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most major brands have announced new electric and/or plug-in hybrid cars coming out in the next 5 years So 2025 is when major brands are serious about electric

most major brands have announced new electric and/or plug-in hybrid cars coming out in the next 5 years So 2025 is when major brands are serious about electric cars? Doesn't that seem late?

twblalock 6y ago
> So 2025 is when major brands are serious about electric cars? Doesn't that seem late? Why would that be late? It might be too early! There is not a good infrastructure for electric car charging. Right now it is a luxury for homeowners and people who rent high-end apartments. Even in California, where I see electric cars literally every time I drive somewhere, the infrastructure is easily overwhelmed -- last year there were long lines outside of Tesla Supercharger stations on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that was just for Tesla owners! Imagine how bad it will get when electric cars become available at prices that most people can afford! Considering those challenges, it's really very encouraging that mass-market automakers are willing to take the risk - especially since the government has not been willing to take the complementary risk of building charging stations on public streets to the extent that would be necessary for apartment-dwellers to be able to realistically consider owning electric cars.
- Noos 6y ago
  Not sure about the risk. Like you said, we'd have to massively redo infrastructure on a huge level to see any penetration beyond luxury alternative use. If we'd start to also see increased carbon taxes or various efforts to reduce climate change, both vehicle and infrastructure might become even more expensive and more of a luxury. Plus, it seems as a culture we are just wasting the productivity gains from increased technology and automation and dumping the value into money games; eventually i expect electric cars will be moot because there won't be enough jobs or job creation to sustain enough of a middle class to afford them.

most major brands have announced new electric and/or plug-in hybrid cars coming out in the next 5 years So 2025 is when major brands are serious about electric cars? Doesn't that seem late?

twblalock 6y ago

> So 2025 is when major brands are serious about electric cars? Doesn't that seem late? Why would that be late? It might be too early! There is not a good infrastructure for electric car charging. Right now it is a luxury for homeowners and people who rent high-end apartments. Even in California, where I see electric cars literally every time I drive somewhere, the infrastructure is easily overwhelmed -- last year there were long lines outside of Tesla Supercharger stations on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that was just for Tesla owners! Imagine how bad it will get when electric cars become available at prices that most people can afford! Considering those challenges, it's really very encouraging that mass-market automakers are willing to take the risk - especially since the government has not been willing to take the complementary risk of building charging stations on public streets to the extent that would be necessary for apartment-dwellers to be able to realistically consider owning electric cars.

Noos 6y ago
Not sure about the risk. Like you said, we'd have to massively redo infrastructure on a huge level to see any penetration beyond luxury alternative use. If we'd start to also see increased carbon taxes or various efforts to reduce climate change, both vehicle and infrastructure might become even more expensive and more of a luxury. Plus, it seems as a culture we are just wasting the productivity gains from increased technology and automation and dumping the value into money games; eventually i expect electric cars will be moot because there won't be enough jobs or job creation to sustain enough of a middle class to afford them.