Ugh: Seems like he cherry-picked the most pejorative data he could find to paint the Volt/Leaf as nothing more than boondoggles.. President Obama's electric car subsidies are snobby and foolish. - By Charles Lane - Slate Magazine
It is the trickle down theory, Poor people will be lining up to buy used LEAF's! Wait? Buy a used Leaf or a new Prius for the same price? Hmm Decisions Decisions... LOL
The assumption in the included quote of course, is that a BMW is worth $41,000 and a Volt is not. Because the BMW really gives rich people that rich feeling, I guess. Of course there are no costs associated with pollution. Nothing matters but the cost of the vehicle and the cost of the fuel.
It's a potentially viable approach and worth exploring. I doubt that GM is making money on an all new limited production vehicle at those prices, the customers won't be saving money, the taxpayers will be footing part of the bill. But, there is a lot to be learned. We need to explore several viable alternatives and they don't need to show a profit in the next 90 days, or year or 5 years, the just need to prove that they are a viable pathe to future systems that make economic and ecological sense. The same ignoranuses that are nay-saying the GM electric vehicle would really have had a field day with the Wright Brothers early flights. None of this is to say that there aren't also a lot of flakes and charlatans peddling various hair brained schemes. There are.
How many billions did the Federal government flush down the toilet propping up GM & Chrysler? and AIG? and the banks & brokerage firms? Add in the state & local tax incentives given to large corporations to encourage them to locate in the community. Yup, we'll whine about a few million dollars but corporate welfare by the billions is OK.
Burn up the oil and let's be done with it. Look, these deniers will always be here until the price of gas/diesel rises enough that they can't afford it. Let the free market 'wack them with a clue by four.' There is no helping the foolish: Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly Bob Wilson
I seem to remember huge tax credits for people buying Hummers a few years back! I personally don't think much of the credit, if you don't buy the car with a suitcase of cash yer still financing a 32 to 41 thousand dollar car! For the time being, a standard Prius or equivalent hybrid makes the most sense environmentally and economically!
Here is another article in the same genre. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-...cars-subsidized-by-harry-reid-and-the-senate/ Interesting... this one compares the price to Mercedes where the Slate one is a BMW. Those are expensive cars, boy. But worth the money, apparently. Because... well, because they're expensive cars, of course.
Government subsidies to EV and PHV manufacturers is an smart way to hasten the adoption of the new technology across the spectrum of car buyers. Big spenders and first adopters benefit first, but that's the way it always is. Getting EVs and PHVs on the road starts the rest of us dreaming, scheming, scrimping and saving to buy one ASAP. Let's not forget that purchases of major items, cars especially, are as much about psychology as economics. The psychology of selling cars -- advertising and promotion -- is complex. At least for new car buyers, and for the immediate future that would include all EVs and PHVs, I would suggest that the two are of equal importance. For the most part folks want to "reach up" when they buy a new car, "up-ness" having many manifestations: more prestigious brand, more bells and whistles, better mileage, more volume, newest technology, one-upping the neighbors, whatever. In the main, buying down is considered a concession to reality, it is not what most folks dream about doing. I have never heard someone say, "As soon as I can get rid of my Cadillac, I'm going to buy an Aveo."
