Say what you want, but it’s undeniable that electric cars are being pushed and marketed in a certain way. Just look at Car and Driver’s Future Electric Vehicles: The EVs You’ll Soon Be Able to Buy and notice how many of the cars are SUVs, pickup trucks, or cost over $50,000. Or look at Edmund’s Best Electric Cars of 2025 and 2026 and see how many of their categories are “luxury” or “super luxury.”
There just aren’t a lot of smaller budget options being made, for whatever reason.
It’s because companies typically create high dollar/high trim items first in order to use that money to develop these new products. China is paying all these development costs for Chinese manufacturers.
We could do that here if you don’t mind a tax increase and cuts to government services so that more of your tax dollars can be funneled to Tesla, Ford, and GM and all the other more popular foreign manufacturers like Hyundai, Kia, Dodge, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, etc but I don’t think that’ll go over well once people actually see how the sausage is made.
Furthermore, this will likely lead to a lot of people hopping from car to car to car when they’re selling so cheap new (especially for those who are buying these higher priced trims currently) which completely negates the environmental benefits that EVs offer. China is already seeing this with “car graveyards” full of nearly new EVs since there is no incentive for anyone to buy them over the newest model. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2023-china-ev-graveyards/
Normally I accept that new tech is more expensive so they need to make it a luxury product at first to make a profit but car companies have been prioritizing ‘luxury’ pickups and SUVs for awhile now, even in ICE vehicles. A few years back now I’d have loved to buy a small, practical Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma or similar, but they’re only making big trucks with all kinds of cost-markup-worthy luxury features. (So I bought a sedan). The focus on higher returns per individual sale seems to be the overall trajectory and why wouldn’t it? The line must always go up.
I don’t doubt that the established car companies can turn an ever-growing profit (at least for awhile) by cutting overhead and fine-tuning existing products, but I’m frankly skeptical that they have the nerve or ability to really invest in developing an entire new type of vehicle. I just don’t think they have the ability anymore, they’ve spent too much time specializing in short-term profits. It’s much easier to complain and demand protectionism from competition.
I don’t disagree that the chinese companies have a lot of advantages, many of which are unfair. But I also don’t have any real sympathy for our Too Big To Fail™ car companies, who have received a frankly absurd amount of help themselves with far less benefit to show for it. And even when they get that protection I find I’m skeptical that they’ll use that cover to actually work to improve their electric vehicles to something comparable to the vehicle fleet that’s being locked out of the market.
Say what you want, but it’s undeniable that electric cars are being pushed and marketed in a certain way. Just look at Car and Driver’s Future Electric Vehicles: The EVs You’ll Soon Be Able to Buy and notice how many of the cars are SUVs, pickup trucks, or cost over $50,000. Or look at Edmund’s Best Electric Cars of 2025 and 2026 and see how many of their categories are “luxury” or “super luxury.”
There just aren’t a lot of smaller budget options being made, for whatever reason.
It’s because companies typically create high dollar/high trim items first in order to use that money to develop these new products. China is paying all these development costs for Chinese manufacturers.
We could do that here if you don’t mind a tax increase and cuts to government services so that more of your tax dollars can be funneled to Tesla, Ford, and GM and all the other more popular foreign manufacturers like Hyundai, Kia, Dodge, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, etc but I don’t think that’ll go over well once people actually see how the sausage is made.
Furthermore, this will likely lead to a lot of people hopping from car to car to car when they’re selling so cheap new (especially for those who are buying these higher priced trims currently) which completely negates the environmental benefits that EVs offer. China is already seeing this with “car graveyards” full of nearly new EVs since there is no incentive for anyone to buy them over the newest model. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2023-china-ev-graveyards/
Normally I accept that new tech is more expensive so they need to make it a luxury product at first to make a profit but car companies have been prioritizing ‘luxury’ pickups and SUVs for awhile now, even in ICE vehicles. A few years back now I’d have loved to buy a small, practical Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma or similar, but they’re only making big trucks with all kinds of cost-markup-worthy luxury features. (So I bought a sedan). The focus on higher returns per individual sale seems to be the overall trajectory and why wouldn’t it? The line must always go up.
I don’t doubt that the established car companies can turn an ever-growing profit (at least for awhile) by cutting overhead and fine-tuning existing products, but I’m frankly skeptical that they have the nerve or ability to really invest in developing an entire new type of vehicle. I just don’t think they have the ability anymore, they’ve spent too much time specializing in short-term profits. It’s much easier to complain and demand protectionism from competition.
I don’t disagree that the chinese companies have a lot of advantages, many of which are unfair. But I also don’t have any real sympathy for our Too Big To Fail™ car companies, who have received a frankly absurd amount of help themselves with far less benefit to show for it. And even when they get that protection I find I’m skeptical that they’ll use that cover to actually work to improve their electric vehicles to something comparable to the vehicle fleet that’s being locked out of the market.
So, part of this is legislative. Write your Rep about the Chicken Tax.
If only there a way to tax billionaires
E:I’d take higher taxes if they paid their fair share