Why Americans don't want electric vehicles
By: Jason Isaac, Opinion Contributor (The Hill)
Gotta love the unbiased liberal press stirring controversy to sell liberal bias. The facts are that the technology just is not ready for mass consumption. If the technology was reliable and convenient to use then, yeah, the EV market would take off. But EVs are not there yet. At the current state of technical development, EVs are a niche market.
But those facts are buried in supply-side propaganda. Yeah, EVs are going to cost a lot more now. That's not unusual for new technology. And early adopters always take it in the neck. Those facts are not an endorsement of supply-side economics or TEA Party nonsense.
The reason the whole transition is a mess is because Biden has adopted a supply-side neoliberal approach to creating a market. Biden is throwing money around to attract players and is lying the public about what he is doing. Biden has set the stage to repeat the same problems we've seen with fossil fuel markets; the energy market will be controlled by passive investors. The actual producers of the new, improved electrical energy supply will be the scapegoats for problems associated with the practices of deferred maintenance, low bid construction, contractor operation, regulatory noncompliance, and market exploitation to boost profits for passive investors. We've seen the same thing happen with fossil fuel markets. Biden is giving preferential treatment to finance while placing unmeetable demands on production. As usual, it's all about the money. That's only going to make the transition even more expensive and create obstacles to make the transition.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Not long ago, pundits were telling us that gasoline-powered cars would soon vanish from the streets, replaced by sleek, space-age vessels powered by electricity. But consumer demand for electric cars never matched the hype.
Fewer drivers are interested in electric vehicles today than ever before, according to a new survey. This is further confirmed by Hertz's recent announcement that it is selling 20,000 electric cars in its fleet.
The most obvious reason for consumer disenchantment is the hassle of charging EVs. Few drivers are willing to plan their lives around finding a charging station and waiting around for their battery to top up.
During the nation's recent Arctic blast, motorists found that getting a full charge took even longer. In frigid weather, fragile EV batteries are forced to drain their own power to maintain warmth.
No matter how many subsidies and regulations the federal government pushes onto the market, consumers prefer gasoline's convenience and reliability. They are also waking up to the fact that EVs have not delivered on their highly anticipated environmental promise.
Cobalt, an essential component of EV batteries, is primarily mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in mines owned and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Children as young as four labor in toxic dust, earning just a dollar or two a day. The cobalt is then shipped to China for refining. After all this, only about 5 percent of lithium ion batteries are recycled.
Even the "zero-emission" label is misleading. Overwhelmingly, it is coal and natural gas that generate electricity for EVs. While federal and state subsidies have attempted to force an energy transition, renewables make up barely a quarter of the national grid. That's why a colleague of mine ironically drives an electric vehicle emblazoned with a bumper sticker reading, "Can't roll without oil, gas, and coal."
Finally, Americans are beginning to realize that the sticker price of electric vehicles — made attractive by generous subsidies on the taxpayers' dime — are pushing most of the cost down onto those who can least afford it.
Completely ignored in the recent Senate Energy & Natural Resources hearing on Federal Electric Vehicle Incentives is the fact that every EV sold places nearly $50,000 in additional costs on taxpayers. This is according to first-of-its-kind research that a colleague and I have published. That total cost was $21 billion in 2021 — money the taxpayers would certainly prefer to have back.
It's not just our tax return that suffers from the government playing favorites with EVs. Home and public charging stations also place a significant strain on the electric grid, resulting in an average of $11,833 in socialized costs per vehicle over 10 years. Those costs are shouldered by us through our electricity bills.
We should be deeply concerned about rising utility costs. These are no mere nuisance; in some cases, they can be deadly. The Energy Information Administration reports that 27 percent of American households struggled to afford their home energy bills. Almost as many skipped out on necessities such as prescription refills or grocery runs in order to make ends meet, kept their home at an unsafe temperature, or received a shutoff notice. And that is based on 20202 numbers, from before "Bidenflation" had hit Americans' pocketbooks.
President Biden and his bureaucrats are scratching their heads, wondering why their constituents still cling to their gas-powered cars. But the reasons are clear. Electric cars are inferior products. They are also bad for the environment and damaging to the economy in hidden ways that their biggest cheerleaders have not been honest about.
The Biden administration should get out of the way and let the free market tell auto dealers what it is consumers want.
Jason Isaac is founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute and a distinguished fellow for Life: Powered at the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF).
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If we were really, really, really serious about transitioning away from fossil fuels then we'd nationalize the electric grid. If climate change is really, really, really as bad as politicians tell us then it's no longer about making profits.
An industry based economic policy and approach could handle the transition in a sustainable manner. Biden's finance based policy will only attract profit seekers who will jump out at the first sign of slowing market growth. Biden's neoliberal approach has created a boom that will be inevitably followed by a bust. The transition away from fossil fuels failed when Biden took the helm.
Great concept to ponder. Problem is you trust this government too much. Can you imagine an electric grid managed by Congress and/or the executive branch.
Total clusterF in the making …..
Where do the states fit in?
At present the government only imposes unfunded mandates and requirements onto public utilities. Our electric grid is managed by bureaucrats. State and Federal government already require a transition away from fossil fuels. Our electric grid has essentially been nationalized in a way that allows government to avoid accountability.
The present situation is already a clusterF but it does allow politicians to pander and hand out payola.
Our bigger problem right now is generation capacity. The green weenies have got the cart ahead of the horse again just like they did in Europe. Who was leading the green charge but guess what. Now they are firing up coal plants they shut down to avoid brown/black outs. Doh!
Same will happen here if we aren’t careful. I envision a system similar to our highway grid. Both state and federal roads, connecting state to state with universal minimum standards and federal oversight to insure minimum compliance.
Capacity is easy to calculate region to region and state to state. Each region/state should have a minimum standard capacity to power their customers or have made generation/transmission deals with other regions/states that have excess capacity to share. Oversight by independent agency with no political skin in the game
Not saying it would be easy but with care it could be done.
Who stands in the way of increasing generation capacity? Yep, EPA does. Yep, various and sundry Interior agencies do. Yet they're not accountable for lack of generation capacity. The bureaucracy gets to pat itself on the back and scapegoat producers and generators.
The bureaucracy wants to be in charge? Well make them accountable when the crap hits the fan. Force the Bureaucrats to be responsible for production and generation. Bet they'll change their tune.
100% agreement.
the technology is still in it's infancy. There are still many problems. Another thing to take into consideration is the infrastructure. The infrastructure is nowhere near being ready to support what the Traitor Joe administration is pushing. And to get that ready, it will cost money.
But then who is he going to pander to?
IMO people would be buying more EVs IF (big if) the electric cars were as affordable, reliable, and convenient as gas cars. Cars aren't new; people have a clear idea what they want for a car. Naturally people will be comparing electric cars to gas cars and, right now, electric cars aren't measuring up.
The regulators are looking at emissions. The manufacturers are looking at profits. No one seems to be listening to consumers.
Biden has been pandering to Wall Street, banks, and the board of directors for multinational corps. As with just about every neoliberal idea foisted on the public, consumers are getting the dirty end of the stick.
Three big reasons for me.
1. Way overpriced. A lot of poor and middle income people simply cannot afford them.
2. Little to no charging infrastructure outside of large urban and metropolitan areas. In rural/isolated areas, forget it.
3. EV's still have nowhere even close to the range of regular engines vehicles.
A Record 1.2 Million EVs Were Sold in the U.S. in 2023, According to Estimates from Kelley Blue Book
EV sales climb and are on track to be 9% of US new car purchases in 2023: Atlas Public Policy
Historic: US EVs skyrocket past 1 million sales, up 50.7%
"T esla is recalling almost 2.2 million vehicles — nearly all of the cars that it has sold in the U.S. — because the font size is too small on its instrument panel for its brake, park and antilock brake system warning lights.
That makes the lights hard to read, increase the risk of a crash, according to a recall notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The font size violates federal safety standards, according the agency."
I believe tha Tesla had another recall just a few short months before this one and it was the largest recall in history before this one.
Not a good advertisement for them.
Seems like his rocket sales are doing better than his car sales.
So you are saying that Tesla sales are high? 2.2 million is quite a few, kind of opposite of what this article claims.
What can one expect from the founder and president of the AEI? Along with the Kochs, the AEI was/is the leader in climate change denial and the worst enemy renewable energy ever had.
Yup, it's all about the money. Everyone seems to forget Clinton's green economy boom and bust and tech boom and bust. These government sponsored sales booms never seem capable of sustaining themselves. After bad-mouthing plug-in hybrids, the climate shysters now want the sales numbers to bamboozle people. Hey, anything to make a sale!
There's between 2.5 and 2.7 million registered EVs in the United States. Here's one source: So, based on the touted sales figures it seems these EVs don't last very long. More disposable tech for an economic model that depends upon obsolescence and garbage to make profit.
Many people like Chargers, Challengers, Mustangs, Camaros, etc. or Trucks
Many people like lower priced used cars and trucks
Maybe the feds and states need to offer more subsidies (currently $14,000 fed and state in CA) so more rich people can buy EVs.
They are doing just that, they are giving this low income community tax credits for EV's
Agreed! I've always felt E.V.'s were an exercise in futility for all the aforementioned reasons. I would like to see all efforts directed to hydrogen. Internal combustion engines are ingrained in societies world-wide. Fuel delivery technology to an internal combustion engines exists. Does not produce pollution, only water vapor. Damn sight cheaper to convert existing systems in vehicles. The Reno, NV. public transportation authority has transitioned to hydrogen fuel in city buses, works just fine.
Yet, they are ideal for urban commuters and delivery vehicles...
Without a doubt.
And many cities purchased electric buses that now sit idle.
Electric buses are sitting unused in cities across the US; here's why (msn.com)
You are correct Greg, I misspoke in my 5.2.2 Somehow misunderstood JBB's5.2.1 . IMO E.V.'s are a exercise in futility and a waste of time and capital. We need to develop hydrogen tech. and distribution for all combustion. 🙃
But impractical for small rural communities hours away from urban or metropolitan areas. See post #3 above.
I'll take my 2015 Chevy Silverado 1500 pickup with it's 6 cylinder turbocharged engine over a EV any day.
I really don't care if my vehicle is powered by gasoline, electricity, or foo foo dust. What I care about is affordability, reliability, convenience, and performance. When my vehicle no longer meets those requirements then it's time to trade.
My old Jeep Cherokee (302,000 miles) and Dodge Dakota pickup (285,000 miles) run good and suit me fine. I thought about getting a new Challenger but painting my 68 Charger and keeping the money invested looks better.
The new Challengers are sweet. Drop top kit for them as well but you need to remortgage the house ….
...."But what happens when the battery dies?"
---You walk, just like when you run out of gas.
You can walk back with some gas in a can, pour it in and go again.
Logic is not permitted when you are pushing an agenda, no matter how stupid it may be.
I can still carry a container of gas in the back of the truck, not sure how to do that with electricity short of having a gas powered generator taking up more space back there.