Posted on 01/14/2023 3:21:14 AM PST by fluorescence
Carmakers plan to slash the number of electric vehicles they manufacture as the spiralling cost of battery-powered models makes them increasingly unaffordable for drivers, an industry body has warned.
The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a green energy group that sits between government and manufacturers, has slashed its estimate for UK EV production in 2025 by a quarter after just three months.
The APC now expects the UK to make 280,000 electric vehicles in 2025, down from a recent estimate of 360,000.
The organisation blamed the downgrade on “an uncertain economy [that] is expected to drive buyers towards cheaper models.” Manufacturers are therefore likely to opt to build budget cars instead.
Electric cars are about £10,000 pricier than petrol equivalents, but with lower running costs, including servicing since there are fewer moving parts. If enough miles are driven over the life of the car, then they often work out cheaper.
However, drivers are beginning to turn away from EVs as electricity prices remain elevated and fuel costs fall back from the highs seen last summer.
Petrol prices are now at their lowest level since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last February.
Average pump prices fell to 149.74 pence per litre on Monday, according to AA, down from a high of 191.53 pence in the summer. The drop squeezes the advantage electric cars have over petrol cars when it comes to cost per mile.
The APC said other factors behind its forecast downgrade include delayed investments and lingering supply problems for some components, such as computer chips.
The UK automotive industry is preparing for a ban on petrol and diesel-only car sales in 2030 and a ban on hybrids five years later, but so far the transition for many manufacturers has been slow.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I noticed this AM...the head guy for Germany’s grid did a interview and said...if folks get all hyped-up over electric heat-pumps AND E-cars...the grid will not be able to handle power required for both. Current system was not designed to be this robust.
I don’t think most people realize the goal is not to get gasoline-powered car drivers into electric cars; the goal is to considerably shrink the population driving private automobiles altogether. The higher price, combined with limiting availability of gas-powered cars going forward, will see to that.
Government forcing the public to buy a product they don’t want, like the old Soviet Union.
Or obamacare, but I repeat myself.
Or obamacare, but I repeat myself.
Who wouldn’t want to drop $100k on an electric car with a 100 mile range and takes 2 days to recharge? Such a bargain!
“If enough miles are driven over the life of the car, then they often work out cheaper.”
... a goal that is very unlikely. EVs are created using hydrocarbon energy sources and will be a drain on the grid for however long the battery lasts. Add the possibility that the EV will likely be towed by a ICE tow-truck more than once.
When the grid fails as is the intent of the current administration, the joke about EVs will become a fact ... 94% of all EVs are still on the road. The other 6% made it home.
The government should nationalize (take over) the electric car manufacturers, and them build them at fixed regulated and supported prices to the public.
That way we could be guaranteed EVs would be affordable by all. Special tax-supported grants could be set up for people with bad credit or no credit who are unable to afford new cars.
THEN, all the existing evil Earff-destroying internal combustion engine cars could be confiscated and cubed.
..and unicorns will guide their paths on efficient Full-Auto.
Well duh
“If enough miles are driven over the life of the car, then they often work out cheaper.”
At least this made it into the article. If “enough” miles aren’t driven, then the EV costs more to maintain because of the high cost of replacing batteries.
100% agree with the FReeper comments on the grid being unable to support even half of drivers switching to EV's. Obviously that's not the case for people who produce most of their power anyway. For example, I pull a lot less power from the grid now with my all-electric house and charging the EV than I did before I got solar, an EV, and switched my two old natural gas appliances to electric. But few people do that, so the grid demand argument against EV's is spot on.
But I very much disagree with FReepers saying the savings of an EV don't make up for the up front costs. Especially if you don't get an expensive Tesla and if you do a lot of local driving.
Besides the charging time and range issues EVs have:
There isn’t nearly enough electrical generation to power a transition to EVs, massive new generation capacity is needed.
There isn’t nearly enough transmission and distribution infrastructure to allow a transition to EVs. The entire grid needs significant upgrades to support it.
There isn’t nearly enough mining of materials for batteries and motors (primarily rare earths and copper) to support an EV transition. It will takes decades to bring the additional mining and materials production on line.
But other than that, this whole forced EV transition is well thought out by those pushing it (politicians, Green extremists, CEOs taking advantage of the rent seeking opportunities, etc.).
You don’t have to drive 200 miles to get anywhere in Europe.
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