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

Anyone with a McMansion and two+ central air conditioners certainly does.

My last and current home do, though neither is a McMansion with two+ central air units and neither was above 2,500SF (Current is 1700).

I had 200a service installed in my last home primarily because the outdoor hot tub that came with it sucked a lot of juice and I didn't feel comfortable that it along with central air conditioning and all my ham radio gear which included lots of tube based rigs and amplifiers would suffice with 100a service.

The townhome I live in which was built in 1996 actually had 200a service already, and I'm unsure as to why. Doesn't make any sense that it does.

I also recall at one point our fat, stupid, POS Governor, Democrat JB Prickster and the IL Legislature tried passing a bill to make every new home built here in HELLINOIS capable of quick charging an EV, though that failed (thankfully).

God only knows what that would've done to the price of new homes here in HELLINOIS.

21 posted on 07/14/2023 5:26:17 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: MtnClimber

“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.”

A couple of other factors play-in:
1. If you poll people, there will always be a tendency to want to answer the question “correctly”, rather than honestly - which is why it’s often necessary to ask people a question like “Do you think most people you know will vote for Biden or Trump?”, rather than directly asking “Will YOU vote for Biden or Trump?”, since, of course, the correct answer is Biden. So, sure, everyone is willing to buy an EV, until it comes to actually buying a car for $40k.

2. The way the government has more or less taken over control of large corporations, GM in particular, where GM is as much of a lapdog regarding government policy on cars as Germany is a lapdog regarding US government policy on Ukraine - to the point where we can blow up Germany’s pipelines without any complaint from Germany.


22 posted on 07/14/2023 5:26:47 AM PDT by BobL (Trump has all the right Enemies; DeSantis has all the wrong Friends)
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To: V_TWIN

I have that same shirt on today..
Going on a road trip in my V-8.
Smoking Samurai staying home (roadkill).


23 posted on 07/14/2023 5:27:07 AM PDT by GranTorino (Bloody Lips Save Ships.)
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To: bert

Good point. I remember when GM started to convere gas motors to diesel. Broken cranks.


24 posted on 07/14/2023 5:28:37 AM PDT by Dandy (Drain the swamp baby!!!)
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To: V_TWIN

A buddy has a Q5 TDI. Great vehicle. Excellent mileage, incredible range, gobs of torque.


25 posted on 07/14/2023 5:31:47 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: usconservative

I’m a NYS lifer. I can tell you that most existing homes in this state don’t have a 200A service, especially Upstate.

Heck, we didn’t upgrade from a 60A service until ten years ago.

And that was NOT cheap.

I can’t imagine what it costs to upgrade now.


26 posted on 07/14/2023 5:32:05 AM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: bert
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.

Couldn't possibly agree MORE with your comments, bert. Legacy manufacturers are making terrible EV's and the market knows it.

I haven't seen stats on towing range for the Tesla pickup, it'll be interesting to see that metric vs. Ford's electrified Lightning, and comparing them to RAM and Ford diesel's. the problem with battery power in anything, is that under increased load, power draw obviously increases which decreases battery charge life. The only question at that point is effeciency of the electric motors in Tesla's pickups vs. that of Ford / other electrc pickups.

Can't wait to see that.

27 posted on 07/14/2023 5:32:33 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: mewzilla
My first home had 60A service and cloth wrapped wiring in it, and it was built in 1938. I purchased it in 1987 from the original owner.

It didn't have central air (though did have gas fired furnace w/central heating) and IIRC had a total of 3 or 4electic circuits for the entire home in an old fusebox.

Before I sold that home in 1992 I was required to rewire the house, install a circuit breaker box and install 100A service by the village I lived in. Cost was $750. That was real money back in 1992.

28 posted on 07/14/2023 5:37:35 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: cymbeline

I’m really couldn’t care less about emissions and fuel consumption......I meant I’m just tired of leadfoot rednecks in their deisel whatever, stomping the accelerator when the light turns green and fogging up the intersection with diesel smoke.....they are also fond of doing it if your driving next to ‘em with your window down......pretty obnoxious.


29 posted on 07/14/2023 5:38:23 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: usconservative

We still live in an area with many homes with 6OA service.

They also have homes that in dire need of repair and/or remodeling.

Soaring property taxes that have to be paid.

Soaring utilities.

EVs won’t be an option for these folks any time soo, if ever.

But Deep State doesn’t give a damn about that.

Because climate change policy isn’t about saving the planet any more than CoupFlu policy is about protecting public health.


30 posted on 07/14/2023 5:41:17 AM PDT by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: mewzilla
Hate to say it, living in NYS is punitive for people such as yourself.

Not different here in HELLINOIS and we call it the CORRUPTION TAX.

31 posted on 07/14/2023 5:43:23 AM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: GranTorino

That freakin’ Samurai was a death trap.

Freiburger and Dulcich were lucky to walk away from that episode. SMH

You notice you haven’t seen it again right?.......there’s a reason for that. 😏


32 posted on 07/14/2023 5:43:30 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: MtnClimber

Good one.LOL.


33 posted on 07/14/2023 5:49:52 AM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (Dems: We cheated fair and square!!!)
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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”.”

Nice!


34 posted on 07/14/2023 5:50:56 AM PDT by CodeToad (No Arm up! They have!)
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To: Libloather

I’d think sitting would certainly shorten the life of the battery. Some of them at least use battery power to sustain the temperature while the vehicle sits & will definitely drive it dead. Of course, that would be only one of the problems of owning an EV. They are much too hi-priced for many buyers who can afford only used cars. Even if someone gave them an EV, they couldn’t afford to replace the battery. With a used EV, one would never know how much life was left in the battery until it was too late. They seem to be a fire hazard & I am wondering about the extent of the insurance risk in that case. Of course in certain situations, such as emergency vehicles, they would be eminently unsuitable. That’s a start; there are many more.


35 posted on 07/14/2023 5:51:53 AM PDT by oldtech
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To: FreedomPoster

“A buddy has a Q5 TDI. Great vehicle. Excellent mileage, incredible range, gobs of torque.”

We have a 2021 Ram 1500 and a Jeep Wrangler in EcoDisel. Both get about 30 MPG. The truck has an 850 mile range and the Jeep about 500 miles.


36 posted on 07/14/2023 5:54:04 AM PDT by CodeToad (No Arm up! They have!)
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To: MtnClimber

Good one.LOL.


37 posted on 07/14/2023 5:56:05 AM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton (Dems: We cheated fair and square!!!)
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To: MtnClimber
“the once-hot Ford Mustang Mach-E

That crap-box is even more of an insult to the Mustang legacy than the models they put out in the early 1980's. If you want a crappy electric coupe, you shouldn't be buying a Mustang of any kind.

'83 Mustang GT

2021 Mustang Mach-E

Meanwhile, a REAL Mustang, old and new, looks like this:

1968 Mustang GT

2018 Mustang GT

38 posted on 07/14/2023 6:03:30 AM PDT by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell>)
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To: Sicon

The mid ‘70s Mustang II was a real crap box during the Jimmy Carter oil embargo years. What was it, a rebodied Pinto or something?


39 posted on 07/14/2023 6:13:51 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: usconservative; bert
... 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.

I'd be curious to know the basis for the statement that the Tesla Pickup "is superior to any now on the market."

Tesla has consistently ranked at or near the bottom of all auto manufacturers in customer satisfaction surveys. The two common themes that come up in these ratings seem to be the following:

1. The track records of Tesla vehicles in terms of reliability and repairs have been awful compared to most "legacy" manufacturers.

2. Their vehicles are loaded with a bunch of superfluous electronic gizmos that most customers would never buy as options. (This might be a big factor in Item #1.)

40 posted on 07/14/2023 6:22:17 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("I've just pissed in my pants and nobody can do anything about it." -- Major Fambrough)
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