Posted on 12/12/2022 6:49:51 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
This industrial city an hour north of Indianapolis isn't as famous as Detroit, but it has become an unlikely battleground in the war over electric cars.
Almost everyone you meet here either works in a factory, is retired from one or has a relative in a plant that makes parts for gasoline-powered cars — which have ruled Kokomo for nearly 130 years.
Yet change is coming. Bulldozers are clearing Kokomo’s cornfields to build a $2.5-billion government-subsidized electric vehicle battery factory, with the aim of retaining jobs tied to auto production at a time California is leading the nation in phasing out gas-powered engines.
Environmentalists, along with industry and government leaders, see a transformation afoot after decades of false starts. They have acknowledged, however, that they can’t complete the shift if electric cars are viewed as something only for rich liberals in California and New York. They need everyone.
The uneasy reception to EVs in Indiana — in a national climate that includes Republican lawsuits against California's new emissions rules and televised warnings that they represent an attack on freedom — suggests that the country remains divided over embracing a technology that environmentalists say is essential to combating climate change.
Indiana can feel like a tough place to own an electric car.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
the plan only works with force
the plan is control
oshuac wrote: the real plan is to ban gas cars regardless of their replacement if any the real plan is shut up and get on the bus the real plan is to force most of us onto public transportation the real plan is control
BS. Authoritarian China is encouraging their people to buy cars and ev’s. The US is not Denmark where you can drive across the country in a hour and public transport is everywhere because it is so small.
Guess What California Is Using to Survive Its Latest Energy Crisis? Yes, Natural Gas (9.7.22)
Also, the EV industry sales pitch of faster charging EVs actually puts more stress on power grid while still being slower than filling a gas tank in my non-expert opinion.
At this time, EVs are little more than a form of blind leading the blind, totalitarian leftist escapism imo.
In the meanwhile, we've found out where a part of California electric bills are allegedly going.
2022 04PG&E CEO earned more than $50 million in 2021 (4.11.22)
Embrace electric cars?
But don’t plug them in until after 9:00pm due to power shortage.
It’s California Jake
Consider that those of us great unwashed who live in flyover country especially in the northern plains endure freezing winters where EVs will struggle with the cold. Our travel for jobs and routine errands as well as well earned vacations is at the limits of the range of EVs and chargers are few and far between. We also know that during winter our vehicles might be our refuge if we become stranded and a tank of gas and the survival kits we carry could keep us from freezing to death for days not an hour or two. We have real jobs where our work trucks actually haul things like sacks of feed, heavy tools and spare parts and we have little time in our day to read a book or listen to pod casts while we wait for our EV truck to charge for an hour or more. The idle rich in California can afford $60,000 EVs which they can smugly drive from home to their office where the charging is free and keep a big SUV in the garage to drive when they actually need to go someplace to hang out with other idle rich.
I don’t hate California.
I hate Liberal Californians.
A better question: Can electric cars compete against fuel powered vehicles in terms of power, range, cost, safety? I have no problems with automotive companies offering EVs. I do have a problem when the government distorts the market by offering incentives for one over the other. The government is not in the business of deciding which option is better and choosing “winners”.
electric cars are a waste of energy
“Can red states overcome their hatred of California and embrace electric cars?”
Typical media BS. If Californians ‘embraced’ electric cars, there would be no need to REQUIRE them in the future (and to essentially shutdown gasoline car production, by blaming it on ‘chip shortages’).
The Miller Steam Plant in Quinton, AL is a key reason there is power to charge the cars. The continuous feed of coal inbound from the Powder River Basin in WY keeps the coal piles provisioned. The bulldozer with the 36 ft wide blade to push the coal around is impressive.
I'm aware of the details because I had 5 research coal cars on that supply circuit and spent a few weeks in the rail yard adjacent to the plant. On the really cold mornings, we were permitted into the building to grab coffee at the cafeteria and enjoy the "nickel tour" of the ops room.
You and I are in agreement. I hate to see the Miller Steam Plant being closed down soon like the Gorgas plant was. My post wasn’t meant to be an everybody-ought-to-get-EV’s-and-green-energy-is-awesome statement. It was just an answer to the article’s question of if more folks in red states (like Alabama) would want to get EV’s. I can see how the “made in Alabama” feeling could warm people up to them.
“Yet change is coming. Bulldozers are clearing Kokomo’s cornfields to build a $2.5-billion government-subsidized electric vehicle battery factory, with the aim of retaining jobs tied to auto production”
It’ll go out of business in a short time. It will lose jobs. Not retain them.
Sure we can. We just can't repeal the First Law of Thermodynamics.
I will buy one when it is economically priced and has the range of my Ram 1500, 500 miles. Provided the electric grid can handle all the recharging every night. I suspect that will not happen.
Charging at home is not a selling point for the tens of millions who live in apartments without parking garages or who live in apartments or homes and park on the street.
True that. But since the article is about the possibility of red staters one day wanting to get EV's, I was thinking more of rural folks in flyover country. I'm not saying everyone go get an EV, or none of that. I'm just saying here in Alabama (a red state) having some of our car plants here in Alabama making EV's bringing a "made in Alabama" charm to buying one, combined with most of Alabamians living in homes (easy to charge) could possibly be enough to make EV's somewhat trendy in this red state among married couples who need 2 cars anyway (and get one EV and one ICE to have the pros of each).
Can red states overcome their hatred of California and embrace electric cars?
NO!!
You make a good point on EV related jobs.
But the technology, business model, natural resources, and infrastructure for mass (or even modest) EV adoption are all flawed in fundamental ways.
The transition to LCD-TVs is instructive. It was literally a total market disruption. Done in an open market (no subsidies) leveraging existing infrastructure (cable TV) with market participants from around the world. LCD sales skyrocketed because the transition was clear and logical. EVs ain’t.
you wrote: But the technology, business model, natural resources, and infrastructure for mass (or even modest) EV adoption are all flawed in fundamental ways.
Siemens just came out with a home charger that by passes the homes electrical service box. You remove the electric meter, put in the ev adapter and plug the electric meter back in.
Takes 1/2 hour to install and run the cable and homeowner do not have to upgrade their homes electric service box.
It will all work out.
CA is not going to build 10 nuclear PP ever. What are you smoking?
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