It looks like electric vehicles are going to be shoved down our throats

[Snagglefoot]

Conversation at the electric car dealer's lot:

Salesman, while the ink is drying: " Yes sir, you are going to love your new electric Binford. We gave you a full charge. Now all you have to do is put it on your 240 V charger at home every night"

Buyer: " Say what?"

 

[supton]

Too bad BITOG didn't exist back in the 70's. Can only imagine the complains about pollution controls and high fuel economy cars as the 70's rolled through. Had to deal with a lot of junk cars for so long that nobody could guess that the 21st century would have a return of the horsepower wars.

IMO there has been a number of pushes like this, and sometimes they get tempered by the technology not being able to ramp up & produce. I think similar might occur here: if the electric infrastructure doesn't ramp up, then the push might get rolled back eventually. But sometimes a push has to be made in order to make life better (don't forget, seatbelts were going to bankrupt Detroit, and besides, no one was going to wear them anyhow).

 

[JeffKeryk]

I keep seeing announcements form the automakers saying they want to be all electric by 20XX. What about what the public wants? Do they think they can produce any type of vehicle they want and people will just buy them? I'm sure some people will warm up to electric vehicles, but there are also those who won't...I can tell you I have no desire to own one...

Sure you don't want one of these in your driveway?

 

[ripcord]

The powers that be must believe in the Battery Fairy. All those rare earth minerals used in lithium batteries are call "rare" for a reason.

https://kabomatics.com/2021/01/31/t...e-amid-rallying-lithium-cobalt-nickel-prices/

 

[4WD]

The powers that be must believe in the Battery Fairy. All those rare earth minerals used in lithium batteries are call "rare" for a reason.

https://kabomatics.com/2021/01/31/t...e-amid-rallying-lithium-cobalt-nickel-prices/

Mark this and compare 2 years from now …
Yeah, really starting to wonder if a Tesla is ever going to be as cheap as he said

 

[4WD]

It’s OK, two decades ago some guy said we’d be driving around in cars powered by ethanol made from grass.

But CO smoked it all …

 

[4WD]

Tesla Model 3s are not more expensive than comparable luxury ICE cars, according to how the market classifies them.
Model 3 Standard Range (263 mile range, 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds) starts at $36,500. And you will pay virtually nothing in maintenance.
It will likely hold its value better and will be more dependable.
Both have benefits; it depends on what fits your lifestyle.
And ultimately what you want to drive.

Ok, so most taxpayers can’t afford to own a Tesla … but they will pay towards tax collectors driving luxury cars that accelerate at an unsafe speed … and do so in near stealth mode …

 

[Kira]

Again, details and a plan.
Today's e- cars are still "experimental" with 20 series tires etc. NOBODY needs narrow tires for real world driving 15 years from now.

We also DO NOT need 3 second 0 to 60 times for every electric car.

Public transportation HAS to be part of the mix. Forcefully remove bums from the system. We can do this.

This "COVID working from home thing" has resulted in a rethinking of work-places....not the first time that has happened.

We can do this. This isn't R-S-P..it's S for the SOCIAL necessity of not being stupid and to stop wanting it to be 1950 again.

Factions ALWAYS point to the past when real progress is called for.

We've known our power grid has needed modernization for DECADES. Really, why all this baby crying? It is so foolish and wasteful.

 

[BISCUT]

You lost me... Can you charge at home? Did you check the map?
I am just curious.

I appreciate your zeal but please do not put us all in a box. I am not in agreement with you at this point in the tech. I'm not averse to EV at all. What I am averse to is BS stuffed down my throat. I'll address your comments before I get on my soap box.

Can I charge at home? I would assume so. Can't anyone with electricity? It's a cable with a specific plug right? I'm guessing but what, a 10GA wire? Maybe even a 12GA wire with the right plug. I have checked the map. I live/work in one of the most progressive areas of the USA. Westchester County NY to Dutchess County NY. There is not a lot of offerings for EV charging. Sad and pathetic. The map may show options but that needs to be correlated with the volume of vehicles.

I worked for a Westchester city government and was tasked with assisting in a move to EV for the city fleet. The owner of the company providing the EV's was a legitimate and honest man. His words, a fleet of EV's for parking enforcement, water department, some DPW applications will likely equal out and provide a carbon neutral footprint. But he cautioned against EV's for the bulk of our city and was clear the benefit of the tech is close but just not there.

I've been responsible for millions of dollars for my city in grant funding. My lens, the tech is not there. Prior to stuffing this down the masses asses, government needs to lead the way with tech development and grants to state and local governments to get fleet EV's. Then it will trickle down. Instead, this is a total political pandering. Something like this move takes a decade. And the infrastructure is on Uncle Sam NOT Tesla! or any other private company.

 

[Leo99]

I appreciate your zeal but please do not put us all in a box. I am not in agreement with you at this point in the tech. I'm not averse to EV at all. What I am averse to is BS stuffed down my throat. I'll address your comments before I get on my soap box.

Can I charge at home? I would assume so. Can't anyone with electricity? It's a cable with a specific plug right? I'm guessing but what, a 10GA wire? Maybe even a 12GA wire with the right plug. I have checked the map. I live/work in one of the most progressive areas of the USA. Westchester County NY to Dutchess County NY. There is not a lot of offerings for EV charging. Sad and pathetic. The map may show options but that needs to be correlated with the volume of vehicles.

I worked for a Westchester city government and was tasked with assisting in a move to EV for the city fleet. The owner of the company providing the EV's was a legitimate and honest man. His words, a fleet of EV's for parking enforcement, water department, some DPW applications will likely equal out and provide a carbon neutral footprint. But he cautioned against EV's for the bulk of our city and was clear the benefit of the tech is close but just not there.

I've been responsible for millions of dollars for my city in grant funding. My lens, the tech is not there. Prior to stuffing this down the masses asses, government needs to lead the way with tech development and grants to state and local governments to get fleet EV's. Then it will trickle down. Instead, this is a total political pandering. Something like this move takes a decade. And the infrastructure is on Uncle Sam NOT Tesla! or any other private company.

Of course it's not there yet. A lot of upgrades are needed before we can all drive an EV.

Government should stay out of this and let capitalism do its thing.

 

[Jason2007]

I'm only 42 and I have no desire in having a battery powered vehicle. Sure they have their place, but not in my driveway.

 

[97prizm]

I don't care if ev's can full recharge in 5 minutes to 500 miles, I still don't want to be told that I have to have an ev. I agree.

 

[Rmay635703]

FWIW I'm from VA and don't mind paying a little extra for highway use tax if it means fixing our death trap roads here. The stretch of I-64 between Richmond and VA beach is awful in the summer with vacationers as well as I-81 with all the truck traffic. It still probably won't get done, though.

My guess in 5 years when you notice no change in road conditions you will change your view.

https://www.gm-volt.com/threads/vehicle-registration-cost-up-because-i-drive-a-volt.58873/

If we want to tax more
Make it a uniform tax charged on all vehicles then,

Regressive taxes are not only bad policy, they are usually illegal due to equal protection laws banning feigned differences like fuel economy, drivetrain type, paint color being used as the basis of taxation.

My goal after seeing all the planned fee increases
Is to go with only registration exempt Vehicles avoiding all the fees.

 

[CKN]

No shoving needed. All you have to do is price gas/diesel out of everyone's budget. And, that's easy enough to do.

Here's my problem.... I live off/on the grid and don't have enough excess charge capacity to recharge an electric vehicle. It's just not worth it honestly. And, if the automakers want to price themselves out of business, then we'll be driving older cars forever. See how the fleet in Cuba looks like now... well, in 30 years, I'd wager the fleet in the USA will be similar.

I expect many automakers going out of business with an electric only mantra. Hybrid fleet is a good midpoint, extended range hybrids, and until battery capacity gives me super range at
Resistant to change? Some of us can't afford a $100k Tesla and would never even spend that much money on a new disposable car. Golfcart sized vehicles don't cut it.

New VW Jetta 1.4T/manual with no unneeded options.... $18k out the door including taxes/registration. Usable commuter vehicle with 40mpg average with AC on almost always. The second vehicle is to move dogs around, shopping,.... a V6 SUV. AWD also helps on those northern mountain ski trips maybe 5k a year. Wife's car... another 4 door 4 cyl sedan.... barely gets 20mpg. And, for the boat/trailer/camper, a 1/2 ton pickup gasser truck. Convertible... summer only 2k miles a year. All paid for along with toys. I don't see where I can even consider replacing ANY with electric products sold today and the key word is "affordably".

How is the parts supply or service for new electric cars? accident repair? or repairs outside warranty? Some of us don't lease and don't trade in like changing underwear.

Electric vehicles.... have no place in this driveway. Considering a Camry/Accord hybrid for the wife. Don't care for a charge device in garage or driveway and don't plan on running an extension cord to a car. Chargers look *****. Did they go underground yet? or overhead yet like a hose on a reel? My lifestyle doesn't include the lastest smartphone, 100 pairs of sneakers, or useless clothing with someone's name/brand on them.
I don't need or want a car to drive for me, because I know how to drive. And, I prefer having a clutch.


Drive up charging isn't an option. Barking dogs. Noises. Won't be a good thorough slow charge.

The only thing that peeked our interest is the RAV4 Prime. It could replace the wifes car and the SUV at the same time. Other than that, nothing needed.

I guess the grandkids will think differently.

Gotta run and replace some tubes in my amplifier.

Your situation is unique.

 

[Cerjed]

For those people who have no access to home chargers, would it be an opportunity for a new company to offer drive up charging done at night?

Your car needs charging, you schedule the service to come in the next 12 hours, the service has access to the charge port and location of your car and does the delivery while you are sleeping or watching Netflix.

Yeah. EV manufacturers need to figure out a better way to market these to people living in apartments or condos. Not everyone has their own house with a garage or driveway. What about big cities where most people park on the street? Will they be opening up “charging garages” or “charging malls”?

 

[Cerjed]

Steam power .... I want a steam powered hybrid!

Sorry. That won’t be enough to generate the 1.21 gigawatts needed for the flux capacitor.

 

[PimTac]

Anyone who buys a electric car without the ability to charge at home will be living their lives around the charging of the car. Charging at a remote place opens up the possibility of vandalism and theft.

Vehicles with batteries and range extenders are a happier medium. The engine for the range extender does not have to be that big.

 

[BISCUT]

Of course it's not there yet. A lot of upgrades are needed before we can all drive an EV.

Government should stay out of this and let capitalism do its thing.

If Government stays out there will be a substantially limited EV market......politics won't allow a natural evolution to EV as tech improves.

 

[BISCUT]

FWIW I'm from VA and don't mind paying a little extra for highway use tax if it means fixing our death trap roads here. The stretch of I-64 between Richmond and VA beach is awful in the summer with vacationers as well as I-81 with all the truck traffic. It still probably won't get done, though.

I'm sorry for my rudeness but the brick wall gets it. This country has immense roadway taxes in most states. Do you actually see that revenue going to where it is supposed to go? I am in NY and I can tell you when election season is upon us. It's the ONLY time I see road crews trimming tree and brush that obscures highway signs.

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority was created to collect tolls for the express purpose of paying for the specific highways. Well, do you think they did away with the turnpike fees after the goal was achieved? Of course not.

If you're driving you aren't 12 years old and blinded by a utopia. Government takes not gives. If you think it's giving you need to watch the other hand you aren't paying attention to. That had is taking!

 

[slo town]

I'll go electric when I get ICE range and recharge speed and convenience that equals a gas tank fill up.

On a related note, when we lived in Silicon Valley the Mercury News started to publish a "solar index". Solar panels were becoming more mainstream. Some thought this was the beginning of the government preparing to charge for the sun. I agree.

To think you will be allowed to recharge your electric vehicle for free with the solar power you paid for and generate is naive.

The sun's energy should be free but I guarantee you there are those who think otherwise.

Scott