I remember back in 2007 when I would try to talk to people about this badass upcoming Tesla Roadster that could smoke supercars. A very common thing I heard was

I remember back in 2007 when I would try to talk to people about this badass upcoming Tesla Roadster that could smoke supercars. A very common thing I heard was: "Yea that's interesting, but I mean, a silent car is just not cool like a screaming V12." Times change. Outward status also comes from travel, clothing, food, lifestyle, and housing choices. -- The flip side of the equation is that cars (even electric ones) have enormous externalized costs that are not paid by the owner/driver of the car. As those costs are accounted, the balance will continue to tilt away from cars where they can be avoided. (Particulate pollution from tires, brakes and road surface wear has an enormous public health cost, congestion & long commutes have enormous productivity and health costs, parking and sprawling development have enormous unaccounted infrastructure costs.)