Electric cars are very much in the news. The Tesla bubble looks like it may just have burst with static instead of exponentially rising sales, France has declared it will phase out diesel and petrol cars by 2040 and Volvo is to convert its whole model range to all electric or hybrid electric by 2019. The World is now gripped by ultra left wing Green politics driven by production quotas set by the policies of The United Nations and Green NGOs. The USA has awoken to this reality and plans to walk away while France just voted for it. Expensive policies with neglible benefits for the public at large that require subsidies instead of paying taxes can only end in economic tears.
Related: Flaming Sparky Cars
Sell your shares in Volvo and France.
You would think that France has more pressing problems to engage the mighty intellect of Macron, who’s thoughts the people are not worthy to consider.
So that’s what a lithium bomb looks like. Sorry, many lithium bombs. Can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a Tesla – my kids are all grown up. I can see ISIS as a big export market.
Volvos announcement is driven by regulation but it really is a joke – probably 90 percent of their cars will be powered by internal combustion with a “hybrid” electric motor and battery pack to scavenge energy usually lost to braking. They add a plug-in for those who want to save a few bucks plugging it in overnight. But the vast majority of miles driven will be oil-powered.
http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/motor-mouth-an-electric-revolution-that-never-was
Despite government, hectoring, virtual signaling, encouragement and outright bribes, consumers continue to avoid purchasing electric vehicles in droves. See the actual numbers from David Booth above, quite startling.
The fate of the electric car was sealed about 1909 by Henry Ford and his contemporaries in the mass produced automobile industry. The Model T was one of the first cars built to go absolutely anywhere, look to histories to see the vehicle in hundreds of unusual guises and locations. It was used as a truck, modified farm tractor, stationary engine to run saws, and so on. An electric car might be useful for running around a city, but for N American travel, forget it.
Has anything really changed in 100 years? Electric cars suffice for urban commuting, but to embark on cold, dark winter drive from say Kincardine to the Toronto airport, I don’t think so. This is the reality consumers understand, most of them anyway, green zealots not so much.
More 3D chess, no doubt…
The USA has awoken to this reality and plans to walk away…
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/us-signs-international-declaration-climate-change-despite-trumps-004206189–abc-news-topstories.html
US signs international declaration on climate change despite Trump’s past statements
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signed a document today calling climate change a “serious threat” to the Arctic and noting the need for action to reduce its potentially harmful effects.
teslas car production can be counted in the 10s, not the thousands , yet its market cap is up near GM
brokers are scum .
The market won’t do it, so like every good fascist, legislate more decisions for the serfs. Vive Le Khmer Vert.
“driven by quotas”.
yup. pure communism, where mao decided to ramp up rice production so the farmers clear cut thousands of peach, apple, etc orchards to meet the new goals. and meet them they did, so much so when the comrade bosses swung by, looked at the figures, then made off with the states’s ‘share’ which was pretty much all of it. the locals made do with the fictional surpluses.
pure communism. group thought redux.
khmer vert indeed.
What is road side assistance going to look like? Will tow trucks have to have a generator to quick charge batteries? How will electric cars last in a mass exodus as when Fort Mac was burning and as in the current fire conditions in BC.? Will farmers have to have electric tractors? What about transport trucks? There are a whole lot of questions not being asked and ignored.
The automobile is about convenience and freedom. Period. Oh yeah … sure, there are some who purchase an automobile as a status symbol, or virtue signaling device … but the vast majority of us have an auto for convenience and freedom. When the new crop of eco-vehicles fail to deliver convenience (plugging in for hours to recharge) or freedom (limited range) … the market will be stunted. The ONLY way this current crop of eco-cars survives free market limitations … is government intervention. If government is allowed to slap outrageously restrictive emissions standards … then you will all be forced to take the “high-speed” train to the next town. Your personal “range” will be limited to the city center.
The eco-car movement is being foisted on the public by people who HATE cars, and HATE freedom.
My understanding is that Tesla is STILL losing between $20,000 to $30,000 PER CAR!
Even if they greatly increased sales and could match the production, they would only be reducing the amount lost per car. Tesla is one of the biggest financial shell games of modern times.
Meanwhile in Hong Kong tesla sales slipped slightly from 2939 units to ZERO.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/teslas-hong-kong-sales-gutted-by-tax-change-1499598003
@Canadian Observer: The obvious way to combat that is to halve the price. Economics 101.
Will farmers have electric tractors?
Sure, why not.
“Green” tractor
That device would be about enough to plough a small garden and back to the shed to plug it in again.
The left have never, ever understood agriculture. From Stalin to Mao and others their revolutions have misjudged food production with disastrous consequences.
The current crop of leftist green zealots are urban based with no conception whatever about N American agricultural production. That may be why they are silent on electric tractors, and combines, they haven’t thought through just what sustainable agriculture means. Or more likely they choose to ignore it along with the fleet of trucks and diesel powered equipment involved in delivering food to their grocery shelves.
We don’t need no cars … at all
http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Are-we-ready-for-the-end-of-individual-car-11278535.php
According to a leftist, anti-oil, anti-FREEDOM, anti-car … “think tank”
They don’t hate cars; only freedom. And not all freedom; only yours. They loves them their own freedom.
This is what being ruled by omnipotent moral busy bodies is. Everything they do, is with the approval of their own conscience. So it will never stop, because it is for our own good.
fine…more fossil fuels for the rest of us. in 30 years i probably will be in a care facility and won’t care what people are driving.
You are correct. The self-appointed erudite elitist leftists … treat their political opponents EXACTLY as they treat the African-American community. As incompetent charges who need to be reminded when and how (1-TP square only) to wipe their ass. The soft tyrrany of low expectations. Really … it’s the hard tyrrany of NO expectations … that anyone with a contrary political viewpoint is a thumb sucking incompetent who must be instructed how to (properly) conduct their lives. By definition … the complete and total elimination of autonomous living. NO freedom for YOU! NO soup for YOU!
… and trust me … they HATE cars … as witnessed by every asswhole Prius driver cruising along in the left lane at 60mph, refusing to move to the right allowing faster drivers to move along. They are frightened rabbits behind the wheel of their 12-inch wheeled vehicles. It’s ALL moving too FAST for their linear brains to comprehend. Ohhhh mammma ! someone changed lanes ! What to do ?! Ohhh mamma … here comes an on ramp ! More drivers merging … ohhhhhh mammma. I see their HATE of autos in their shaky driving disabilities. No wonder they embrace self-driving cars … then a central authority will “organize” the traffic.
Don’t sell your shares in Volvo. All they are doing is adding an electrical engine alongside the gasoline one and reporters wildly misunderstood it. Kevin Libin had a good column on this same subject.
Regardless of their suicidal announcement, why would anyone still own shares of the Chicom owned Volvo? It is probably the single shittiest premium car maker on the market (not counting Tesla because Tesla’s aren’t cars). If you browse their current lineup they do not offer anything with an engine larger than a two littler turbo four. These cars are pretentious more expensive and much less reliable Subarus.
Volvos are automotive ornaments signaling a PBS-loving leftist.
as
Subaru Outbacks are the automotive flannel shirt for the lesbian set.
Outbacks may be a car of choice for certain demographics that we do not find appealing but they are functional, very reliable, all weather transportation appliances. Volvos offer the same with half the reliability for twice the price.
I am as disgusted by a certain demographic commandeering the 4wd Subaru as I am with a certain demographic taking over girls softball
Amen.
Hey, I like electric cars.
We took the Hyundai Ioniq out for a spin.
Yeah, the range sucks, under 200km real world but we liked it a lot!
It’s not for us now but in the next 5 years an electric will likely be a viable option for around town/short run trips while we keep our SUV for longer trips.
Having said that, if they’re not sustainable without massive tax funded rebates ($16,000 in Ontario!!!) then fuggedaboudit! That and reliable power supplies ain’t gonna come from spinning props or magic sun mirrors.