The thing with EVs is that there is so much uncertainty in the platform. Is this an actual reliable car or will it crap out due to some byzantine electronics issue in 5 years?

Meanwhile a 4 cylinder dead simple economy gas car is pretty much commodified by automakers at this point. You change the oil, timing belt, brakes, tires, and live somewhere where they don’t salt the roads that car can probably run for half a century making 30mpg costing you pennies in comparison in insurance and registration because its small and slow. It is a known quantity. 4 cylinder ice with same old 4spd auto or 5spd manual is a solved science like a hammer or a tube amplifier is at this point.