Posted on 06/04/2024 6:35:37 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Many Americans still aren’t sold on going electric for their next car purchase. High prices and a lack of easy-to-find charging stations are major sticking points, a new poll shows.
About 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they would be at least somewhat likely to buy an EV the next time they buy a car, according to the poll by The Associated Press, while 46% say they are not too likely or not at all likely to purchase one.
The poll results, which echo an AP-NORC poll from last year, show that President Joe Biden’s election-year plan to dramatically raise EV sales is running into resistance from American drivers. Only 13% of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household owns or leases a gas-hybrid car, and just 9% own or lease an electric vehicle.
A new rule from the Environmental Protection Agency requires that about 56% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2032, along with at least 13% plug-in hybrids or other partially electric cars. Auto companies are investing billions in factories and battery technology in an effort to speed up the switch to EVs to cut pollution, fight climate change — and meet the deadline.
EVs are a key part of Biden’s climate agenda. Republicans led by presumptive nominee Donald Trump are turning it into a campaign issue.
Younger people are more open to eventually purchasing an EV than older adults. More than half of those under 45 say they are at least “somewhat” likely to consider an EV purchase. About 32% of those over 45 are somewhat likely to buy an EV, the poll shows.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
You state many valid points. But it helps me fight one of the major knowns: the Dims' warmageddon cult and their stupid energy policies were hitting mine and my wife's budget while I'm trying to plan to retire in my late 50's. By having one car of each type: an EV car or gas pickup, we're able to pick which car we drive most to save on energy costs. So far for the 2 years we've had the EV, driving the EV has been way cheaper.
To your point, one of the costs that came with the EV was I had to make sure my insurance on my garage was up to date (it wasn't, I learned that my coverage wasn't enough to replace the garage so I increased the payout and my premiums). But in the past year, driving the EV has saved me a hair over $4,000 in gas vs charging (without getting into the fact that over 80% of my home power is from solar, so my EV saves me even more than that, but that's calculated in another spreadsheet).
So I'm covered for a fire, that has 0.025% chance of happening (and that's total EV fires including collisions, not just the EV's sitting at home). While my car options allow me to mitigate future sky high energy costs, which have an almost 100% chance of happening.
Good post. Absolutely, no need to justify. You want an EV? Great. People just object to be forced by government into something wildly impractical for their specific needs.
Americans are shying away from all vehicle purchases at present
‘Many’ should read “Most’
Only morons listen to Biden. If he opens his mouth he is either lying or eating ice cream
That's almost entirely the case except for the twenty-something EV owners.
Bootybutt was given billions to build charging stations. He had 7 built in the whole country. Where did the money go?
Ever notice on EV tv commercials, if the EV is at a charging station, it only shows the driver disconnecting the charger cable? Not actually pulling into the station, hooking up, and waiting...and waiting...and waiting. The impression they’re trying to impart is that EVs are easy and convenient to use. Just like a gas vehicle.
“That’s higher than I expected...”
Look how many folks got the jab.
Billions allocated for charging stations with nearly none built using that money.
The “Made in USA” clause that made charger manufacturers seek US partners was lifted after all the hoopla. So, all the foreign companies are just waiting to get their hands on that taxpayer money which will go into the pockets of non-citizens outside the US, mostly in China.
I suspect the delay is the election. If Biden wins, then the floodgates get opened to foreign charger manufacturers because of the “climate emergency”.
From what I've read, the money didn't go anywhere. Too much red tape and vendors willing to take on the projects...
“That’s higher than I expected, ...”
Consider the source: AP, and you can likely cut that number in half.
“I just cannot imagine WHY anyone in their right mind would buy one.”
1) some people have a lot of money.
2) they are really fun to drive. Instantaneous torque. They are really fast.
One of my customers who lives in Idaho gave me a ride a couple years ago in his Tesla Model S Plaid. This was about a $125K car when he bought it. It was the fastest 0-100 mph car I have ever been in. It was just as nice as a Mercedes on the inside. He said it was more fun to drive than his former Porsche 911 Turbo. He is a rich guy who probably makes over $1MM/year.
He charges it at home. Had his company electrician install a charger in his garage. He also pointed out that Idaho has very inexpensive electric rates. That his electricity in Idaho Falls comes from the dams on Snake River. So, his car is hydro powered.
He is not a liberal. He is a former Mormon conservative. He also has a full sized Dodge diesel 4WD pickup. Plus his business has several large diesel delivery trucks.
I have done plenty of research into this. There is absolutely nothing irrational or close-minded about my criticisms.
I steadfastly maintain that UNLESS you have a focused use case, I think you would have to have your head examined to buy one. ESPECIALLY and specifically if you are NOT a “focused use” case.
And there are a lot of people who have purchased them who were NOT cognizant of the pitfalls.
Bear in mind, this is not a criticism of you.
You appear to be a “focused use” case, because you have multiple cars, etc. So, in your case, it is essentially a luxury and a toy. You can drive it short drives, within a certain radius of your domicile, to the hardware store, etc. And that is is. It works for you because you can afford it. And that is fine, UNLESS that if the purchase involved a EV rebate, provided by the government from taxpayer monies, I am dead set against it, root and branch. If there was no rebate-I am perfectly fine with people spending money on whatever they wish to spend it on, as long as MY taxes paid are not contributing to it in any way.
But if you have an EV and it goes over a rock or a branch and it comes up and damages the battery-or someone runs into the back of your vehicle as happened to me last month-you may be covered right now, but there will come a time when insurance companies are going to refuse to insure them, or will do so only for exorbitant prices because they will lose money hand over fist. So, unless there are taxpayer dollars to subsidize insurance, there will come a time when insurance will be infeasible.
And there may also be a time, not long in the future, where your homeowner insurance is going to go up if you store an EV on your property within a certain distance of the house. Something the insurance companies are taking a greater interest in surveilling, due to the ubiquity of drones. They are already using drones to examine the roofs of their homeowners they insure, and if your roof is not up to their standards, they have begun to warn homeowners that their insurance will be discontinued unless the roof is repaired.
Taking your EV on a Ferry? There may be a time soon when that will be impossible. (In your case, you could take one of your other cars and you would be fine. Or, just avoid going on ferries.)
If this seems far fetched, there are already auto repair places that are required by insurers to have a separate lot, a specific distance away from their repair facility, to store EVs in that are awaiting repairs.
Again, I think if you have the money to buy one as a toy (and if I had the money, I might consider it for short hops) that is great as long as it isn’t being subsidized by me or any other taxpayer.
And not rent an EV.
Just my observation from my own neighborhood - a couple of years ago our streets and driveways were filled with Teslas and electric BMWs - now I only notice one - seems they’ve been replaced with gas-powered BMWs and other high-end cars, not EVs.
Those alerts we got over the summer not to plug in EVs b/c the grid was overloaded I’m sure didn’t help.
EVs also don’t do great on the secondary market - who wants a used EV that will need a new battery for $24,000?
The dot Indians that live in my neighborhood all drive Teslas.
That and part of the problem in California is that we drive long distances across the state, meaning you have to recharge - and the charging stations are unreliable. My cousin has a Tesla and he’s told me stories of pulling into EV charging stations and all of the chargers were “out of order” - we parked behind an EV charging station in the middle of the state and every single nozzle had been vandalized.
People like that, as described above, are “focused use” cases.
Again, if my taxpayer money is not involved in rebates of EV purchases, I believe that is completely up to the person buying the vehicle. (if there is an EV rebate from the State or Government, I am virulently against this in ANY case.)
I used to be a jet mechanic, and I was right on the cusp of the time when Radial (piston) aircraft engines were about to be totally phased out.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but beyond simple performance issues, there were a LOT of good reasons to give up radial engines for jet engines, and simplicity is one of them.
I worked on jet engines, and I didn’t see simplicity as a good reason, because jet engines seemed damned complicated to me.
But in reality, they are indeed far simpler. A tube you spray kerosene into which you ignite, it spits out the back, producing thrust.
It IS far simpler in many ways. And I completely see advantages in EVs in that respect, apart from the battery technology, that make it great.
Locomotives that use diesel fuel to run generators that electrically power the train have been around since the Forties, for those advantages of torque and simplicity.
But the inherent issues with battery storage (that, contrary to what people think, are NOT likely to be solved like the field of dreams where you “build it, and the solution will come”)
Batteries involve hard physical problems to solve, and compromises every step of the way. Sure, we may stumble across some solution, but this headlong rush, mandating them, spending money to force them on people, and taken from my wallet at the point of a gun to “solve” a hoax called “Climate Change” as the justification, is offensive to me.
I view it as lemmings rushing towards a cliff in the hope that the chasm will be filled in by the time they get there.
“The beatings will continue, until the morale improves.”
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