Are there any EV cars without any "technology"?
Are there any EV cars without any "technology"?
Like the title says, are there any EVs that just have a Bluetooth radio and that's it? Like a normal car, not a smartphone on wheels? If not, do you all think that this will actually happen at some point? This is the main reason why I can't (and will never) buy an EV. I like to have actual buttons everywhere on my car. I think those massive tablets on these cars with all the touch buttons are very dangerous. I like an "entertainment system" that only connects to my phone with either a headphone jack of or Bluetooth. It's a car, not a PC.
Not that I know of. Let smaller automakers make EVs and we might get something like that.
But with the federal government mandating that all cars must have automatic braking after a certain date in the future I guess we're never going to get away from tons of sensors and computers in cars.
Automatic braking doesn't require the level of tech that's being packed into EVs these days
You could make automatic breaking without a full blown computer, but it's so much cheaper to put a full-blown computer than it is to do it all in hardware. Everything uses turing complete equipment now, it's actually less expensive at this point.
There's absolutely no reason not to put multiple computers in the car I think the real win is not surfacing it to the end user.
They also mandate a backup camera, so that means they need to have a screen.
Could put in a Polaroid exposer instead
I assumed from your title that you, like myself, are more concerned about the fact that EVs all seem to be "smart", and cloud connected, and effectively hardware as a service to spy on you, and prevent repairs, and have software lockouts of features.
Like TVs, I think there's no incentive for the companies with the ability to make dumb devices to actually make them. Adding all this functionality is unfortunately what people expect.
all seem to be "smart", and cloud connected, and effectively hardware as a service to spy on you, and prevent repairs, and have software lockouts of
This is happening with gas cars too. I was driving an Infiniti rental car and every time I started it, the infotainment system showed a disclaimer about Infiniti collecting and using data. There was a way of opting out of just some of the data collection, but no way of opting out of all of it.
That and safety and I genuinely don't care for bells and whistles, as they add to the cost unnecessarily. Whenever I needed a new car, I never bought new, I always bought second hand and made sure it's the "lowest trim" of the model. So much cheaper for the same car. I come from a 3rd world country and am used to cars that just drive with no other purposes. So, why not save my money and also be safe, you know?
Yeah, historically that's how it worked, fewer features meant less money. The difficult part today is, the cheapest products are being subsidized with these "smart" features. For cars, as well as most other products, they are able to charge less because they can harvest your data, or lock you into their repair shops, or show you ads. We're now at the point where it costs more to have a bare bones device, and it's cheaper to sell your soul to the company.
And unfortunately, buying second hand doesn't get you out of it. Just like how digital purchases can't be re-sold or traded, "smart" cars can be remotely locked down if they determine it's been resold.
This twitter post used to be a story of a person who resold a tesla, only to have Tesla remotely downgrade the battery capacity because they determined they made a mistake when servicing a previous owner.
Are they're any evs built with OpenSource in mind? Like its honestly cool that you can more closely control how they drive because it electronically controlled but tech enshitification makes most the stuff I've seen always tainted by it.
I don't know actually. I'm sure there are open attempts to convert cars to electric. But if you mean something like level 1-3 autonomy, I would assume it would have to be approved by a regulating body, and I don't think any open projects would have seeked that level of approval yet. It's one thing for someone to root their phone and their camera doesn't work, it's another if they root their car and cause an accident.
It's not a full car or even entertainment system, but comma.ai is an opensource autonomous driving software. Last time I looked into this was a few years ago, but basically for most newer cars you can rip out the adaptive cruise control, and effevtively replace it with autonomous driving. Either powered by certain supported phones or dedicated hardware.
You can use smart tvs as dumb screens though, just don’t connect it to internet. Is there a similar way for Evs?
Pi-holes all the way, ha!!!!
Yeah, I only connect my TV to update it, and then immediately delete it's internet connection.
And yes, unfortunately updates are necessary to be sure you're getting all the functionality working correctly (ex. HDR compatibility). I've learned the hard way that the TVs don't necessarily ship with perfect drivers.
As for cars, it's not just the internet. Like apple products, they can make it impossible to repair without going to a licensed dealer. The technology has ways of making you play ball with them.
And even then, I wouldn't put it past them to sneak a cell card into the car somehow to phone home whenever it wants to, regardless of whether you choose to connect it to the internet. I know they've offered this as a feature in the past, why not put it in and just not tell the customer?
Some tvs require you to connect to the internet to set up I believe. Cars have their own built in connection, (such as OnStar)so you can't avoid connecting them in the first place since they come connected from the factory.
I mean, I think EV needs to be separated from the fancy systems here. I see ICE vehicles with fancy touchscreens with no buttons, they aren't an EV specific thing.
As for me, I have the Hyundai Kona EV, I love the thing. Yes, it has screens, I think they're neat, but specifically it has physical buttons below the screens to control the entire car with physical buttons. That was a hard requirement of mine. So, if you want no screens or anything then no, unless you buy the cheapest car out there right now you're probably getting something "smart", and those happen to be ICE cars because at this point they're cheaper. If your actual issue is physical buttons, then sounds like you need to go actually test drive some. The only EV I know of with no buttons is a Tesla, and there are a ton of other EVs out there.
specifically it has physical buttons below the screens to control the entire car with physical buttons. That was a hard requirement of mine.
I'd love to get an EV with physical buttons too. My current car is a 2012 Mazda 3, but I want to get a EV to take advantage of my solar panels.
The Kona looks nice. Do you know if it supports Qi wireless charging, and wireless Android Auto?
It does! Just used it today! There's a wireless charger just under the main dash in front of the drink trays, and I can confirm Android Auto works perfectly wirelessly. When we got it the sales guy said it'd be coming in a later update, and we were like "uh yeah, sure", but it honestly worked day one, no updates needed. Feel free to DM me, happy to answer any questions honestly.
Chevy Bolt EV and EUV have buttons for everything you need to do while driving. It does have android auto/apple carplay but you don't have to use it if you don't want to.
Just get a Detroit Electric Model 82.
Man, I love this. It's so cute.
Check out the Skoda CitiGo. 36.4kWh of small car goodness without any screens or updates. Just Bluetooth. Navigation is provided using your phone in the factory mount or a TomTom. It’s basically a scaled down e-Up with analog switches.
Or the Seat Mii Electric, it's even slightly more bare bones than the Citigo-e. Basically the VW group decided that instead of one car with three trim levels, they spread them under three different badges.
Though the dashboard is basically identical in each one (even the e-up) and what's missing are parking sensors, cruise control, steering wheel buttons and stuff like that, so all of them fit the "not a smartphone on wheels" requirement.
I think you're conflating a couple of different things here.
just have a Bluetooth radio and that’s it
and
I like to have actual buttons
These are two separate issues. The former, in my view, deals largely with what is seen as an extraneous or even potentially unwanted set of features. Especially in so much as cars are quite famously some of the worst devices people own in terms of keeping their data private and secure. Better to have a car that doesn't collect that data in the first place, and just sticks to being a car that goes vroom. Or whirrrrr, as the case may be with an EV. But there are advantages to the more advanced features too. Navigation, lane assist, adaptive cruise control, etc. Whether you want the features or not is an entirely personal decision.
But this is not the same as the question of how you interface with the car. Yes, more advanced features are probably going to require a more complicated UI, maybe including a touch screen, though centre console knobs can achieve the same.
But the core of this criticism, I think, is about whether you can keep your eyes on the road while driving. And that means that you should be able to do the core things related to driving: steer, accelerate, brake, indicate, turn on/off lights (including high beam), and adjust wiper settings all from the steering wheel. And secondary but important frequently-accessed settings like AC temperature, radio volume, radio channel/mode, and turning on/off cruise control should be doable using physical knobs and buttons, though these may be located in the centre console. The important thing here is that even if some more advanced features do exist to be interacted with via touch screen, they don't have to mean (and shouldn't mean) the important driving-critical features are only available via a dangerous touch screen.
Further, in terms of safety, having a large display built into your dash showing you navigation is much better than a small device you jerryrig onto a vent or something. It's easier to see via your peripheral vision, and won't put you in a situation where you need to go find it off of the floor when it falls off.
I'd prefer a decent phone holder instead of a screen in the center console, or at least a solid place to mount a holder. A couple 1/4-20 threaded holes in the dash would be awesome.
I've got a decent adhesive mount phone holder that I stuck to the top left corner of the infotainment system. Because fuck that screen with a rusty shovel.
Same thing with things like messages and text via the infotainment. You can hit a button and have it read out to you. Saves any temptation from even glancing st your phone while you drive.
Main reason i won't get a rivian is it doesn't support android auto nor any of the functions I mentioned above.
I hope so at some point. Drove a friend's tesla and fuck that thing, even the speedometer was on the fucking center tablet... Fuckin why? I don't want to hunt for my current speed in the bloated infotainment bs.
Preech. It's literally a tablet on wheels and it sucks
If your hate only goes towards touchscreens and not having physical buttons, Mazda is (or at least was) very anti-touchscreen. I haven't done any research on their current stance or if they have good EVs, but a neighbor of mine was really happy with his Mazda ICE car for having a button for everything.
2024 Mazdas have touchscreens, so much for that analog vision of theirs. And they have just as much telematics and always-connected privacy-invading tech as other makes.
That's awesome. Never knew that about Mazda.
2024 has touchscreens now
You might want to look into taking an older car and paying to get someone to install a conversion kit. If you have an existing car you could see if there's a compatible kit that'll save you some money.
From what I've seen, conversions are generally preferred on pre OBD cars, as even the accessories like lights, AC etc run through that.
It puts you back looking at vehicles from the 70s or earlier. VW beetles, combis,Porsches seem to be popular choices.
My MY21 Hyundai Kona feels like a normal car without all those extra features. Lots of tactile buttons, there's a headphone jack/USB. It's really just a regular car with an EV engine.
That's freaking awesome. I'll check it out. I don't really need a car now, but just wondering if we will turn into 100% smartphones on wheels
I got a 2022 Hyundai Kona EV. It does have a touch screen, but most functions can be done with buttons, except for navigation. It does have Android auto, but you don't have to use it. It has an aux port or Bluetooth audio as an option
Second that, we own the non-EV version and the central console is pretty well designed. The car itself has a few ergonomy flaws though imho
Buy an older ICE car, pay for an EV conversion.
Any good choices? Been thinking of getting an old civic and seeing if anyone local can do it.
If you're going to go to all the trouble of an EV conversion, I'd suggest getting something stylish or with a nice interior (or whatever you prioritize) but a shitty/unreliable stock drivetrain, since you're ripping it out anyway. In a sense, making a reliable Honda into an EV is a waste of a reliable Honda.
I always liked the idea of converting an old e30 BMW
Nah I'm not knowledgeable on it. I just read that some people were having it done at a cost of $6k-$8k for popular car models that were easy to work on.
I have a 2016 Hyundai Tucson that is almost paid off and works flawlessly. I actually never thought of conversion. I'll have to look into that. Thank you.
Sure thing. I think I read that some had paid between $6-8k for conversions.
eBikes
While an amazing option for city commutes, mine is close to 100km daily. I have no idea if it's possible to use an e-bike for that, but it would certainly take up even more of my limited free time to do so.
Mitsubishi has been selling one for nearly a decade. It’s not great.
Toyota has a Corolla hybrid that seems pretty close.
The issue is that why would they build a budget EV when they can sell an expensive, high margin, EV? The batteries are low supply, high demand so they should be wringing every dollar possible from it.
Things where federal and California regulations step in and force these vehicles into market.
My 2017 Chevy Bolt is fully electric and has less fancy integrations than most cars sold today. It's got Bluetooth and aux audio in but you have to connect a phone with a cable for Car Play or Android Auto, it's got normal buttons and switches for all the car stuff too. It had a remote start until I ran out of free On Star months.
Seeing how OP hasn't replied to any comments, I'm starting to wonder if they're just anti-EV and trying to stir the pot. I test drove the newer bolt, the leaf, and a few others, it's clear OP hasn't really done much research if that's an actual complaint they have, most are as you said. They range from basic to super fancy.
Probably not available where you are but there are lots of Chinese options that are exactly this.
Any examples? I live in China and even the worst shoebox on wheels has a touch screen and built-in always online capabilities.
Some names would be appreciated
You should probably mention your jurisdiction ,but I'm in EU and have a Dacia , pretty goood lack of stupid/unnecessary features and the console is mostly optional to use. Physical buttons for important stuff and music/calls. Mine is a LPG/gasoline hybrid but most is similar to the EV models.
Least bad in Mozillas privacy review as well. Plenty of electronics still ofc it is needed in any car today EV or not.
Depends on where you are. In Europe some of the cars that have a shared platform---as in you can get an ICE or EV on the same model---are worth looking at. A bunch of the Stellantis-built stuff, like Peugeot or Vauxhall, are pretty "standard car, but EV". Similarly Renault has some good options.
I live in the US. I wish we had access to some European cars. I'm originally from the middle East and all those cars you mentioned are there, not in the US for some reason. I remember we had Opel that is nowhere to be found in the US. Same with some Toyota trucks like Helix... Etc
I mean, gasoline-powered cars are headed the same way. manufacturers realize they can make more money by forcing us to pay for software.
I know that Edison motors up in Canada makes conversion kits so you can turn your pickup truck or 18 wheeler into a hybrid. I'm sure there are people out there putting electric motors in regular cars, I've seen them do it with Porsches and mustangs
I don't think you can easily find new thermal cars without technology, so EVs
All new cars have infotainment systems and computerized controls and displays these days. This is in no way specific to EVs. In Europe there is the Dacia Spring. That's a very simple and down to the absolute essentials kind of vehicle. But not something I would ever want to drive.
Citroen e-c3 comes without infotainment. Instead a built in phone mount where the screen is supposed to be and bluetooth connectivity for the speakers. I'd say this comes the closest to what OP is asking for.
True, that might be a good option.
The entertainment system in most cars are separate from the actual car computer. You can just turn it off, or only use the radio. I think it's only Tesla where it's necessary to use the screen in order to operate the car.
EVs however is one place where it makes some sense to have some software connection to the car, if you want to time the charging to the electricity price or set a tine to preheat and such, that'd be difficult to make with physical buttons. I'd prefer just to have an simple app for it, because I really dislike the proprietary software in the cars.
You only need the screen to operate a Tesla on any model without stalks.
I've never tried to open the frunk with voice commands, but it probably works.
I want to talk to my car even less than I want to operate a touch screen.
If you have an old truck, Edison Motors has preorders for the Pickup Truck conversions. The kit will only have the drive train stuff in it and anything else is not something they're interested in. They are working with autoshops to do the conversions, so it's not a DIY thing.
Nice. I don't have a truck, I was just wondering in case I want to replace my car in the future.
Well, another thing that's nice about Edison Motors is that they're the Engineers, Mechanics and End Users for the kits. It all started because they wanted a Tesla Semi Truck to try for their logging company, but got snubbed by Tesla. It should have much higher usability then a truck designed by someone who's never driven a truck before.
This isn't like a Prius where the Engine, Electric Motor and Tires are all connected mechanically at some point. The Diesel/Generator unit is only connected to the E-Axle via electrician power. Because the company supported open standards and open documentation, you could just get the e-axle, ESC, and battery pack and build a pure EV around it. They need to focus on a simple product line with the broadest use cases for starting though, so I'm not surprised they aren't talking about pure EV trucks.
There's also strong community and wealth of information on swapping EV guts into older cars. You get the benefits of EV without the spyware and info-distractions. These are all custom jobs though, so a cost estimate is impossible. Deboss has a very interesting EV project going on right now. Edison says the total cost of their kits should be around 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of a new truck
I have an old Scottsdale truck I'm eyeing for a Edison conversion. The juxtaposition of a modern diesel/EV hybrid drive train combined with an 80's square body truck with manual crank windows it too irresistible. All running on biodiesel as well.
So let's be very clear here. This is basically true for any new car, practically no 'normal car' has come out (in the US) for the past few years. The amount of feature creep has been massive, some due to regulations, some because adding it is cheap. The only place where you can get relatively bare bones is in pick ups. Not in suv's. Cars except sportscars are no longer being offered, only two 'normal' models (accord and camry) still exist. These all have driver assist tech and large screens as well. You won't be able to get around features hiding behind touch screens, simply impossible to find in today's market.
The problem for Evs is that beyond styling the only differentiating factor is tech. They are all fast and differ not that much in range, speed, comfort, handling in their price ranges. This has pushed tech into the car industry, especially in the US where people are willing to go into debt for cars, to the point where the average price for a new car is 47k. Compared to eu: 27k
In principle, the less you pay the less tech you get. But for any new car, there is tech. No way around it anymore. You can buy the car and ignore it.
My Hyundai Ioniq 5 has ample physical buttons on the center console, steering wheel, and door, and a physical door handle that Teslas lack. Sure there is a touch screen (smaller than industry average), but I don't frequently use it, the buttons outside the screen are enough.
Man, that sounds like a good car. I already like Hyundai cars. I have two kids and I don't want to be fiddling with touch screens while driving. Shit is scary.
I think we need a car that "weeds out" all the shitty tech that has been integrated and comes "standard" now.
Let's take my partner's 2021 Honda Civic for example.
Lane Keep Assist (LKAS) - it's garbage. The car does not recognize construction zones, and it will actively fight you if you are in those zones, or if you have to make an emergency lane change without signaling, like if a deer, or child runs in front of your car. We turned this feature off.
Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) - This system legit tries to wreck the car. We've had it flag and even slam the brakes dozens of times in non-emergency scenarios. It was so bad we took it back to the dealer to have the software updated (which changed nothing) and considered returning the car. The system has to be manually disabled every time we drive the car, we cannot permanently disable it. Slamming your brakes at highway speeds when someone makes a close merge is a real good way to wreck your car and the 6 or so behind you. The risk of causing 12+ accidents to avoid or mitigate 0 is not worthwhile, and it needs to go.
Adaptive Cruise Control - A great way to make idiots fall asleep, and causes left lane lollygagging. I tried using adaptive cruise control for a few long trips, and what I noticed is that there are long lines of cars driving 4 under where they are all using ACC. When the car automatically adjusts it's speed, you lose feedback on the speed you are actually going, because you never get into that "decision zone" behind a car where you either slow down, or pass the other car. It also makes people feel more confident to let the car drive, so they'll fuck around on their phones. Get rid of it, you'll get where you're going faster and safer if you do.
Auto Dimming Headlights - Turns on by accident all the time, and very hard to turn off. Works ~50% of the time. Could be good, but really sucks right now.
Here are some features that rock, and should stay in.
Keyless entry
Remote start and push button start
Apple / Android phone integration
Brake hold
Backup camera
Thanks for attending my rant.
Oh man, I love adaptive cruise control. I also don't agree that using it in the left lane is bad. If there's a line of cars going too slowly, the person in front is the asshole, not the three using ACC behind them. You really shouldn't pass on the right anyway, would definitely not call doing that driving safer.
Everybody in the line is part of the problem. If you aren't passing, move right. You should be checking every 30 seconds or so. Am I passing or going to pass someone in the next minute? No? Move right. Only times I'd consider an exception is if there was an on-ramp lane merging down, or an exit ramp coming up, or if you need the left lane for a turn (and you better have your fucking signal on)
If you get passed on the right, and there is no room to your left, you've created a dangerous situation and you need to move fucking right ASAP.
I got one as a loaner last year and agree on everything except the backup cameras, those are completely unnecessary too. I hated that car. Was happy to get my 2012 model back.
I wasn't big on the backup camera at first, but having it in conjunction with a mirror really helps when parking in tight spaces, or backing out of a parking space. I use it probably 95% of the time when backing up.
Also, it doesn't really hurt anything to have the backup cam if you've already got an infotainment system in the car. You're not losing or compromising anything to have it, and it's not going to affect your operation of the vehicle if it turns on unintentionally.
That was actually an awesome rant. Enshitification is rampant
I'm mad about backup cameras because I don't like using them and car manufacturers have just decided they don't need no stinking sightlines out the back "because just use the camera."
Fuck them and fuck their camera, I'm a hand on the passenger headrest man and I'll die that way goddammit!
I tried an VW ID3 this weekend, the software was low key, it mostly relied on you having Apple Car or it's android equivalent.
Don't know about your answer specially but can get EV conversion kits that provide the hardware to turn older cars into EVs. Of course you really have to know what you're doing or know someone who does and the kits themselves are often as expensive as mid range vehicles.
I have a 2016 Nissan Leaf. It's a short range commuter car, it makes a great second car for a family but it's no good if it's your only car.
I live in a left-hand drive country that gets heaps of used imports from Japan (who is also left-hand drive), so they are cheapish and easy to get YMMV,. The entertainment system is not touch screen, it has physical buttons including controls on the steering wheel. I'm not sure if it can phone home since it's no longer in a supported country. We use Bluetooth for music and that's it as the Nissan Connect stuff doesn't work here.
The Nissan Connect stuff doesn't work anymore for any of the 2016 Leafs, they used a form of cell service that is no longer in operation.
I swapped a nice Kenwood head unit into my Leaf for a couple hundred dollars. It maintains the backup camera, steering wheel controls, and the built in USB port while offering a larger screen and touch screen controls for Android Auto or Apple Car Play if you want them. It's awesome and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a short range commuter car.
That's what I tell people who are just pure "anti" EV. No one should be anti EV, that's a stupid take IMO. (Even the things about the environmental cost, I mean, fair, except their solution is to continue to keep destroying the planet by burning gas/diesel so you know they don't actually care about that issue).
EVs are perfect for commuter cars and around town cars, which I'd say is 95+% of driving for most people. They just don't want to admit it. Their vision of how they drive is wild and free on an open road, but most of them are just going to walmart, to work, for groceries, and around town. Since most of America is 2+ cars per house, it makes absolute sense for one to be an EV and the other to be an ICE/hybrid.
EVs are perfect for commuter cars and around town cars, which I’d say is 95+% of driving for most people.
The real "EVs"1 -- that is, e-bikes -- are even more perfect for that use case, though.
(1 Because most electric vehicles sold are, in fact bicycles, not cars)
Fiat 500e first gen and Nissan volt first gen.
Pretty much it unless diy
Just rented a KIA Niro and wouldn't have been able to tell it was an EV from the interior. HSS Bluetooth but I usually opt for Android auto.
The old Chevy Sparks are basically golf carts with 4 doors and permission to drive in the roads. They are the least "techy" EVs I've seen in person as they are really just a battery swap with the minimally-appointed ICE version of the car, which is very sparse on the electronic doodads.
Those "cheap" Asian EV's look like bare bone vehicles. But you get what you are paying for.
For once I wouldn't suggest to buy an old first gen EV. They are unpredictable, and have a lot of different issues.Hopefully someday.
I agree with the touch screen thing. Without a physical button I'm forced to constantly look down at the screen. That shit isn't safe.
And it's worse when you have kids. Like, I don't want to get my eyes off the road at all. People scare me on the road. You never know when someone will just stop all of a sudden.
Smart cars maybe?
I thought the Nitro EV was a pretty normal EV
Canoo if they every exist IRL.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/cGbmYS84lkQ?si=t9pTZKmdv5Y6p0bm
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.
Buy an old, used EV (and replace the battery)?
Bluetooth is a pretty bad idea I wouldn't want anything like that in my car or in my house or on my toilet
The problem is that it takes a lot of computer power needed to run an EV. Battery management, power management, motor control, etc. Requiring that much computer power makes it a cheap and easy decision for car makers to just make everything part of that system.
We will get there eventually but it’s going to take a lot of people to want it (many people aren’t even considering an EV as a future car purchase), a lot of the under-the-hood stuff will have to be shoved away, and charging/battery management need to be simplified while still being robust and reliable. I don’t see it happening any time soon, ICE vehicles have only been getting more and more complex in this way. “Stick a tablet in there” is so cheap and easy and resolves so many manufacturing hurdles.
Bespoke windows controls? Nah, button on a screen. Custom entertainment system? App on a tablet. Backup camera screen? Just put in on the screen so it’s the only thing you can see while backing up.
If car makers cant get around these hurdles without incurring, previously saved, costs, the trend will continue.
The problem is that it takes a lot of computer power needed to run an EV. Battery management, power management, motor control, etc. Requiring that much computer power makes it a cheap and easy decision for car makers to just make everything part of that system.
How much does that take, exactly? It sounds like something a cheap microcontroller that you might find in a dumb appliance could easily do.
The thing about screens being easier than n custom physical buttons is true, though. I'm waiting for someone to put a haptic display in a car so the safety problems are somewhat ameliorated.
I am not an engineer, but I imagine keeping multiple DC motors running efficiently/in sync together while outside influences change by the second isn’t easy. Communication with a variety of EV chargers at different levels of power must take a logic system. ICE vehicles have a lot of physical parts with 120 years of engineering behind keeping things in order. There just isn’t that level of engineering for EVs, which have only really been developed during the era of microchips.
None of that takes much power, nor is it unique to EVs. ICE have much of that now.
Also cars are not centralizing those systems. They’re all in independent modules.
Maybe we are looking at different cars, I only really am exposed to American cars. Any vehicle I have been in made after 2021 have integrated most things into the infotainment system. Which are now also integrated into the operations of the cars.
And ICE vehicles rely, quite heavily, on the hundreds of moving parts that have been engineered for 120 years. Nothing mechanical can really regulate managing the charge rate of the battery, or are able to calculate the necessary changes in power to each motor, or managing any kind of safety system. As some of those things have been added to ICE vehicles, the lack of buttons has been notable.