Here we have a situation where a reporter had an idea then wrote a story in such a way to show the world he was right. This article, “Can California’s Electric Vehicle Push Overcome the Red State Backlash” in the Los Angeles Times is a case in point. He goes to a ‘red’ state and interviews a number of leaders. He notes that they are all Republican, and so when they express their opposition to the “California Mandate” he infers that it’s because they are conservative. He then succeeds in burying the lede.
The next to last line in the story tells the tale.
Ultimately, electric cars will win not because of blue state mandates, but because they’re a better product, he said.
Yes, when EVs reach the point that they can charge in five minutes, reliably have a range of 300 miles, are able to find fast charging stations virtually everywhere, run well in cold weather, and are priced within a range so that the average person can afford them, then they will succeed no matter the politics of the marketplace.
As you read the article, Astrid has posted it on Parknews.biz, you will find that most of the arguments against the EV comes from thinking through the process. There are major concerns about the lack of ability to provide the electricity to charge a large fleet of electric vehicles. (The Swiss, for instance, have made charging EVs illegal in the winter as they simply must make a choice, charge EVs, or not have enough power to heat their homes.)
California, ground zero for EVs, is in a situation where it doesn’t have enough power to cool its resident’s homes, and have asked EV owners not to charge their cars at certain times so as to not pull down the power grid. And although it has mandated EV only sales in 12 years, has seemingly made no plans to increase the electric resources in the state.
At some point government subsidies have to end. And when they do, the true cost of ownership will come to the fore. When it costs $80 to charge an EV to run 300 miles, and when the cost of battery replacement begins to hit, car owners will begin to revolt against mandates that require you to purchase a certain type of vehicle.
I can see the day when car dealers will be located on the border between California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona, so folks can, if they wish, purchase ICE vehicles and drive them back to their homes in the golden state.
In the end, the marketplace will out. When, as noted above, EVs turn out to be a better, more cost effective product, they will replace internal combustion engine driven cars. Until then, not so much.
Oh, by the way. For some reason you don’t see the term ‘carbon footprint’ in articles like the one in the LA Times. But that’s a conversation for another day.
JVH
