Politics Preventing Affordable EVs in the US

Discussion in 'Environment & Conservation' started by Media_Truth, Aug 22, 2024.

  1. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The Verge recently published this article about the Hyundai Inster, a cool little EV retailing below $26K, that will NOT be available in the US. Others on this Forum have stated that these cars aren't available, because nobody wants them in the US. However, the Fiat 500E is a small EV that is available in the US, and retails for about $32K. There seems to be political pressure in the US, to delay very low-cost EVs in America, to allow the American auto industry to catch up. Tesla has been promising a low-cost EV, priced at $25K for years, and never delivered. The tone in this Verge article seems to reflect this frustration.

    https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/27/...mall-ev-compact-price-specs-us?showComments=1

    Hyundai_Inster.JPG

    Meet the Hyundai Inster, the latest cute, small electric vehicle that is being cruelly denied a North American debut. This subcompact EV has over 200 miles of range, an almost retro-inspired interior aesthetic (think lots of plastic and chunky buttons), and an adorable face that won’t be making an appearance on US roads any time soon.

    Oh, and did I mention that it will be very affordable? Automotive News is reporting that the Inster will be priced below $26,000. So not only is Hyundai entering the fray for affordable EVs, but it’s doing it as at an extreme distance from the US — which is very much in need of affordable EVs.

    There is an Inster review video of a 6'5" male who put the driver's seat in his normal driving position, and then sat in the back behind the driver's seat, displaying all the legroom and head space. He called it "a design miracle". I WANT ONE!
     
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  2. Jack Hays

    Jack Hays Well-Known Member Donor

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    So . . . where's the influence of politics?
     
  3. Bullseye

    Bullseye Well-Known Member

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    Seriously? The Verge not withstanding I haven't seen many outlets, journalist or politician saying anything but praise for EV's. Oh, except for a couple of Auto company CEOs furiously backtracking on their grandiose schemes to flood the country with TVs (that no-one wants).
     
  4. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes, it is much cheaper to produce things in other countries where worker wages are lower and where there are fewer government regulations on industry (or where the regulations that do exist do not go strictly enforced).

    The issue is, many of those on the Left promised that this government forced conversion to electric cars and renewable energy, which is expensive, would result in the creation of "green jobs".
    Obviously they are not really following through with that promise if most of those electric cars are to be produced in other countries.

    The Democrats do also have the Rust Belt region to worry about in the upcoming election -- a region that has been economically eviscerated over the last 50 years, as automotive production moved out of the region. Many of the voters living in that region (which contains many important swing states important for the election) won't be too happy if all those electric cars end up being made in China. (Especially when the federal government is implementing policies pressuring and forcing consumers to have to buy electric cars rather than traditional cars)

    Additionally, I'd also point out that many of these cheaper cars produced in lower cost countries such as China have some quality control issues, which consumers in U.S. markets might not be so accustomed to. And then when it comes to the issue of lawsuits. At these low prices, if you were able to bring one of these cheaply priced cars from China into the U.S. and then something went wrong and you wanted to sue the company, consumers in the U.S. would find that they would not be able to get very much money at all. So the issue of legal liability does raise the price of things significantly.
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2024
  5. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Let's think about the mentality of typical persons on the Left. They want their consumer symbols of being a "socially conscious" good person. But they don't want to personally have to pay lots more money.

    With this whole environmental "Global Warming" movement and push for electric cars at all costs, they've sort of pushed themselves back into a corner.
    This is something they HAVE TO have. It's too late to try to go back on it. But at the same time, all the more affluent progressives already have their electric cars, but unfortunately two-thirds of these progressive supporters do not have the financial means to so easily afford a new electric car.
    So the idea of a cheap car coming from China is the only way out, the only door remaining to them.

    Think about the irony. The MAJORITY of these progressives who support wanting the government to force electric cars on the population HAVE NOT individually decided to buy an electric vehicle themselves, because they can't afford it.

    If you ask them, they've convinced themselves that, somehow, only through government forcing the whole population to have electric cars will these electric cars become affordable for them to be able to buy one.
    Mostly a lot of unrealistic wishful thinking, if you ask me.

    Cognitive dissonance and a whole lot of hypocrisy.

    To point out a parallel, remember how under the Obamacare push a lot of them thought that by forcing everyone to buy health insurance, it would somehow make it cheaper?
    To many it may sound absurdly illogical, but this is the inclination of social collectivism. 'I cannot solve my individual problem, but can solve the problem as a collective group'

    So the only question now is if the progressive environmentalists are going to come together as a group to support importing these things from other cheaper countries, since it seems Americans have too much difficulty affording it for everyone to be able to go along with the green agenda.
    (Never mind that the manufacturing conditions in many of these other countries are more polluting, with much lower wages, worker exploitation, and fewer labor protections for workers)

    Meanwhile, the issue of good-paying jobs is an issue that has been weighing down on the American economy. Some argue we're not exactly going to help that if we just get foreigners to make everything and do all the jobs for less money.
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2024
  6. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The car I cited was Korean. Hyundai has a large manufacturing plant in Alabama. I’ve driven Hyundai cars. Very safe.
     
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  7. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Delaying for Tesla and American EVs to catch up. Most EVs in the US are well over $40K. And yet many EVs worldwide, such as the Inster are priced around $25K.
     
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  8. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes, backtracking because their EVs cost upwards of $80K. American automakers invest all that money but ZERO for advertising. I’d love to buy an EV, but I don’t want to use a large percentage of my retirement income to buy one. America is behind the 8-Ball, and using politics to catch up.
     
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  9. Bullseye

    Bullseye Well-Known Member

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    You haven't seen adds for EV's from major producers? :eek: They're all over. Every major channel is flooded with them.
     
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  10. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    If it was being produced in America, why would politics prevent that car from being sold to American consumers?

    That part does not make so much sense to me.

    You claim there seems to be "political pressure", but how exactly would that work? Any evidence for this? Any evidence anyone is pressuring or preventing the Korean company from manufacturing those cars in the U.S.?
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2024
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  11. Jack Hays

    Jack Hays Well-Known Member Donor

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    Who? How?
     
  12. Bullseye

    Bullseye Well-Known Member

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    I've seen tons of advertising for American EVs. Although, I've also read recently the US manufacturers are backing down a bit.
     
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  13. Jack Hays

    Jack Hays Well-Known Member Donor

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    No matter how much it's advertised, the product doesn't sell.
     
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  14. Pieces of Malarkey

    Pieces of Malarkey Well-Known Member

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    Who is doing the delaying? Hyundai knows what it takes to sell cars in the US, they've been doing it for a couple decades. Pretty simple really. Pass some well-defined tests (FMVSS, EPA, etc.), document the tests, submit results where required, obtain certification where necessary, and bring them ashore.

    Why don't they just get on with it?

    Or maybe there's something they know that you don't.

    Regardless, it's nobody's decision but their own.
     
  15. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The only rationale that is common among the sites that discuss this vehicle is the following (Bolded):

    https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a61440203/hyundai-inster-ev-details/

    The Inster will initially launch in South Korea this summer, with sales then spreading to Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of Asia. Its diminutive size will presumably prevent the Inster from ever reaching American shores. Hyundai says they will later add a version called the Inster Cross that will gain a "rugged, outdoor-focused design."

    However, throughout it’s history, many Americans have desired smaller vehicles - VW Beetle, the early Honda Civic (much smaller than today’s Civic), The Fit, the Fiesta, Mazdas, Fiat, Accent, Kia, mini-Cooper, Geo Metro.

    Personally I think Hyundai takes the attitude. Why sell a $26K car, when Americans will pay $35K-$40K? The trouble is that all the mfr’s are saying the same thing.
     
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  16. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I wrote them a letter. For sure, it will be coming to America now.:cheerleader:
     
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  17. kazenatsu

    kazenatsu Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I don't think you understand how competition works in a free market.

    When there are enough sellers in the game, that sort of strategy, not wanting to sell a cheaper option because you think it will push more of your customers to buy the more expensive option, typically does not work too well.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2024
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  18. AFM

    AFM Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Smaller and lighter cars are death traps.
     
  19. AFM

    AFM Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes. The result of a free market is that if a product can be produced at a lower price they will gain market share. It does not result in more customers buying the higher price product.
     
  20. AFM

    AFM Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Politics is attempting to protect us

    https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/ca...xt=California legislators are,The Epoch Times.
     
  21. Pieces of Malarkey

    Pieces of Malarkey Well-Known Member

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    So what?
     
  22. Pieces of Malarkey

    Pieces of Malarkey Well-Known Member

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    So again, Hyundai is choosing not to sell it in this country. That's their prerogative. No evil conspiracy against you.

    It's just that enough normal people really couldn't care less.
     
  23. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Gasoline catches fire.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/14/world/americas/haiti-fuel-tanker-explosion.html

    CAP-HAÏTIEN, Haiti — More than 60 people were killed and scores more were wounded early Tuesday when a truck carrying gasoline exploded in northern Haiti, officials said.

    The truck, carrying some 9,000 gallons of fuel, swerved and toppled over in a residential area of the city of Cap-Haïtien, according to local officials and witnesses.
     
  24. Media_Truth

    Media_Truth Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    How did the converse work for the Big 3? They couldn’t have this upstart Rivian start selling pickups, so all of them had to prioritize massive EV pickups, with huge price tags. How’s that working out?

    it pays to know the demographic of your market, and that’s what’s missing with these automakers. Hyundai realizes that. Even Tesla fails here.
     
  25. AFM

    AFM Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    It doesn't shut down freeways for tens of hours in a developed country with sophisticated disaster response capability. If you want to save lives in Haiti build them coal, natural gas, or nuclear energy power plants with distribution systems with inexpensive power available 24/7. That is the only way to increase their standard of living and national wealth to improve their disaster response.

    And you omitted the cause of all the fatalities and the actual ignition source by hiding behind a paywall.

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/gas-truck-blast-in-haiti-kills-some-40-in-latest-disaster-for-nation-11639490464#:~:text=The disaster unfolded,country’s northern coast.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2024
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