[Tell It Right]

IMHO it would have been best if we had somehow kept making multiple types of cars after assembly lines became a thing. When Henry Ford decided the ICE style was the best for mass producing and for the folks who lived away from power stations (in his day), ICE cars became the norm because Ford's assembly line process required standardization (pick one type of car and run with it). Ford knew that if a car was to be used for either distance traveling (more than a few miles, since we're talking about a very limited EV range when Ford was alive) and/or for the masses who lived away from a power station, only ICE cars would do. Thus, ICE cars became the norm.

Before Henry Ford became a household name, there were different types of cars made (ICE, EV, even steam) and the few people who could afford a car had options to chose from. Likewise today, an EV car works for my wife and me, and an ICE pickup works for us too -- thus I'm glad we have options. Since we need two cars anyway, having one of each gives us options.

Like the few people who could use an EV car back in Henry Ford's day (the people fortunate enough to live near a power station), I like utilizing power over gas because I have tons of free power from solar. For most people that's not a good option (neither solar, nor an EV). But for me it is, therefore an EV is conducive to our energy supplies (power is much cheaper for me than gasoline, literally 80% of my power is free). At other times an ICE pickup is conducive to our needs of the day (EV pickups suck for pickup chores, plus there are times we drive on trips with few charging options so we take the ICE pickup instead of the EV car). That's not the way it is with most people (who are much better off with ICE cars), much like it was in Ford's day. For most people it's best to use ICE cars all the time.

But imagine how better developed the different car types would be today if the assembly line process didn't require Ford to pick only one type for mass production. For all we know, steam cars might be a good option for some people. And EV's would be better than they are today instead of having to pick back up after a century of no R&D. I'm not saying mass production is a bad thing -- it allowed the middle class to afford cars. I'm just saying an unfortunate side-effect of mass production is we all grew up with only one car type to chose from.

So in some ways, we've now come back full circle to again having multiple car types to choose from. I wish the Dims would let it stay like that instead of trying to force everyone into only one "option".

[Gen.Blather]

Some excellent thoughts. As for liberals forcing us into only their solution, I think it was George Orwell who said, “they must make you suffer. Otherwise they don’t know if you are following their orders because you want to or because you must.”

[AnAmericanMother]

My dear father-in-law was an antique car fancier.

The steam cars died a natural death due to multiple technical problems that couldn't easily be overcome at the time (cold start, e.g.) Read all about it here:

The Stanleys and their Steamer

This is a hopeful article by a big fan - who hoped steam would make a comeback . . .

[higgmeister]

Don't you feel suckered in at least five ways?

You pollute more than your old car because of the initial manufacturing materials and process.

You spent way to much for the privilege of vurtue signaling.

You will experience exponential degradation of the lithium ion batteries.

You now have to worry about your car becoming a Molotov cocktail.

You are going to pollute with the unrecyclable car when you are through with it.

All of that and a few other mendacious deceptions would make me very torqued.   I am jacked up to know they are being sold, just like wind farms and solar panels.