evchels said:
...The one that caught my attention tonight is the lessees vs owners, especially as it relates to the AZ issue. It makes sense that the owners would be more concerned about the technical impact (as opposed to the broader communication/trust concerns that I know many feel.) I'm curious whether you guys think any proposed "remedy" should be different between the two groups? If so, how?
I am a lessee. I am fairly confident that the car will do what I need it to do for the duration of the 3-year lease in my circumstances. So my personal concern is more along the lines of wanting the technology to succeed in the marketplace.
Once you get past the limited range issue (which is a hard enough sell), you just CAN'T be vague about the robustness of the battery. Yes, we all know that batteries age and lose capacity over time. But this needs to be defined and delineated before the general public is going to be sold. As we can see, even the most enthusiastic supporters are fading because of the completely vague and non-committal stance Nissan have taken with this key component.
Put me in the camp that insists a warranty is needed. There must be some boundaries set, both on customer expectations, and on Nissan's responsibilities. Without a warranty, words like "gradual", and "normal" can mean anything. Without a warranty, Nissan is free to craft their communications along the lines of a Sci-Fi series, where any outcome can be explained away or reversed in the very next episode.
"No, the batteries are fine, it's the instrumentation"
"The instrumentation is fine, you're doing it wrong"
"Congratulations on your 5-star battery report"
"There is no excessive degradation"
"Don't worry, the excessive degradation will level off"
There is no trust, because there is no compact. At this point it's "caveat emptor". I still jumped because I believe EVs are the correct path, and I mitigated my risk by leasing. But I do not expect most people to be similarly motivated. And as for the early-adopter buyers, I do not expect very good word of mouth unless they are very deliberately taken good care of. "Ostentatiously taken good care of" would be better yet. And if Nissan cannot get them to be enthusiastic ambassadors to the general public (who are more leery), they will have a very hard time gaining in the marketplace.