Interestingly enough, in the UK, that 1/2 million cost (345,000GBP is about 1/2 million USD) is the 14 year running cost[1]. That doesn't make it cheap, but suddenly that 2K car is not 2K when looking at the 14 year running cost.

[1] https://londonist.com/2013/05/new-bus-for-london-cost-reveal...