Lumilias
The only caution I would provide on Framework is their relative lack of BIOS updates: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/04/frameworks-software-and-firmware-have-been-a-mess-but-its-working-on-them/
They don’t have a BIOS updater for Linux (yet) and they have a history of overpromising stable updates. I get they’re hamstrung by upstream providers, but it’s a bad look on them to basically deliver a promised Thunderbolt update 1.5 years after announcing it. The CEO did say at least that they’ve hired on a new development team to get things moving, so hopefully they’ll be able to catch up.
Everything else I’ve heard about Framework is stellar.
Back in college during finals week, the school would do pancake parties for everyone studying. It was apparently a tradition stretching over 30 years.
Reading the article, it sounds like this might be it for Suyu if the pastebin is to be believed. The development team kinda imploded and the code used the Switch SDK, which makes it toxic to continue development legally.
One thing to keep in mind with ALL EVs when shopping: the advertised mileage is under certain conditions. The estimated mileage shown in your dash is under certain conditions.
The number you really need to keep an eye on is the estimated miles per kW. The Ioniq 6 has a 77.4 kWh battery on the SEL model (minimum model I would recommend), so at highway speed it was estimating me between 2.5-3 miles per kW. So for highway speed, my estimate is about 193-232 miles before empty. I actually calculated it while charging up yesterday and the miles per kW meter was fairly accurate, while the estimated remaining miles lagged behind significantly due to my largely short commute miles.
Your highway mileage will always suck. That’s why you must plan ahead accordingly.
The other thing I recommend…if you are looking now, lease, don’t buy. If you want to buy, wait for 2025 models with NACS plugs.
I cannot understate the impact Tesla has had on charging infrastructure. You will find many more NACS public chargers before finding CCS chargers (that work).
Edit: also, for the Ioniq 6: digital green exterior is the best color imho, but the green shows up best after either paint age or the right lighting. Everyone called my car black when I first bought it.
BYD also owns the entire supply chain, from lithium mines to battery manufacturing to car assembly to sales. Nobody else can do that right now.
And China has the overwhelming advantage in lithium supply to the rest of the world.
IIRC it’s not R&D that is the main cost of EVs these days, but the cost of the batteries themselves is still absurdly high. It’s down to $139/kWh as of Nov 2023, but keep that in perspective of an EV: a 72 kWh battery is $10k in raw material costs alone. I think I remember seeing a quote that affordable EVs (unsubsidized) can’t become a realistic goal until lithium prices break the $100 threshold.