NY Times: Say, These EVs Are Rather Expensive For The Middle And Lower Classes, Eh?

After all this time pushing how utterly wonderful EVs are, the NY Times finally got the memo. The best part is the subhead

Electric Cars Too Costly for Many, Even With Aid in Climate Bill
Battery-powered vehicles are considered essential to the fight against climate change, but most models are aimed at the affluent.

Oh, now they tell us

Electric vehiclePolicymakers in Washington are promoting electric vehicles as a solution to climate change. But an uncomfortable truth remains: Battery-powered cars are much too expensive for a vast majority of Americans.

Congress has begun trying to address that problem. The climate and energy package passed on Sunday by the Senate, the Inflation Reduction Act, would give buyers of used electric cars a tax credit.

But automakers have complained that the credit would apply to only a narrow slice of vehicles, at least initially, largely because of domestic sourcing requirements. And experts say broader steps are needed to make electric cars more affordable and to get enough of them on the road to put a serious dent in greenhouse gas emissions.

High prices are caused by shortages of batteries, of raw materials like lithium and of components like semiconductors. Strong demand for electric vehicles from affluent buyers means that carmakers have little incentive to sell cheaper models. For low- and middle-income people who don’t have their own garages or driveways, another obstacle is the lack of enough public facilities to recharge.

Sell cheaper? There’s a cost to make a vehicle. Does the NY Times sell it’s paper cheaper, or, do they need to actually sell at a profitable price?

To some extent, the carmakers are following their usual game plan. They have always introduced new technology at a luxury price. With time, the features and gadgets make their way into cheaper cars.

But emission-free technology has an urgency that voice navigation or massaging seats did not. Transportation accounts for 27 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Battery-powered cars produce far less carbon dioxide than vehicles that run on gasoline or diesel. That’s true even accounting for the emissions from generating electricity and from manufacturing batteries, according to numerous studies.

The strange part is that those in a position to demand this stuff, like those in the Credentialed Media, appointed officials, and elected politicians don’t seem, for the most part, to be giving up their own fossil fueled vehicles and travel. If the GOP had any cajones they’d start introducing legislation requiring members of Congress, their staffs, appointed Executive Branch officials, and members of the White House to take non-fossil fueled travel. Sure, it won’t pass at the moment, but, it would show the hypocrisy.

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14 Responses to “NY Times: Say, These EVs Are Rather Expensive For The Middle And Lower Classes, Eh?”

  1. Hairy says:

    Most people charge their cars at their home overnight.
    A tesla supercharger gives you 200 miles in15 mins
    Teach seems to be unwling or afraid to keep up with current EV technology.
    Teslas sre expensive but they completely DOMINATE premium car sales selling 50% more cars than 2nd place BMW

    • CarolAnn says:

      That’s nice. Do you have one?

      BTW, what generates the electricity used to charge EV’s? Oh, fossil fuels. I see.

    • alanstorm says:

      Most people charge their cars at their home overnight.

      I’m sure you thought you had a point. I’m assuming you’ve never left Mommy’s basement to go on a weekend trip.

      A tesla supercharger gives you 200 miles in15 mins

      Even if true, how does that change the fact that the current doesn’t magically appear at the charger?

      Teach seems to be unwling or afraid to keep up with current EV technology.

      See above.

      Teslas sre expensive but they completely DOMINATE premium car sales selling 50% more cars than 2nd place BMW

      …and your point is…?

      Was this supposed to be a “stream-of-consciousness” post?

    • Sailorcurt says:

      Rapid charging reduces battery life. So, by trying to make the electric vehicle as convenient as gasoline powered cars (and still failing), you end up making the vehicle that costs 1/3 more last 1/2 as long. Good compromise.

  2. alanstorm says:

    Battery-powered vehicles are considered essential to the fight against climate change…

    Mainly by people without clues, like Hairy and Jeffty.

    • Elwood P. Dowd says:

      Oh Stormty, bring back that sunny day!

      Simply don’t buy an EV! Even Stormty should have been able to figure that one out. Then again maybe not.

  3. Elwood P. Dowd says:

    Oh Stormty, bring back that sunny day!

    Simply don’t buy an EV! Even Stormty should have been able to figure that one out. Then again, maybe not.

    • Dana says:

      But that’s just it, Mr Dowd: the dummkppf from Delaware has promised to set regulations which would require all new cars sold in the United States to be zero-emission by 2035. That choice you said Mr Storm has? The left want to take away that choice!

      But, as I’ve always said, the left are pro-choice on exactly one thing.

  4. Hairy says:

    cell phones or computers were way to expensive for poor people when they first became available
    My first cell phone plan was 3.50$ per minute. Economy of scale and competition drove the price down and performance up

  5. Hairy says:

    One point might be that people who can afford Tesla’s buy them. Given the choice between a Tesla and a BMW more people choose Tesla.
    Happy to explain to those who need it
    Not everyone can afford the best/better things in life

  6. UnkleC says:

    I can afford a Tesla, I checked them out and bought conventional FF [domestic, same class vehicle]. The primary reasoning was the recharge issue, we make long driving trips and level 3 chargers, that are working or available, aren’t as common as some believe. Even with fast charging, recharging takes more time than FF. The home charging is usually a level 1 or level 2 SLOW charge and an overnight charge may get you a round trip commute to work.
    A little research will help your understanding on the charging issue. Also, I might suggest checking out some of the You-Tube videos about EV comparisons and cross country travel. If YOU want an EV, buy one. My opinion is the EV industry is not adequately developed at this time. Disclaimer: I have investments in both FF vehicles and production and in EV’s.
    Sorry, Cap’n Teach, the GOP doesn’t have any cajones. They are a party divided against themselves.

  7. JimS says:

    The NYT shows it’s lack of economic comprehension and class warfare with the phrase “aimed at the affluent”. It’s not “aimed”, you simply have to be affluent to afford one.
    Also, recent journalism has shown that the recharging infrastructure is mot up to par. Many chargers are broken or not running at full power.

  8. Jl says:

    John-why the need to buy an Ev?

  9. L.G.Brandon!, L.G.Brandon! says:

    According to Statista the leading premium car in sales for 2021 was BMW at 336,600 units. Coming in second was Tesla with 313,400 units sold. Not only is your blatant lie of Tesla selling “50% more cars” than second place BMW just a lie, they didn’t even beat them by ONE UNIT.

    Thanks for playing leftist liar.

    FJB and all his commie followers. Death to leftists!

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