WSJ: GM suddenly abandons its EV goals

[Toll_Collector]

@TheRedComet

I do think Manufacturers should have spent more time investigating and bringing in PHEV vehicles. Plug-in hybrids kind of give you the best of both BEVs and traditional hybrids. You get enough electric range to make a daily commute (the Rav4 Prime does about 55 miles on electric alone, the Chevy Volt was even more impressive) but also incorporates a gasoline generator to extend the range to about 450 miles combined power, about the same as as a normal Rav 4 hybrid.

The issue is that too many companies simply saw them as a way to meet Pzev emissions regulations. So their availability was poor and dealers don’t advertise them very much. They are a decent price hike over normal hybrids but I think had the companies doubled down on them it could have really changed things. It’s like having a BEV but with none of the obvious drawbacks.

My girlfriend is considering a Rav 4 Prime as her next vehicle. The EV power would handle her commute and it’s battery is small enough so that it can be overnight charged on one of my external 120volt outlets. Basically for every day use we would treat it like an EV. But the gas engine would allow us to use it for trips where my Civic Si isn’t really large enough for all the luggage.

I would agree. I think a hybrid would be a good transitional vehicle until the fully EVs have their infrastructure and batteries improved.

[Gaius]

We already pay producers to produce EVS (otherwise they would not produce them.)

We already pay buyers to buy EVS (otherwise we would not buy them.)

What’s missing?
Who haven’t we paid yet?

Oh that’s right, we haven’t paid EV investors to invest in clean energy.
For every $100 a person invested in clean energy at the beginning of this year you lost $36.87.
If he had simply kept his bright ideas in the idea stage he would have made $11.60.

Two people put $100 in the stock market on Jan 1.
ESG investor: “I’ve got $63 left in my portfolio.”
Regular investor: “That’s sad. I’ve got $112 in mine.”

[Toll_Collector]

This whole EV push got me to thinking. Imagine if you had a 20 car pile up of EVs. If just one of them burst into flames, the result would be similar to the Word War Z movie’s airplane scene.

[Toll_Collector]

The tax credits and incentives to buy an EV is a big part of why people are buying them. It makes EVs that are overpriced worth buying in some cases. The Tesla Model 3 for example. No way would I buy that car at MSRP. But 7-10k cheaper, it starts to look worth it. Not that I would buy one. If I bought an EV, it would be as a toy. If you don’t have a home charger, you’d be an idiot to buy an EV.