One element of the Democrats’ Green New Deal is almost certain to fail. They keep talking about getting gas-driven vehicles off the road. There is a bit of flexibility in the timing, but for the most part, it is somewhere between 10 and 30 years from now.
In the meantime, Democrats are using the power of the federal government and the presidential bully pulpit to get folks to convert to all electric vehicles. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Air Resources Board has issued an order that bans the sale of gas cars in 2035. Note that that is not a law passed by the legislature but an authoritarian edict by the Newsom administration. That is insane at a lot of levels, but then again, we are talking about a woke disciple nutcase governor.
(If you think that appellation is too harsh, you need to remember his high-speed rail fiasco and his more recent plan to give Black Californians $1 million each in reparations. But I digress.)
President Biden is using the carrot and the stick to ween folks off of gas cars. The carrot is to have Uncle Sam (you and me) subsidize the purchases of all-electric vehicles – as much as $12,000. That does not include Tesla – the brand with the largest world market share. That is because Tesla is a non-union shop … is producing cars in China … and Biden hates Elon Musk. Your pick.
There are several sticks being used to increase the price of gasoline by cutting exploration and refining – taking away the United States’ recently achieved oil independence. This has been so effective that Biden has had to go begging for oil from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to temporarily fill the gap in American production that Biden created.
While Biden brags about the growth in the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road, he does not talk about the fact that all that extra electricity is being produced by increasing the output of fossil fuel generating facilities. He also fails to point out that at the current rate of market expansion, the left’s more optimistic date for an all-electric American cannot possibly be achieved.
And the trajectory for an all-electric America is getting worse, not better.
The most telling statistic is the polling that shows that 28 percent of electric vehicle owners will not purchase another one. The problem seems to be that they are just too much of a hassle.
According to the JD Power survey, price is a major concern for potential buyers. The manufacturing of the most affordable electric vehicle, the Chevy Bolt, has ended production. The others range in the $60,000-plus sticker price. Even Biden’s government subsidy does not bring those down to middle class affordability.
But the price is not the only problem. Infrastructure is the number two concern. Charging at home is inefficient – and there are not a lot of charging stations. Walmart announced plans to expand its network of charging stations – and Tesla plans to open some of its charging stations to non-Tesla vehicles. These moves have not assuaged public concerns, according to Power.
The time it takes to charge is another drawback – especially folks who take longer trips. Among other concerns are “range anxiety,” power outages, inadequate repairs and maintenance, and poor performance in extreme weather conditions – not to mention an occasional bursting in flame.
The problems of electric vehicles were best summarized in a joke. “Nine out of 10 electric vehicles sold in America are still on the road. The rest made it home.”
Anecdotally, I am among those who have no desire to purchase an electric vehicle. I am perfectly happy with my 2009 Chevy Impala. It has served me well for 14 years, and I hope to drive it until either it dies or I die.
Despite Biden’s efforts, I believe the gas car will be around for a long time. I suspect that it will still be an option during the lifetime of most folks living today. Maybe longer.
So, there ‘tis.