The sub-$30,000 electric car has been the dream of Western auto manufacturers for years. On unveiling the Model 3, Tesla promised that this best-selling EV would be available for under that figure, and yet, aside from some rare extreme discounts, that hasn’t been so. In the meantime, American electric car startups have started with $75,000+ premium cars — notably, Rivian and Lucid — and the Big Three are proud of themselves for making EV trucks and SUVs around the $50,000 mark, even though customers aren’t buying them.