That’s what I was thinking. More cheap electric cars, the better. I loved the dirt cheap Spark EV I leased - those things are such a hilarious bargain on the used market too, and a hoot to drive. I wish there were more entry level options like that, 500e, etc...the market seems to be trying to pull everything…

You’re spot on there. Politically this will be difficult to pull off even in a country that is mostly aligned on needing to tackle this issue. We’re not that country, there are far too many lobbying interests at stake, and the margins in congress are razor thin. Meaning nothing will happen, shame really. 

I don’t know enough about the direct subsidies/tax breaks the oil industry gets so I won’t speak to it. But the implicity subsidies you mentioned, aka the negative externalities - that part is HUGE. It’s a massive unpriced component of our current energy consumption that absolutely deserves to be factored in. And as…

100% agree on incentive structure. There needs to be a price cap or an income cap (I think I prefer the former?).

Dammit, Prinsloo! I hit the eggplant emoji instead of the gun! 

Sounds like the experience we had buying our Outback. Actually wasted about 2 hours at a dealer lot – about 15 mins of which was actually looking at the car. After spending the rest of the time sitting around waiting rooms as they “crunched the numbers” their price just wasn’t that competitive AND they were going to…

Haha wow that’s awesome. “Gee, sorry Mr. Fangler. I know this was a super easy deal and I didn’t really do any work - hell you knew more about the car than I do! But look here, the big bad government is forcing me to charge you an administrative fee, there’s just no way around it!”. 

Don’t forget THE LOCAL JOBS!

Sounds like...most of America, honestly?

Well, that guy was a pedo after all. 

So refreshing that “Limited” doesn’t seem to mean “top trim!” anymore, but “limited by your broke ass not being able to buy the more expensive versions of this car, so here’s an almost base spec you underachiever”.

Look at you, Mr. Fancy. First day I went there I got off the damn bus at the main entrance thinking “hey I’m on campus!”. An hour long hike through the fields later (at least I got to meet the cows?)...perhaps I should’ve ponied up for a parking permit :P

PHEVs typically don’t have fast charging capability, and don’t really need it. If you run out of electric juice you already have a backup - your engine. Standard charging rates are plenty even just plugging in to a 110v outlet at home overnight. It’s pretty inefficient usage of time to be fast-charging 20 miles at a…

Yup, super sleazy. Yet so easy for them to throw all that money around and get the public at large to go along with it under the guise of “don’t you want cheaper rides?!”

Exactly my thinking as well. Same goes for companies like AirBnB. Models that COULD be an overall net positive for society if run in an equitable way, but instead has been bastardized by greed.

Did you comment on the wrong article by mistake? Because you’re the only person here talking about the specific crash from this past weekend at that location.

Just imagine if we had been pursuing hybrid cars for an extra 15 years. Imagine what we could have achieved.

Yup absolutely. I have a Bolt - I don’t know if I’ve ever used up more than a quarter of its range. The Spark EV I had before was a much more reasonable number, I’d rather have the Bolt with lower range and a small ICE engine, and then spread those batteries between more cars.

Sounds like it’s time to let the Cruiser enjoy retirement in peace (of course, in your care), take the 470 off the Mrs as your rig and have some fun making it more off-road friendly (plus tow vehicle), and get the Mrs. a nice Prime for family duty.

I’ll keep saying this on Jalopnik comment threads until someone does something about it! -