid "cheap", how are they buying all those cars ..

I suggest watching the whole of this video, people will find it interesting, but if you don't have the 30 minutes, then watch it for just 1 minute, starting at 9.30 minutes .. Preferably the complete first 10 minutes.

That's interesting. So is it safe to say that Elon Musk built a TESLA factory in China to have better access to Chinese buyers and not because of cheaper labor?

 

[Mark BEX]

That's interesting. So is it safe to say that Elon Musk built a TESLA factory in China to have better access to Chinese buyers and not because of cheaper labor?

No idea, only Tesla could answer that, but our Tesla S was fully imported from the USA in early 2016, and they were selling well then, all imported, not near the numbers the Tesla 3 sells at though.

I actually buy a lot of imported American products, flour, yeast, soy bean, meat, coffee and other. Buick does particually well in China, as does Ford, but tends to be the English Ford products, though recently numbers of Mustangs have been kicking around. .

 

[3wheelin]

No idea, only Tesla could answer that, but our Tesla S was fully imported from the USA in early 2016, and they were selling well then, all imported, not near the numbers the Tesla 3 sells at though.

I actually buy a lot of imported American products, flour, yeast, soy bean, meat, coffee and other. Buick does particually well in China, as does Ford, but tends to be the English Ford products, though recently numbers of Mustangs have been kicking around. .

Thanks for that tidbit of info Mark. Well, finish up on your 3wheeler BEX and keep your cost down so we can import it here.

 

[Ace]

No idea, only Tesla could answer that, but our Tesla S was fully imported from the USA in early 2016, and they were selling well then, all imported, not near the numbers the Tesla 3 sells at though.

I think I remember reading something about it having to do with access to the market and to avoid import tariffs.

 

[RSchneider]

I think I remember reading something about it having to do with access to the market and to avoid import tariffs.

Import tariffs end up being a big issue for lots of products. For example, ever wonder why they build Toyota and Nissan trucks in the US? Just look up "Chicken Tax". Since EV's are the current big thing, companies like BMW just completed an all EV plant in China. They will build EV's in the US too (just like VW does) since the US plant is their largest and currently, 70% of that product out of that plant is exported. So, if you go to Greensboro, SC, you'll see lots of suppliers and companies there. There are a number of battery suppliers that are in that area too, plus new ones being built. That area is a hotbed of manufacturing right now. Especially for the automotive industries.

 

[RSchneider]

A discussion with the CEO of Arcimoto (this came across my newsfeed):
https://www.caranddriver.com/featur...arcimoto-wants-us-all-driving-three-wheelers/

You do offer optional doors, I saw that in the build sheets.

Yeah, we have half doors right now, and we're working on full enclosure. Doors are difficult from an engineering and manufacturing perspective. There's a joke in the auto industry that cars start with the design of the door. And we did not start with the design of the door. So we have a strangely-shaped cage where the geometry of it makes it challenging to make the dual doors work. There will probably be a revision to the cage design to enable full enclosure, but that just takes time and certification. We're not at a massive scale yet, so we feel like we can support our production numbers delivering vehicles into areas where Jeep culture—open cabin—is a thing. So like, hey, in Hawaii I'm okay ripping around in a vehicle without doors on it.

So it sounds like the certified cage design wan never designed for full doors. At this point, looks like he dodged the question of when that would ever happen. At least they can sell to the Jeep culture areas (even though they have removable full doors). I live in PA and rarely see a Jeep with the doors removed and never see it for the winter. They sell FUV's here, so hopefully they can convince the Jeep owners to change to doorless and buy a FUV too. Maybe Hawaii will be the massive market for them.

 

[Rickb]

A discussion with the CEO of Arcimoto (this came across my newsfeed):
https://www.caranddriver.com/featur...arcimoto-wants-us-all-driving-three-wheelers/






So it sounds like the certified cage design wan never designed for full doors. At this point, looks like he dodged the question of when that would ever happen. At least they can sell to the Jeep culture areas (even though they have removable full doors). I live in PA and rarely see a Jeep with the doors removed and never see it for the winter. They sell FUV's here, so hopefully they can convince the Jeep owners to change to doorless and buy a FUV too. Maybe Hawaii will be the massive market for them.

The FUV currently has a similar market demographic as other three wheeler motorcycles, and offers added safety features. It is what it is and although it offers driver comfort, some protection from the elements and is a blast to drive, the current platform doesnt meet my needs, and likely will never offer full enclosure. The end.

 

[RSchneider]

I think they will offer full enclosure as the Nimbus is coming out within 7 months. They will have to look at the competition.