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The only time I’ve resorted to the screwdriver technique (due to not having enough room to tighten and then turn a strap/chain wrench) the screwdriver shank just tore through the filter when I tried to turn it, a broader tool like a wide chisel might have a better chance of success.
What I ended up using that time was an air hammer with a broad headed chisel (pushing on the side where the impact would unscrew the filter). The angles wouldn’t work well for this in OPs case but if you have enough side access to get the air hammer through it’s a decent last resort.
The number of people who would even know how to change a tyre is unfortunately decreasing. Manufacturers therefore have less reason to include something that requires allocating space, carrying extra weight, and a small extra cost for each car, because they know not enough people are going to care about the loss of a spare to make a difference to sales. I’d wager this is particularly true for EVs as they seem to attract a lot of people who are scared of basic maintenance. It’s pretty poor of a company to not include a spare on something that’s advertised for use on dirt though, even if the model in question doesn’t actually seem like something that its buyers will actually take off the tar.
I personally would want a proper full sized spare in any of my vehicles, though I’m prepared to make an exception for my motorbikes due to the obvious logistical problems. Space savers are better than nothing but then you have to deal with speed restrictions and having to change wheels twice if you get a flat on the front. It’s rare for me to get a puncture but it’s nice to know that I can just quickly change wheels and carry on even if I somehow managed to put a big gash in a tyre or bend a rim. Even for just a basic puncture in town I can’t imagine wanting to faff around on the side of a road for ages waiting for roadside assistance to come and fix something I could have done myself and been back on the road in 15 minutes.