Killing the Fake Climate Crisis
Part II – Americans Say No to Electric Vehicle Revolution
December 23, 2023 – 11:30AM
By: A. Withers – Member of Person County GOP
This is the second in a series of articles presenting facts and tools to help folks who are struggling with disinformation about climate change. These same facts and tools can also be used to fight climate change alarmists by disarming their fraudulent, misguided claims in verbal or social media exchanges.
This week I found “Americans Say No to Electric Vehicle Revolution” by Kevin Stocklin on the front page of the Dec 6-12, 2023 edition of The Epoch Times newspaper. I’ve used the Stocklin article as a base, and added my comments to his fine article.
Americans Say No to Electric Vehicle Revolution
By Kevin Stocklin
Increasingly Americans are rejecting the Biden administration's net-zero central planning initiatives that aim to electrify transportation and home heating while transforming our electricity grid to rely on wind and solar power.
Recently, the rejection has come in the form of a reluctance to buy electric vehicles (EVs), despite numerous government subsidies and mandates, and in the form of towns and counties prohibiting wind and solar projects in their communities.
[The Person County Board of Commissioners recently blocked a massive solar project. Well done! -AW]
Automotive dealers, staring at swelling inventories of unsold EVs on their lot, united to petition President Joe Biden to drop the mandates that are part of his plan to force Americans’ cars and trucks onto the electric grid.
"Last year, there was a lot of hope and hype about EVs, and early adopters formed an initial line and were ready to buy these vehicles as soon as we had them to sell," they wrote in the letter, which was signed by 3,882 dealerships." But that enthusiasm has stalled. Today, the supply of unsold BEVs (battery electric vehicles) is surging as they are not selling nearly as fast as they are arriving at our dealerships – even with deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives and generous government incentives.
“Mr. President, it is time to tap the brakes on the unrealistic government electric vehicle mandate.”
[I’m betting most dealerships wanted to use a different phrase than "tap the brakes”. What they really wanted to say was “immediately kill these EV mandates”. When the only purpose for killing coal, oil and natural gas, and for mandating wind, solar and EVs is to control the lives of regular folks, there can’t be any legitimate purpose served by mandates. -AW]
Car Buyers Skeptical About EVs
However, many consumers remain unwilling to take the bait, even amid the temptations of numerous federal incentives and subsidies for EV buyers, as well as looming blue–state bans on the sale of new gasoline–powered cars and trucks.
The car dealers who petitioned President Biden say they are happy to sell whatever products customers want, but most car buyers haven't been willing to make the switch.
“The adoption of EVs is not there, and the only reason this is happening is government mandates,” a Tennessee car dealer who spoke anonymously told the Epoch Times. "There are 50 reasons not to buy an EV and only one to produce EVs. That's pretty bad odds, wouldn't you agree?”
Among the reasons cited by dealers is that EVs are still too expensive for most buyers, many of whom don't have garages to charge them in, or access to public charging stations. They also said customers worry about the loss of driving range in cold or hot weather, while many have long daily commutes and can't spare the time it takes to charge the battery.
“Truck buyers are especially put off by the dramatic loss of range when towing,” the dealers wrote.
"Already, electric vehicles are stacking up on our lot, which is our best indicator of customer demand in the marketplace.”
[From an earlier Epoch Times edition: “In second quarter 2023, the average inventory for EVs topped more than 92,000 units on the ground at dealer lots, according to Cox Automotive. This is up 342 percent compared to second quarter 2022.” Now we understand the main reason why 3,882 dealerships were delighted to sign a letter telling Joe Biden: “Your net-zero plan is killing us.” -AW]
Central Planning For Net–Zero
Despite this, the Biden administration continues to expand its national industrial policy to transition Americans to EVs from gasoline cars. This policy features tough new limits on carbon dioxide tail pipe emissions for carmakers, set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to force about two-thirds of new car and truck fleets to be zero–emission by 2032.
It also features taxpayer–funded investments in EV charging stations, as well as federal and state subsidies for the construction of EV manufacturing plants. Many electric utilities are investing in the construction of EV charging stations and passing that cost onto consumers in the form of higher electricity bills.
A June 23 White House fact sheet states: “Thanks to President Biden's Investing in America agenda, rising demand for EVs, and investment from private firms, the public sector, and electric utilities, nearly $24 billion has already been committed for public charging infrastructure through 2030.
"We are on track to achieve President Biden's visionary goal of 500,000 public chargers.”
[As this section plainly states, YOU the TAXPAYERS and ELECTRICITY RATEPAYERS are paying for this hidden EV cost – not the “private firms, the public sector, and electric utilities,” and for sure, Joe Biden is not paying “his fair share” for these things. -AW]
One study suggests that, due to these central planning programs, Americans are chipping in an average of $48,000 for every EV sold whether they buy them or not. An October report by the Texas public policy foundation, titled "unmasking the true cost of electric vehicles," states that the actual cost of EVs is being obscured by "socialized" subsidies, money transfers, and other expenses that are being passed on to the public at large.
An average EV, with a current sticker price of about $53,000, would cost about $100,000 "if these subsidies were rolled into the retail price of the car instead of being socialized to the rest of us," the report’s co-author, Brent Bennett, told the Epoch Times.
Despite the numerous subsidies, however, many carmakers and dealers continue to lose money on their EVs. Ford revealed in October that its EV division posted a quarterly loss of $1.33 billion and lost $1.08 billion in the previous quarter. GM announced that losses in its EV division contributed to a $1.5 billion reduction in profits this quarter.
Carmakers are responding by cutting back on EV production. Ford stated that production of the electric Mustang Mach E is being put on hold and that the automaker is pausing its planned $12 billion investment in new EV production. GM is backing off from its production targets of 500,000 EVs over the next 12 months, the carmakers CEO, Mary Barra, announced.
Some industry analysts question whether the Biden administration goal of more than 60% of new car sales for EVs is achievable within the next decade.
Some industry analysts argue that EVs are a niche product for the wealthy and that the vehicles will struggle to dominate the auto industry. The average income of an EV buyer is currently $150,000, or double the $75,000 median household income in America.
What does Andy Withers say? EVs might find a long-term niche as high-end, high tech, sexy products, but only within high-dollar metro areas, and only as “status toys” for wealthy folks. Most of America has already realized they can’t have an EV without also keeping at least one internal combustion vehicle to support their lifestyle, and by making significant, costly upgrades to their home’s electrical system for EV charging. The worst thing about EVs is that we are still nowhere near understanding the 100s or 1000s of unintended consequences, which only time can reveal.
Personally, I’m betting that in 20 years, many rural areas will be littered with dead EVs, batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels. There may be no good solutions for their disposal, leaving huge ugly scars across our landscapes which take decades and $billions to clean up and revegetate.
Perhaps by election day (Nov 5, 2024) voters will have seen enough damaging net-zero mandates from the Biden administration (and other Democrats) so that regular voters of any party will understand they have no choice but to throw these socialist bums out of office. The alternative is to give up the traditional American lifestyle which they choose to live for one that is completely controlled by a Democrat government. It’s no more complicated than that.