IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Toyota is taking the Corolla electric

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

Four prevalent themes in the discussion

  1. Toyota’s historically anti‑EV stance and delayed electrification
  2. “and all it took was two decades and millions of spend in anti‑EV lobbying before they finally gave in, huh” – paimapi
  3. “Toyota isn't so much pro‑internal combustion as pro‑hydrogen. They bet on the wrong horse … and it cost them heavily.” – CamperBob2

  4. “Toyota has become the top auto industry financier of climate deniers… It has helped to finance campaigns of 207 climate‑denying congressional candidates…” – paimapi (citing Citizen.org article)

  5. Hybrids/PHEVs as a sufficient or superior path to emissions reduction

  6. “They have done more to reduce carbon emissions than any other automaker. Hybrids, particularly plug‑in hybrids, achieve most of the benefits of EVs without any of the trade‑offs…” – asdfginoi
  7. “Toyota was broadly right in their approach to EVs. They were pioneers in hybrids… Their low end cars are extremely fuel efficient…” – RajuChacha108

  8. “Public policy should not insist on one technology to the exclusion of viable alternatives.” – asdfginoi

  9. Charging infrastructure and home‑charging practicality as a key barrier

  10. “You don't need a home charger to enjoy driving an EV. A home charger is a bonus to driving an EV.” – WorldMaker
  11. “The charger situation though is real friction… It is unreliable transport without having a home charger.” – asdff
  12. “If you average under 50 miles of driving per day this might work just fine” (Level‑1 120 V charging) – stetrain

  13. “My electric panel is full. If I want to add an EV charger… I first have to replace the electric panel… minimum $5000…” – TedDoesntTalk

  14. Desire for simple, analog, low‑tech EVs that feel like a “normal car”

  15. “Pure analog. No telemetry. No cellular connection. Real rack and pinion again. Real gauges… Basically, your car in 2003, with the gas engine replaced with an electric motor.” – asdff
  16. “I don’t mind analogue buttons… but with the Tesla I now own I'm always wondering what people are using all these buttons for…” – EricMay
  17. “The closest thing I could find to a ‘normal car but electric’ was the Hyundai Kona EV… There are physical controls for the temperature and volume, and the door handles aren't stupid.” – sgarrity
  18. “My father has a hybrid model… It has physical controls for the radio, for AC… You can absolutely drive it without ever having to interact with the touchscreen while doing normal things.” – vladvasiliu

🚀 Project Ideas

Generating project ideas…

ClickClack EV Controls

Summary

  • A snap‑on retrofit kit that adds physical knobs and buttons for climate, volume, and drive‑mode controls to modern EVs that rely solely on touchscreens.
  • Restores tactile, eyes‑free operation while preserving the vehicle’s original electronics.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience EV owners frustrated by touchscreen‑only interiors (e.g., Tesla, Hyundai Ioniq, Ford Mach‑E)
Core Feature Magnetic/ adhesive modules with rotary encoders and push‑buttons that send CAN‑bus signals to emulate factory controls
Tech Stack ESP32‑CAN transceiver, PCB with hall‑effect encoders, 3D‑printed enclosures, optional companion app for configuration
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: $49 per kit (volume discounts for fleets)

Notes

  • HN users praised physical controls: “Physical buttons don't have that problem” and “I can press the button blind while you are looking at the road”.
  • Enables discussion on aftermarket usability mods and could spark a community of open‑source control maps for various EV platforms.

DriveGhost

Summary

  • An open‑hardware telematics gateway that sits between the vehicle’s CAN bus and its cellular modem, allowing owners to block, log, or redirect all outgoing data.
  • Gives drivers full visibility and control over what telemetry leaves their car, addressing privacy and “phone‑home” concerns.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Privacy‑conscious EV owners who want to strip telemetry or run their own telemetry endpoint
Core Feature Programmable firewall/proxy for CAN‑to‑LTE traffic with logging, VPN tunneling, and OTA‑update kill‑switch
Tech Stack STM32H7 with CAN FD and LTE‑Cat‑M1, Rust‑based firmware, Web UI for rule management, optional Docker‑compatible collector
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: $129 device + optional $5/mo cloud log storage

Notes

  • Commenters asked for “access to any datasets … tear out the telemetry hardware … let me send it to my own endpoint” and lamented “datapoints they can somehow make some money off of”.
  • Provides a concrete way to implement the “open software and hardware within safety protocols” ideal mentioned in the thread.

ChargeShare

Summary

  • A platform that maps and reserves shared Level‑2 EV chargers installed at workplaces, apartment complexes, and municipal lots, with smart load‑balancing to avoid panel upgrades.
  • Solves the “no home charger” pain point for renters and urban dwellers by turning under‑used private chargers into a community network.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Apartment residents, condo owners, and workplace EV drivers lacking dedicated home charging
Core Feature Mobile app + charger controller that schedules charging sessions, enforces fair‑use quotas, and dynamically scales current based on building load
Tech Stack Node.js backend, PostgreSQL, React Native app, OCPP‑compatible charger firmware (ESP32 + Modbus), optional current‑sensor CT clamps
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: 10% transaction fee per charging session + optional premium for guaranteed slot

Notes

  • Users highlighted the charger‑at‑home barrier: “If you have a dryer in your garage you can get a charger that plugs into that” and “power at your overnight parking spot is a massive component”.
  • Encourages discussion on distributed energy resources and could integrate with utility demand‑response programs.

RangeTrail

Summary

  • A rentable, aerodynamic battery‑trailer that plugs into an EV’s charging port to add 100‑200 miles of range on long trips, eliminating the need for a large, costly built‑in battery.
  • Addresses range anxiety and the desire for occasional extra range without paying the premium of a long‑range EV.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience EV owners who take infrequent road trips and want a lightweight, cost‑effective range extension
Core Feature Swappable lithium‑iron‑phosphate battery pack (10‑15 kWh) with active cooling, automated latch, and plug‑and‑play NACS/J1772 adapter
Tech Stack Battery pack with BMS, carbon‑fiber trailer chassis, inductive alignment guides, mobile app for reservation and lock/unlock
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: $25 per day rental or $199/month subscription for unlimited swaps

Notes

  • Echoed electroweak’s comment: “a small sedan BEV with a rear charging port and an optional flat trailer with a large battery … rentable from the dealer for occasional long trips”.
  • Sparks conversation about modular energy storage, reduces upfront EV cost, and creates a new sharing‑economy niche around EV accessories.

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