Questions, Coffee & Cars #46 // Should we wait for solid state batteries?

This is a Motormouth couple car video answering your questions from Instagram, like: Do you think fixed panel roofs will continue? Who is the voice of Questions, Coffee and Cars? Is the Lexus RX 450h+ worth the $90,000? Why is Subaru so far behind with hybrid technology? When will the Mazda CX5 be updated and will 4Runner be battery EV? Is buying an EV right now a good idea knowing that solid state batteries are just around the corner? 2024 Subaru WRX, 2024 Subaru Legacy GT or Kia Niro PHEV? Will the Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica be updated? Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV or Kia Sorrento PHEV?
Andrea Instagram / motormouth_andrea
Zack Instagram / motormouth_auto

[@panameradan6860]

Regarding glass in car roofs (1:00), my experience (asking friends, relatives over the years) is that very few people want/need glass in their car roofs, period. I get why some people do. But most people who get conned into thinking that they need glass in their car roofs are just being conned by the auto industry in their efforts to get more money. Take Mercedes and Porsche, where pano roofs are optional: their dealerships almost always buy lot cars (to sell off their lot) with pano-glass roofs; more money in their pockets. You can special-order Mercedes and Porsches without the pano glass, and I do. Reasons for not having glass in your car's roof: higher MSRP/cost; more weight; countless cases of glass cracking or breaking due to rocks/debris kicked up, falling branches or ice, and just stress build-up on flat panes of glass from motion/bumps and temperature changes; countless cases of leaks from bad seals in roof glass; very hard to keep clean; not the best idea if you want to carry loads on your roof with roof racks; too much light, extra glare, and heat build up in the car (without a good way to shut off roof-glass sunlight); less safety for car occupants in case of a roll-over accident; likely higher insurance rates; less head room inside. I've had sunroofs that open and pano roofs that don't. I have never found that opening a sun roof seriously gives you more air. And if you have a sunroof open, you can get debris in your car (and bird droppings, bugs, etc.). I vastly prefer all-metal roofs, and it's a factor for me in buying a new car, always.

[@mikescott6097]

DAVID KAYE!!!!!! NO WAY!!!! I'm a huge fan of his. That's so awesome you have him in your vids... I would have never known!

[@kevinn1158]

Andrea jumps in the car, opens the roof, has the wind blowing through her hair, cranks up the Dream Weaver and double guns everybody as she drives by!! Don't cramp her style Zack!!

[@frankcancian4129]

😂👏👏👏👏👏

[@kevinn1158]

@@frankcancian4129 and if you're lucky you get a wink...

[@mariusvanc]

This is why people buy convertibles. Where all those EV convertibles at?

[@EGW769]

I agree with Andrea having had vehicles with both a fixed and opening panoramic roofs. Opening is the only way to go as you can open it in Spring and Summer and let fresh air and sunshine into the cabin. Fixed is pretty pointless especially without a sun blind as the cabin heats up too much over burdening your AC system and is so blacked out you don’t even notice the sunshine which Zack would love!

[@SamIAm-kz4hg]

I literally open my sun roof about three days a year. Not a deal breaker in the least.

[@krom9897]

LMAO the stories and jokes on fire this episode. Great stuff! 😂

[@remiguertin6474]

Regarding Sun Roofs: We had the CX5 for over three years and opened the Sun Roof twice: my wife said too noisy and I opened it once to put some silicone on the seal. Got my new RDX in July, have not open the Sun Roof yet. Waste of money!

[@boomafoo9]

Well I guess it definitely depends on the person!

[@colleensmith3374]

Fresh air a must in Colo @@boomafoo9

[@10OF9OFBORG]

😆 about panorama roof. I like panorama for get some air while sitting. And poor Zack’s pick up got roll back to across of street. Great show guys! ☕️☕️

[@TheBebeluga]

Thank you for your response. I like the Niro for it's price and fuel economy. The Camry..for it's size and fuel economy. The WRX..it is fun to drive all year long..specially when it is snowing . P.S : Forgot to mention : I ordered a 2023 WRX in September that will be a 2024 WRX when it gets here in...March..maybe...

[@JayRay61]

Hitting on all cylinders.... 👍 Love the old stories too...LOL

[@davidgalea430]

Love the videos and the Coffe format. Keep it up guys. Dave from Melbourne Australia

[@arbitrary76]

Solid state batteries are vapourware at this point, so why wait? If an EV works for your use cases and you can afford the one you like best, go for it. If you need more range or better charging infrastructure or lower prices, fair enough, then wait...

[@panameradan6860]

Yes, Toyota likes to talk a lot. Solid-state battery technology is tricky, and if it were "so easy" to get solid-state batteries into cars by 2027, many other automakers would be talking about it also. There are lots of companies (outside of, but closely watched by and even funded by, the major automakers) that are trying to get solid-state batteries to the point where they can be used in cars that are mass-produced, but nobody but Toyota is claiming anything like "2027". Think about that. It would/will indeed change the entire auto industry if/when solid-state batteries can be put cheaply into EVs, and that's why you'll be hearing a LOT about it once the real break-throughs are made. And there's crickets from all the major companies working on it right now -- with lots of top-notch scientists and engineers trying their best to find the magic brew. And regarding the question posed on this topic in this video: who, seriously, is looking for a huge trade-in or resale value on ANY car that is 7 or 8 years old? If you're keeping your car past warranty, you're pretty much giving up on serious trade-in value down the road.

[@kellingtonlink956]

I would never look at a vehicle without an opening sunroof. I drive everywhere, even when it is likely raining … with it open, and every season (yes, Winter too). Two reasons… 1) natural unfiltered sunlight along with the crispness of fresh air and the smells of nature. And without sounding like a hypocrite and against popular trends… 2) I absolutely LOVE smoking in my cars. They’ve become relaxing smoking lounges during my long (often over 5 hours) distance drives (or at nonsmoking locations/houses/hotels), offering amazing music (always upgrade from base stereo!), spectacular coffee, heated seats, breathtaking views and the stimulating conversations. And… the open sunroof just takes that experience to the next level offer that fresh air into the mix. I can appreciate that most people do not agree with me, but it always amazes me while on vacation/trips or at cottages/chalets how many ‘occasional smokers’ have gravitated to wanting to go in my car when zipping around (while they would never do so in their own vehicles… or can’t (rental/Wife/kids/smell))… which does NOT bother me at all. Unpopular comment, sorry. But still… thanks for the video.

[@springertube]

You had me 'til #2! ... but get how it would be appealing to you for that reason. I've always have liked a conventional sunroof or moonroof. In desert Arizona, ¾ of the year is potentially sunroof season. And there's nothing like a roof-open drive in the mountains or up the coast in the summer or fall, twisty curvies (at slow to medium speed where any wind noise/buffeting is not a factor). I have no need for the panoramic roof, though I understand why those that like them do.

[@kellingtonlink956]

Agreed. And I absolutely understand not agreeing with my #2 reason. Cheers.

[@kelleeb7823]

the question was for a third option not a third row option. FYI

[@andreaspencer9813]

Yes but he was talking about 3-row SUVs, so I think it all worked out anyway lol!

[@kelleeb7823]

thumbs up !@@andreaspencer9813

[@Tonga2]

Love the glass roof over an opening. It’s all about a bright interior!!!

[@xtremestart]

Excellent reporting. Keep it up guys!. Myself and and immediate families are Hyundai vehicle owners. Our experience with the Hyundai vehicles are not so good. Lot of reliability issues and no wonder what I am seeing here reflects to our experience. Not going to buy another Hyundai vehicle in the future.

[@justin76490]

FYI the Pacifica will still be built in Windsor going forward. The plant will be capable of producing EVs, hybrids, and gas models.

[@uxb2001]

Saw my first Fisker Ocean One in IL today! Looked bigger in person vs. pictures.

[@princeauska]

That was actually a great question! “Who does the QCC intro.” I honestly thought it was YOU ZACK! 😹 Thanks for the clarification, you guys are so fun! 🖤

[@zoner__]

We love to open the roof and stand on the seats to watch air shows. That gets your viewpoint above fences and the crowds.

[@pedramazimzadeh4241]

Happy to see you again!

[@paulstein9258]

I live in southern Ohio. Temperature running around 30 degrees low. Have Venza. MPG dropped 10 mpg as the temperature dropped. I keep the steering wheel and seat heater on full time. Heater slow to heat. I’m going back to gas.

[@ColJonSquall1]

Wow, didn't know that the intro was voiced by David Kaye, I love him as Megatron in Beast Wars: Transformers.

[@timphillips4147]

Always a good watch Q C & C's with super content and humour 🎉

[@stuntmonkey00]

I honestly think that part of why big panoramic sunroofs are a thing is because of videos like this one... it looks good on KZbin with the big bright patch behind the presenters' heads, and really sells the car. But realistically... most drivers don't pay that much attention to rear passengers because outside of kids so many trips are single-occupancy, and the older front-passengers-tyle moon-roofs are more than enough for non-luxury everyday cars.

[@MPC30S]

We just spent a few months trying to sort out which family hauler was best for us. We ended up agreeing with Zac and Andrea: the Kia Carnival was our choice. Sienna could have been a good option, too, but... here in MB, the wait time for one is over 2 years. 2 years!! Dealership here was actively dissuading us from looking at a Sienna for that reason. By-the-by: the best vehicle we test drove was the Grand Highlander. Great, stable, confident feel behind the wheel. But more than $12 000 cash more than the Carnival (plus the extra financing costs that you'd incur). Carnival for us.

[@rhrh10]

Still too many unknown with the solid state battery, and are they able to mass produce it and keep the cost low? Reliability? More like Toyota marketing is blowing smoke and it’s working because people are already asking if they should wait for it

[@jamespaul2587]

Agreed, Toyota's been talking about their miracle solid state batteries, which they've promised for years, and no one's ever seen prototypes or test results. It seems like a stall tactic to buy Toyota time to catch up with other EV manufacturers

[@hkmp5kpdw]

You owe that man a hedge...

[@manbtm1]

Actually, we’re going to stick with gas powered until they sort out all of this mess, we’re just still way too experimental with way too many things when it comes to hybrids and batteries and battery life and types of battery, etc. We have a 2021 CX5 which we love, 50,000 mikes on it already, no problems, and yes, we heard there is a remodel for 2025 which means we wouldn’t want to buy one for a couple years till they got the bugs out of that one ,so we’ve decided to buy a 2024, which is an established model for seven years, they’ve got all the bugs out of it, it still manufactured in Japan which we like, we know there’s no CVT, thankfully, and we just found out there’s 0% financing for 60 months on them till January 2. For us the smarter option, hopefully, after that time, they’ll have a better hold on all of these EV vehicle things.

[@rongillespie7447]

gas engines - used to be everyone wanted an 8 cylinder…which had like 200hp. Now, most 4 cylinders get 200hp+ and the 8 cylinders are hard to find. What I’m saying is, everything is “experimental”. Gas engines are still experimental. Technology moves forward, in all areas. You can sit on the sidelines and watch or jump in and give it a try.

[@svenhodaka9145]

Just buy a Tesla model Y and get with the program. 🤷‍♂️

[@ronripley9197]

Yes. I totally agree with your thinking. Things have to stabilize a lot more before I sink big bucks into an EV! I have a 2021 RAV4 XLE Premium (gas) with only 18000 kms (12000 mi) and plan to drive it for a long time yet. Maybe by then, the EV market will be a lot clearer.

[@mariusvanc]

@@rongillespie7447Gas engines are not experimental. They're continually evolving to be more efficient. The EVs you see on the road today will be historic relics in 10 years.

[@rongillespie7447]

@@mariusvanc Electric engines have been around for decades and decades in various forms, they just weren’t practical for full vehicle use till now. And yes, everything will be relics one day….used to find V8s all the time, they are now long gone, replaced by turbo 4s and hybrids. That new tech…all experimental. Life is an experiment!

[@ChrisRobato]

No. Solid state batteries have their own critical technical issues that are TLDR to be discussed here. Better to wait for LFMP or better yet M3P batteries which are already around the corner in near future terms.

[@gpaull2]

Don’t hold your breath

[@Mac_Raymond]

Love your guys' videos. ❤️

[@andreaspencer9813]

Thank you so much!

[@katietatey]

I don't like sunroofs at all. I would hate a pano roof where there's no shade to cover it. Down here in SoCal we get enough sunlight. I happened to get a Rav4 with the sunroof because that was what was available, but I've never opened it and always have the shade closed. I can see how the pano roofs would be nice for rear seat passengers, though.

[@TheHifiEnvelope]

Leasing is what my wife and I are doing to get into an EV. We leased an Ioniq 6 and are very happy with it so far. I wanted to ask what it is you two are sitting in for this video?

[@rongillespie7447]

They pretty much always sit in their Porsche Cayenne.

[@frankkeel8410]

Third row is for dogs!

[@Didksnfkc]

Yes! Family of 4 and a dog! Seems like only Pilot has the best option when you can remove that piece between the second row seats so dog can get to the third row. It would be great to see it in other suvs

[@techpappee]

Hyundai Santa Fe has grown for the new model. It offers the most 3rd row room (I believe) outside of the big boys like Telluride sized vehicles.

[@limitedreach4446]

Toyota only plans to have SSB in 10,000 vehicle capacities by 2030. Waiting on the technology is useless

[@magnesium_subsoil_94]

I doubt Toyota will be first, and no I wouldn’t wait. I wouldn’t expect it to trickle to affordable cars until the mid 2030s at the earliest. It’ll come to BMWs and stuff in about 5 years I’d say. I would just say instead that no it’s not a good time but 2025 looks to be a good year. Updated Tesla Model Y BMW iX3 on dedicated EV platform Macan EV Polestar 4 Etc

[@okeedoak2]

The problem with the Toyota battery is they have been promising to deliver it for the last ten years and have missed every deadline. Right now, it's vaporware.

[@gregp.7148]

We need the less expensive, but new(er) CATL LFP batteries in all EVs. No dead wait carried around because you can charge it to 100% and they don’t overheat.

[@gregp.7148]

Also, no cold weather range decrease (if I recall correctly).

[@SpicyWoodsman]

OMG, he's The Brick guy. I have been wondering for years why his voice was so familiar!

[@pvtmadmike]

I just heard my favorite SUV the ford escape is going to be discontinued. We own a 2014 since new and it has been such a great SUV and we were looking to replace it with a hybrid, so sad since I know its value for trade once discontinued will plumet.

[@marcprobin1659]

For the solid state batteries, I heard that they will try them on hybrids first before they use them on BEV's. So you might see them on the Toyota hybrid brand., by 2026/2027.

[@rongillespie7447]

I still don’t get the whole hyrbid and/or Phev obsession. People are paying thousands of dollars to save hundreds of dollars. Unless you keep your car 6+ years or drive a zillion km’s a year, the upfront cost doesn’t make sense to me.

[@gregkramer5588]

I prefer saving the money vs having a glass roof at all. I think CATL is a bit ahead of Toyota with solid state. I guess we will know more in a few years, so hard to say right now.! Thanks for the video!

[@bhmbill]

When are you looking at the BMW plug in X5 50e?

[@roncaron-l1r]

Thank You love your video ( Ron

[@andreaspencer9813]

Thanks Ron!

[@944clogue]

My uncle Jimmy Boyd, was the voice over for all the Sessime St characters

[@ericbertrand7596]

I stopped in the middle to comment on the solid state battery. Zack seriously 1200+ km event if feasible would not happen and be impractical. Basic laws of physics here need to apply. Let’s say the vehicle is super efficient at 15kwh per 100km. 1200km/100 = 12 (100km ). Now you multiply 12 by 15kwh/100 which gives you a 180 kWh battery. Try to charge that at home. A big charger would be on a 60amp 240v at 80 capacity 11,52 kw If your battery is empty that’s 15.6 hours to charge. And here I have you an insanely good efficiency and summer conditions. The reality is sold state will come, batteries will be for around 600km and home charging will be good as well as fast dc Basic physics need to apply here. Oh and btw a gas car could also run 1200km+ easily, just have a bigger tank. Do they exist ? no Let me pile on while there, the gave changing in ev currently is a lot On how a car is manufactured (ie giga castings, efficient motors etc). I am not a Tesla fan but they are light years ahead in manufacturing and costs, their gross margins are insanely high and they have a tiny debt. bYD in china is about to invade the ev market. In 2016 Tesla sold 41,000 cars, in 2023 1.8M, the 2024 forecast is 2.7M…. Someone somewhere is loosing market share

[@Motormouth...]

If you do a quick Google search for Toyota's solid state battery projected range, they clearly stay 1200 km of range

[@ericbertrand7596]

@@Motormouth... oh I did, it does not change the laws of physics, don’t think you understood the issue at hand is how to get electrons from your house to the car and the bottleneck being the house not the car

[@rongillespie7447]

Hmmm, sounds like you know more than all those engineers at Toyota, maybe send them an email to let them know, I’m sure they would appreciate it.

[@ericbertrand7596]

@@rongillespie7447 I don’t, and the folks at Toyota are not addressing this issue. A battery is like a swimming pool the larger is the better, the only problem is your house only has a garden hose to fill it. Do the math

[@ericbertrand7596]

@@LWHDurham not sure which laws of physics you listed I missed :-) You made good points but I still do not see the value of 1200km battery unless it is used to offset electrical demand by charging at night at low cost and pushing back current during the daytime to the grid at a higher cost. I also have an electric car and installed the largest AC charger for the car a 48amp on a 60 amp circuit, had to change the breaker panel, the mast and cable to the street. Hydro Québec now needs to come back because my charger is making the transformer vibrate as well as the cable to my house which resonates in the mast. I am curious to see an installation at 80 or 100amps how that would hummmm. Anyway the name of the game is not so much battery size as much as efficiency. And a solid state would be 25% lighter for the same output, yet if we double it for more range then weight will be much higher and efficiency will be going down.

[@lloydzufelt7514]

You guys were talking about small companies, it would be great for mazda and Subaru were to merge.

[@Anti_degeneracy1]

I dislike sunroofs.

[@georgehigdon4974]

Zack, beautiful timepiece on your wrist! Care to share? Love your vids, thanks.

[@Motormouth...]

Thank you, It's a Sea Dweller

[@willsherman3527]

You should mention the insurance cost for PHEVs. Ouch

[@vulpixelful]

If you want an EV, just get one. The charging network will get better and better year after year, so people who can't charge at home will have less range anxiety when they have less overall range than a newer EV. There are more fuel efficient cars now than my 15+ year old car, but I don't care, because I can always find a gas station. Same for when I buy an EV soon and keep it.... Better than paying a perpetual car note. I like to pay my cars off and drive them until they are worth next to nothing anyway, so I don't care about resale value.

[@speedoflight3539]

In my humble opinion . Drive what you have until you find best possible. Chevy Silverado was old when I got it. Toyota Sienna was my first that I really did like. Four years after in 2003 Highlander all wheel drive was there in Edmonton AB. Now after happy Two hundred thousand seventy and some kilometres feel do I need another. In my humble opinion electric electric and change every couple minutes to it is just devil work to confuse happy and normal people.

[@donb.puryearjr.8699]

Yes, but only if it does not impeed progess towards the true EV car...

[@jeffmonk6359]

Why would you be so sure about Toyota only putting the solid state batteries in Lexus vehicles? I think there's actually much more pressure to put them in more affordable vehicles because there's so many other companies that are trying to get solid state batteries to market as well. Toyota could make a massive impact by having these things in affordable vehicles rather than going for a higher return per vehicle but fewer sales. I think solid state batteries will appear sooner than people are thinking. I'm still not sure that that's the point to jump in as first generation technology can be a terrifying thing, but it will definitely be a leap above current battery technology.

[@CalanReichel]

Double opening pano roof would be sick

[@bigmacdaddy1234]

Zack is rockin' a Rolex Sub! The question is ...when will he switch over the Darkside and wear a Panerai?

[@Motormouth...]

Close, Sea Dweller...

[@RigiLiquid945]

5:51 they had a crosstrek hybrid since 2014. where did that go?

[@andreaspencer9813]

There was a plug-in hybrid but Subaru discontinued it.

[@NissanBenShmuel]

Hey What car do you shoot the videos in?

[@andreaspencer9813]

Our Porsche Cayenne

[@moose64]

How many tyimes do you get interrupted during your filing of Questions, Coffee & Cars?

[@jmcl88]

Waiting for solid state architecture is a good idea. This may also crash the price of current gen vehicles on the used market, helping affordability.

[@boomafoo9]

We’ll see how long it is till that finally happens.

[@edwardschneider6396]

Hertz and Sixt are dropping all their Tesla cars. Why? Extreme depreciation and high maintenance. My son is driving a model 3 and is leaving the lease in April,2024. Going to lease a Porsche 718 Cayman 2024. The Tesla had average quality and windows whistle at highway speed.

[@tff000]

I get the sense that Toyota is 'going slow' on today's battery technology and betting their technology development & dollars on making a huge impact with the solid-state battery.

[@dystopia-usa]

Solid state batteries being the mainstream vehicle tech is still a decade or more away. I'll stick to ICE for the time being & will likely indulge myself with the 2024 refreshed/update Mazda MX-5/Miata roadster 6-MT in model year 2025 or 2026. Until then, enjoying my Mazda CX-30.

[@stea2494]

oh you really missed the last question lol he was looking for a 3rd option not a 3rd row lol

[@andreaspencer9813]

Yes, I saw that when we watched the video back but to be fair he was talking about three row SUVs, the Outlander and the Sorento.

[@bluetocop]

i am waiting for cars that run on natural gas (driver supplied with help from beans of course) can you see this on the horizon.

[@serkanister3620]

14 km a day? Just walk or bike mam/sir!

[@Didksnfkc]

7km would take 1.5 hours to walk. No, thank you

[@briangrandy5190]

If you do some research you will see that the value of used EV’s are tanking. Stay away from them get a hybrid instead. New EV’s are stacking up on dealer lots.

[@tommiko8313]

EV 2nd values already lo2in all markets

[@wizkid7687]

I’m not in the least bit interested in EV vehicles. You spend too much time on them

[@rongillespie7447]

many many many people are interested, why does their opinion not matter?