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I kind of get the impression that it's another EV hit piece. The fact that the factory will be making EV batteries has nothing to do with the mold problems, yet

I kind of get the impression that it's another EV hit piece. The fact that the factory will be making EV batteries has nothing to do with the mold problems, yet the reader is constantly being reminded of it.

elevaet 3y ago
I've been noticing a lot of these "EV hit pieces". What's going on with that? Is it organic? Are there nefarious actors (ahem ... oil?) trying to stem the tide? What's going on?
- duxup 3y ago
  I'm not in on the hit piece theory here but I do think that anything novel-ish often gets mentioned no matter how relevant it is to a larger topic.
- jimbob45 3y ago
  BRICS/OPEC has a very vested interest in making sure EVs never achieve deep market penetration.
  - wobbly_bush 3y ago
    BRICS and OPEC are two very different things. Except one country in BRICS, the remaining ones are oil importers. They would gladly get rid of that dependency for national security reasons alone.
- natch 3y ago
  I have no inside info but it stands to reason that big oil, legacy auto, and short sellers of EV-associated stocks would not be opposed to negative coverage of EVs.
- gruez 3y ago
  Given the pro-union affiliation of this publication that the parent commenter mentioned, as well as the fact that EVs take less labor to assemble and maintain, my guess would be that they're trying to protect their jobs.
  - reducesuffering 3y ago
    Yes. UAW, the US auto mfg union, has come out publicly in wanting to slow down the EV transition and soften emissions regulations. They care about their jobs first, climate change and efficiency somewhere else down the line. https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wants-epa-soften-vehicle-emissions-plan-2023-07-07/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wa... 'The United Auto Workers union on Friday called on the Biden administration to soften its proposed vehicle emissions cuts that would require 67% of new vehicles to be electric by 2032. The UAW, which represents workers at General Motors, Ford Motor, and Chrysler parent Stellantis, said the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed standards should be revised to "better reflect the feasibility of compliance so that the projected adoption of (zero emission vehicles) is set to feasible levels, increases stringency more gradually, and occurs over a greater period of time."' https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wants-epa-soften-vehicle-emissions-plan-2023-07-07/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wa...
- zo1 3y ago
  If you ask me, it's the natural "immune system" taking it's course to a drastic change to it's host body (society). There is a lot of momentum, jobs, money, insurance, loans, real-estate, etc all tied up in all-things mechanical and car that along with the ICE engine. Yes, EV cars have some of it too, but no where near the same levels. Not to mention that the top or favorite or most-well-known or most controversial EV company happens to bypass dealerships entirely, thereby threatening their entire existence. I'd go further and take a guess that this same EV company is anti-union, threatening them too on some level. Haven't confirmed this, but it fits the pattern so I'd bet it's playing a part too.
sanderjd 3y ago
Yep: - EV hit piece: for sure. - Assigned to an intern or perhaps farmed out to mechanical turk or similar: almost certainly. - Written entirely or mostly by an AI: probably.

elevaet 3y ago

I've been noticing a lot of these "EV hit pieces". What's going on with that? Is it organic? Are there nefarious actors (ahem ... oil?) trying to stem the tide? What's going on?

duxup 3y ago
I'm not in on the hit piece theory here but I do think that anything novel-ish often gets mentioned no matter how relevant it is to a larger topic.
jimbob45 3y ago
BRICS/OPEC has a very vested interest in making sure EVs never achieve deep market penetration.
- wobbly_bush 3y ago
  BRICS and OPEC are two very different things. Except one country in BRICS, the remaining ones are oil importers. They would gladly get rid of that dependency for national security reasons alone.
natch 3y ago
I have no inside info but it stands to reason that big oil, legacy auto, and short sellers of EV-associated stocks would not be opposed to negative coverage of EVs.
gruez 3y ago
Given the pro-union affiliation of this publication that the parent commenter mentioned, as well as the fact that EVs take less labor to assemble and maintain, my guess would be that they're trying to protect their jobs.
- reducesuffering 3y ago
  Yes. UAW, the US auto mfg union, has come out publicly in wanting to slow down the EV transition and soften emissions regulations. They care about their jobs first, climate change and efficiency somewhere else down the line. https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wants-epa-soften-vehicle-emissions-plan-2023-07-07/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wa... 'The United Auto Workers union on Friday called on the Biden administration to soften its proposed vehicle emissions cuts that would require 67% of new vehicles to be electric by 2032. The UAW, which represents workers at General Motors, Ford Motor, and Chrysler parent Stellantis, said the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed standards should be revised to "better reflect the feasibility of compliance so that the projected adoption of (zero emission vehicles) is set to feasible levels, increases stringency more gradually, and occurs over a greater period of time."' https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wants-epa-soften-vehicle-emissions-plan-2023-07-07/ https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-wa...
zo1 3y ago
If you ask me, it's the natural "immune system" taking it's course to a drastic change to it's host body (society). There is a lot of momentum, jobs, money, insurance, loans, real-estate, etc all tied up in all-things mechanical and car that along with the ICE engine. Yes, EV cars have some of it too, but no where near the same levels. Not to mention that the top or favorite or most-well-known or most controversial EV company happens to bypass dealerships entirely, thereby threatening their entire existence. I'd go further and take a guess that this same EV company is anti-union, threatening them too on some level. Haven't confirmed this, but it fits the pattern so I'd bet it's playing a part too.

sanderjd 3y ago

Yep: - EV hit piece: for sure. - Assigned to an intern or perhaps farmed out to mechanical turk or similar: almost certainly. - Written entirely or mostly by an AI: probably.