Don't forget the subsidies the petroleum industry has gotten and still gets for over 100 years now.
Agreed that mandates/bans aren't the best way to promote EVs. It's part of being human: make something forbidden, taboo, and it seems more attractive. Give people the option of something newer and better, allow us to realize the advantages, stop incentivizing fossils, and most of us will come around.
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OMG. You need to turn in your RED Hat!!I’m an ultra MAGA Trumper from Missouri. On paper I’m the last person you would think would be driving a lightning. Then again there are 3 EV owners at my work(2 Teslas and my Lightning and we are all right wingers so ?‍
What sold it for me was the first time I test drove one back in the summer of 2023. It was the most fun vehicle I had ever driven. I’m a numbers guy and after comparing gas vs electric costs, I came to the conclusion that I could still be a truck guy and drive for pennies? Keep in mind I’m a DIY weekender who doesn’t tow long distances and uses the truck for the Home Depot and Nursery mulch runs 10% of the time and 90% kid hauler. If I towed long distances a lot, this truck would be a nonstarter.
I was all in at the time except they were still charging MSRP at the time so I was in no rush to trade in my 2013 Ram 1500. When Ford finally became aggressive with their pricing that sold it for me.
The fact I get to drive a race car of a truck for pennies is what Ford needs to be pushing. Plus I now have a back up generator for the house…..fricken awesome!
The purpose of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes tax credits for certain EVs, is not designed to shove EVs down our throats. It is designed to incent manufactures to produce American Made products. Tesla was until recently producing a Model 3 with a Chinese LFP battery. "The LFP cells also made the Model 3 RWD not qualify for the federal EV tax credit (IRA tax credit), which, in 2024, is applied at the point of sale." Tesla dropped it from production in the US. The lack of IRA EV Tax credit, plus 25% tariff on China-made lithium-ion batteries and components worked to de-incentify unfriendly country products.
Why would I want to fund a company whose profits accrue to Musk who has openly stated he wants tax cuts for billionaires, add tariffs to protect his profits, deregulate to rape our environment, anti-labor regulations to squeeze more profits out of his workers, cut benefits (SS, Medicaid, ACA), and colludes with Putin and the Saudis and other of our adversaries, all to make himself richer and more powerful?
I’ve been roasted by many friends and co-workers about my Lightning. It’s all in good fun.OMG. You need to turn in your RED Hat!!
I have 2 friends who are also ultra MAGA Trumpers that own EVs. One has been a Tesla owner for almost 4 years and the other is on his 2nd Mach-E. They always wear their red hats unless they are driving their EVs.
My Ultra MAGA next door neighbor made fun of my Tesla's last year. 6 months ago he bought a Model S and hides it behind his 2 diesel trucks.
I was talking to a Left Leaning friend this week and they said they would never buy a Tesla because she hates the man and the affiliation with the MAGA crowd.
Its a shame that politics can have such an impact on car buying. This is nothing new. My WW2 buddy refused to ride in my Lexus or my Toyota when he was alive 15 years ago.
Or, the government support for EV development will end and only Tesla will be left!
