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Have We Reached Peak Virtue Signaling With EVs?
Issues & Insights ^ | 14 Jul, 2023 | I & I Editorial Board

Posted on 07/14/2023 4:19:28 AM PDT by MtnClimber

The cars that were going to save our world from the scourge of carbon-based global warming are, says one media outlet, “​​piling up on dealer lots” because they can’t be sold. Maybe we’re finally at the point where most if not all of those who are desperate to demonstrate their green cred already have an EV and don’t need another battery-powered adult toy.

Even though “the auto industry is beginning to crank out more electric vehicles (EVs) to challenge Tesla,” Axios reported Monday, “there’s one big problem: not enough buyers.”

Two days later, Market Watch said that as “EV sales stall … there’s a ‘step back from euphoria.’”

While ​​Tesla Inc. and BYD Co., a Chinese conglomerate, have strong growth numbers, the rest in the industry, which has been incentivized to build, build, build by government mandate, can’t sell their EVs.

Korean luxury brand Genesis “sold only 18 of its nearly $82,000 Electrified G80 sedans in the 30 days leading up to June 29, and had 210 in stock nationwide — a 350-day supply,” Axios says.

Meanwhile, “Audi’s Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron and the GMC Hummer EV SUV, also have bloated inventories well above 100 days,” and “the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Nissan Ariya are also stacking up.” Even “the once-hot Ford Mustang Mach-E now has a 117-day supply.”

Axios is blaming the high price of EVs for the lack of sales, but that doesn’t explain why Tesla and BYD continue to sell electric cars. Could be there’s another factor.

We have recently written:

- That EVs are evil (they’re “​​responsible for raping the planet, poisoning entire communities, enriching genocidal tyrants, and creating a massive hazmat problem while doing nothing to stop “climate change”).

- That EVs are the Yugo of the 21st century (“a minor accident can cause a total loss, even if the car’s been driven only a few miles,” because “the cost of repair is exorbitant”).

- And that they deserve scorn from those who don’t own them (because “​​the policy geniuses in Washington” want to impose a per-mile tax on all driving since EVs don’t generate fuel tax revenues that fund road repair and new construction – when they’re not being diverted to public transit and other destinations that have nothing to do with automobile travel).

But we haven’t said nearly enough about how they’ve been the perfect product for virtue signalers. EVs are rolling megaphones for the upper-middle class and upper-class white Democrats and progressives who want to scream “look at me, I’m saving the planet.” We’ve seen no research on the matter, but we’d bet that there’s an enormous crossover between homes with EVs in the garage and “In This House We Believe …” signs in the yard.

Guardian columnist John Naughton recently wrote about EV buyers “basking in the warm glow that comes from doing one’s bit to save the planet,” and the “smug feeling” one gets when one doesn’t produce the same emissions as a “​​hideous diesel SUV.”...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: ev; evs; greenenergy
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1 posted on 07/14/2023 4:19:28 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

I am waiting to see EV owners smacking themselves in the head and saying “I could have had a V8”.


2 posted on 07/14/2023 4:19:42 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

If they sit on the lot for a year or two, doesn’t the battery go dead?


3 posted on 07/14/2023 4:22:13 AM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: MtnClimber

a “​​hideous diesel SUV.”

Yeah, I’m not sure I completely disagree with that part 😏


4 posted on 07/14/2023 4:23:03 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: V_TWIN
My man Freiburger knows what's happenin'
5 posted on 07/14/2023 4:25:56 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: MtnClimber

If a married couple income is over $300k, then no 7500 tax credit. This new rule this year makes virtue signally more expensive.


6 posted on 07/14/2023 4:30:51 AM PDT by Raycpa
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To: Libloather

There is an expiration date on the battery array in a battery EV. If you happen to have an EV mobility scooter or power wheelchair, the batteries (lead-acid) have to be recharged every month or two, otherwise they will get sulfated up and the cells fail. I expect something similar happens in a Li-ion battery array if at least a partial charge is not kept on the power feed. “Topping off” is of utmost necessity from time to time.

Li-ion batteries die anyway after a certain number of times being recharged.


7 posted on 07/14/2023 4:41:27 AM PDT by alloysteel (Take back the rainbow. Its use by LGBTQ is cultural misappropriation.)
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To: Libloather

Maybe they’ll have to sell them as “batteries not included”.


8 posted on 07/14/2023 4:42:24 AM PDT by epluribus_2
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To: MtnClimber

https://www.thedrive.com/news/evs-are-piling-up-on-dealer-lots-as-supply-outpaces-demand

https://jalopnik.com/no-one-in-the-us-really-wants-to-buy-electric-vehicles-1850622254

https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-electric-vehicle-inventory-problem-trying-to-beat-tesla-2023-7

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cars/news-blog/dealers-finally-have-ev-inventory-but-now-lack-buyers-44501872

Ideas so good they have to be mandatory.


9 posted on 07/14/2023 4:48:15 AM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: MtnClimber

All this craziness somehow escaped R&D and went straight to production..without even considering the big picture...and the big picture is most people do not want EVs..and as a bonus the grid is nowhere capable of supporting 100 million + electric vehicles and homes and businesses ..


10 posted on 07/14/2023 4:49:26 AM PDT by Leep (What skill or service did the biden family have that netted them tens of millions of dollars?)
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To: mewzilla

Wonder what percentage of households in NYS have a 200A service...


11 posted on 07/14/2023 4:49:57 AM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: MtnClimber
I'm sure they can put stickers on each EV with the faces of the slave children who mined the cobalt for it.

"...I'm here to tell you a few things about child labor laws, ok? They're silly and outdated. Why back in the 30s, children as young as five could work as they pleased; from textile factories to iron smelts. Yippee! Hurray!" - Mugatu as Cletus, brainwashing Derek Zoolander in the movie 'Zoolander'

12 posted on 07/14/2023 4:54:20 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: MtnClimber

The article refers to “hideous diesel SUV.”

That’s purely a matter of opinion, primarily from the spoiled left elites that likely drive SUV’s themselves.

In my neck of the woods a common car, or sedan is a rare thing. Going to Walmart we see vans, SUV’s and pickups dominating the parking lot. Of those SUV’s are the higher percentage.

My understanding of diesels is that the Europeans love them in small vehicles as their fuel mileage is outstanding. There’s nothing wrong with a diesel as they are very dependable.

If someone gave me a new EV I’d sell it, as we live in a cold climate and from my life’s knowledge of anything battery powered is that any battery has about half it’s useful charge available in subzero temps. They are so impractical from so many other perspectives that they are basically expensive junk. Not to mention the potential fire hazard, zero trade in value and a short end of life due to the battery.

Speaking of end of life, we have a 26 year old Chevy pickup with 190,000 miles on it and it runs like a top, uses no oil and starts every time. It’s simple to fix and parts are dirt cheap. We can go hundreds of miles on a fill up. This cannot be matched with an EV.


13 posted on 07/14/2023 4:56:02 AM PDT by redfreedom (Joseph Stalin: "It does not mater how anyone votes, how votes are counted is what matters.")
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To: V_TWIN

“a “​​hideous diesel SUV.””

Does the diesel SUV produce more emissions per gallon of fuel burned than the semi trucks?

Collectively, those trucks probably consume 10,000 times more fuel than the diesel SUVs.


14 posted on 07/14/2023 4:58:57 AM PDT by cymbeline
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To: MtnClimber
When I see the liberal relatives, I keep asking why they are not driving an EV. Before they change the subject, the price comes up as a good reason, along with "the old car runs just fine."

EV's and the lack of ICE options are going to turn this country into Havana, Cuba, except everybody there is driving a 1957 Chevy.

15 posted on 07/14/2023 5:00:32 AM PDT by Bernard ("No matter where you go, there you are." (Buckaroo Banzai))
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To: MtnClimber

IS $380k+ for an electric school bus vs $100k diesel school bus. Cost prohibitive


16 posted on 07/14/2023 5:02:50 AM PDT by no-to-illegals ( The enemy has US surrounded. May God have mercy on them.)
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To: MtnClimber

They were invented so housewives can sit in the Starbucks line and Virtue Grandstand.


17 posted on 07/14/2023 5:13:04 AM PDT by bray (You can tell who the Commies fear.)
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To: MtnClimber

There are far cheaper ways to virtue signal. For example just hate the people you’re supposed to. Believe the nonsense you’re supposed to believe. And be generous in your opinions about how tax payers should compensate any and all hardships. But EVs cost you something.


18 posted on 07/14/2023 5:16:04 AM PDT by AndyTheBear (Any number of Russians could haman ve dropped that bag in the white-house....)
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To: MtnClimber

“Maybe we’re finally at the point where most if not all of those who are desperate to demonstrate their green cred already have an EV and don’t need another battery-powered adult toy.”

I’ve been saying the same for much of the year. The people who I know who feel a need to “make a statement” now have their EVs (and, of course, still have gasoline cars to use in the winter and on long trips).

What happens now is that EVs have to actually sell based on “value” to customers. Unfortunately, their “value” is far less than gasoline cars...for if that were not the case, the EV mandates that the Globalist-run part of the world will have to deal with, wouldn’t exist.


19 posted on 07/14/2023 5:16:55 AM PDT by BobL (Trump has all the right Enemies; DeSantis has all the wrong Friends)
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To: MtnClimber

Tesla is the problem for others making EV’s. There is no equal to a Tesla.

The market is telling the legacy manufacturers that they can’t compete because their products do not measure up to those of Tesla.

The legacy companies make cars that have been electrified. Tesla and perhaps Rivian make an electric car from scratch

I do not own and have no present intention of owning a Tesla or any other electrified car. I make observations and present finding

Oh yes......... the Tesla Pickup is coming in a few days or weeks. At least one million are already presold. The truck is truly revolutionary and as a truck is superior to any now on the market.


20 posted on 07/14/2023 5:20:27 AM PDT by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Joe Biden is a kleptocrat)
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