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What I hate is that we keep yelling global climate change we need to act now then we tarrif byd and prevent the masses from being able to afford an EV. The aver

by 14 2y ago

What I hate is that we keep yelling global climate change we need to act now then we tarrif byd and prevent the masses from being able to afford an EV. The average person can not afford a $50k plus car. I know allowing China to flood our market would kill the North American car industry but I honestly think allowing climate change to take a back seat instead will ultimately end up being the more costly choice. I wish American car companies could see this and find some way to provide a sub $15k car. It doesn't need to be ultra long range. It doesn't need fancy touch screens. It doesn't need power windows even. Just a basic car with a half decent battery meant to go around 150km or so.

nunez 2y ago
My uninformed opinion on this is that allowing cars from China, a country with extremely weak workers rights that subsidizes a substantial amount of its private sector, will flood the market with EVs at the cost of jobs stateside. What am I missing?
Freedom2 2y ago
There's no significant market for a car like that in the US. Just look at the commenters even here on HN who "need" a Ford F150 because their friends move ever 2 months or something, or to carry groceries that a regular sedan or hatchback could carry back.
blisterpeanuts 2y ago
The huge used ICE car market provides sub-$15K vehicles (aside from the inflated prices during the Covid19 supply chain situation). Today, in the U.S., there's a pretty healthy supply of used EV's as well. I recently got my kid a '22 Nissan Leaf with about 11K miles and 170 mile range, for a little over $13,000 (including EV incentives). I'm also seeing some pretty good deals on used Teslas; if I didn’t have to drive rather long distances several times a year, I'd get one myself.
irthomasthomas 2y ago
With buying a new EV you massively front-load the CO2. About 60% of the lifetime CO2 cost of an EV car is in the manufacturing. The most affective strategy for reducing CO2 emissions is re-using older cars for as long as possible. Buy used (EV or ICE) if you genuinely care about this stuff.
- 14 2y ago
  Yes I do drive older cars. My kids keep saying I should get a new car but I laugh and say for what benefit would I do that? I drive a 2004 Camry 4 cylinder. It has some bumps and scratches but gets me from point to point. Just like I don’t get the newest phones, still rocking my iPhone 8 after years of another iPhone I used for many years, I also don’t feel the need for a new car without reason. But I would like an EV as I do need to eventually help my son get a car I would like to pass him this one and upgrade to something electric. My city even offers free charging in a couple spots for local residents and I am living right by one so I could charge for free some days too. But with huge price tags it still would not make economical sense.
- worstspotgain 2y ago
  Today's CO2 bill is only a very narrow and short-sighted part of the picture. Cutting out fossil fuels needs to happen first, in order for renewable and EV tech to have a chance to improve. Then there's the urgent priority of depriving Russia, Iran and other state actors of their most nefarious revenue stream. In turn they use it to sabotage democracy in other countries, preventing the climate crisis from being addressed.

by 14 2y ago

nunez 2y ago

My uninformed opinion on this is that allowing cars from China, a country with extremely weak workers rights that subsidizes a substantial amount of its private sector, will flood the market with EVs at the cost of jobs stateside. What am I missing?

Freedom2 2y ago

There's no significant market for a car like that in the US. Just look at the commenters even here on HN who "need" a Ford F150 because their friends move ever 2 months or something, or to carry groceries that a regular sedan or hatchback could carry back.

blisterpeanuts 2y ago

The huge used ICE car market provides sub-$15K vehicles (aside from the inflated prices during the Covid19 supply chain situation). Today, in the U.S., there's a pretty healthy supply of used EV's as well. I recently got my kid a '22 Nissan Leaf with about 11K miles and 170 mile range, for a little over $13,000 (including EV incentives). I'm also seeing some pretty good deals on used Teslas; if I didn’t have to drive rather long distances several times a year, I'd get one myself.

irthomasthomas 2y ago

With buying a new EV you massively front-load the CO2. About 60% of the lifetime CO2 cost of an EV car is in the manufacturing. The most affective strategy for reducing CO2 emissions is re-using older cars for as long as possible. Buy used (EV or ICE) if you genuinely care about this stuff.

14 2y ago
Yes I do drive older cars. My kids keep saying I should get a new car but I laugh and say for what benefit would I do that? I drive a 2004 Camry 4 cylinder. It has some bumps and scratches but gets me from point to point. Just like I don’t get the newest phones, still rocking my iPhone 8 after years of another iPhone I used for many years, I also don’t feel the need for a new car without reason. But I would like an EV as I do need to eventually help my son get a car I would like to pass him this one and upgrade to something electric. My city even offers free charging in a couple spots for local residents and I am living right by one so I could charge for free some days too. But with huge price tags it still would not make economical sense.
worstspotgain 2y ago
Today's CO2 bill is only a very narrow and short-sighted part of the picture. Cutting out fossil fuels needs to happen first, in order for renewable and EV tech to have a chance to improve. Then there's the urgent priority of depriving Russia, Iran and other state actors of their most nefarious revenue stream. In turn they use it to sabotage democracy in other countries, preventing the climate crisis from being addressed.