Opinion | China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball
www.nytimes.com
Do we really want America to become a backwater of bloated, expensive, gas-guzzling cars?

This upcoming competition means that it’s incredibly important for US makers to figure out how to profitably make inexpensive electric vehicles, instead of merely focusing on the biggest most expensive trucks and SUVs

  • @[email protected]
    1•9 months ago

    I disagree. If we were serious about climate change, we’d be rolling out mass transit improvements to reduce the number of cars on the road instead of doubling down on personal vehicles. EVs just move the pollution to battery manufacturing and electricity generation. It’s a way for people to pat themselves on the back without actually changing behavior.

    I’m not saying EVs are bad, they’re probably better on net than gas cars, but they’re not the transformative change we need. My recommendation:

    • more hybrids, less EVs - requires minimal infrastructure changes
    • invest heavily in high speed rail - goal should be increasing percentage of population that doesn’t need a car
    • break up roads that go through cities, pushing cars to the outside - makes car travel less convenient and mass transit more attractive
    • invest heavily in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure - promote ebikes

    But no, we’re investing a ton in EV infrastructure because that sustains the current model.

    • @NocturnalMorning
      2•9 months ago

      A lot of your recommendations are very misinformed. Hybrids are not good for the environment. The fuel in a hybrid evaporates a lot more than a traditional ICE, it’s not the stopgap people think it is.

      My EV runs on primarily renewable energy bcz my house runs on renewable energy sources. Batteries are dirty to mine, yes, but the carbon footprint is way say lower than a traditional ICE. There’s no debate there.

      I agree, high speed rail, and cultural changes to how we drive are necessary. But I can’t make cities do that, hence I buy an EV and ride my bike when I can.

      • @[email protected]
        1•9 months ago

        hybrid evaporates a lot more than a traditional ICE

        Source? That sounds like FUD from EV evangelists.

        I’m guessing you’re referring to plugin hybrids, and only in the case of them primarily running on electricity. As in, they’re evaporating because the gas sits in the tank longer, not because of any difference in how the fuel is stored.

        So per mile, hybrids, plug-in or not, use significantly less fuel than their traditional ICE counterparts.

        My EV

        I’m not talking about your EV, I’m talking about EVs statistically. Most people recharge with whatever the local energy company provides, which varies by region.

        What’s more is that cars typically recharge at night, so energy from solar either needs to be stored or generated by some other mechanism, which is coal and gas in many parts of the country.

        I’m not saying EVs are bad, I’m saying they’re a very expensive, partial solution, and that investment dollars could be better spent elsewhere.

        carbon footprint is way say lower than a traditional ICE

        My understanding is that EVs take a few years to reach parity with ICE cars, and how long that takes depends on your energy source. EVs take more resources to build, but they pay for themselves carbon-wise fairly quickly.

        I’m not saying EVs are worse than ICE or hybrids, only that they’re expensive and don’t solve the problem as effectively as other options.

        I can’t make cities do that

        Sure, and again, I’m not talking about individuals here, I’m talking about government investment dollars. I think we’d do far better moving EV subsidies to infrastructure projects.

        So for individuals:

        • tell your representatives you want better mass transit, specifically what you’d need to not drive
        • replace as much driving as you can with cycling/walking - being visible helps reinforce your request to reps
        • ask friends to do the same
        • keep making the best purchasing decisions you can