Gail - Do you want to sacrafice jobs for the sake of electric cars that only a few can use presently?
I don't think "presently" is a valid argument when the US is not presently putting full effort into protecting air quality. People now becoming too sick to get to their jobs, is the presently we are looking at. The US needs to be more focused on the future of the health and well being of its citizens and its economies. New jobs are now and will continue to be created with that effort.
China has this figured out. They provide jobs for humans and robots that all contribute to the status they presently enjoy and have worked hard to achieve. I believe Germany is one of the world's leaders in robotic manufacture and maintenance.
https://www.kuka.com/en-us/about-kuka
Global Plug-in Sales for the 1st Half of 2018
http://www.ev-volumes.com/country/total-world-plug-in-vehicle-volumes/
Gail, I understand what you are saying, but with the current admin, it is a moot point. That is also the difference between Norway and the US, as pointed out in the article in the original post.
Norway is looking at the future and how to stay competitive in global business:
VIDAR HELGESEN, Foreign Minister, Norway:
Our position is very much that we very much need to build competitiveness for the future. We also need to care about the jobs that don't exist today that need to exist in the future. We know that the Chinese are investing massively in renewable energy. We know the Chinese and other major up coming economies are investing a lot in electric vehicles. I think they're building green competitiveness for the future.
Trump is looking for immediate gratification from his base besties. He is not looking beyond 2020:
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP:
The assault on the America auto industry, believe me, is over. It's over.We're setting up a task force in every federal agency to identify and remove any regulation that undermines American auto production and any other kind of production.
"China investing massively in renewable energy"? And the US continues to roll back emissions regulations and anything else to do with combating climate change because it is all a 'hoax', you know.
Hmm, where is that going to put this country in 10, 20 years when America has been left behind China and the rest of the world in renewable energy and the technology of tomorrow? (Well, maybe we'll have 6G ahead of China, so says Donnie, but I digress.) Make America great again, my a**!
@williamb39198 wrote:So is your point that we should just give up on clean energy transportation?
Because stats say that these vehicles are not being pushed because America wants to burn gas, not using any form of clean energy...because corporations don’t want clean energy?
NO - my point is the car manufacturers and dealerships have to be incentivized to market them.
If we are to have a tax credit (tax expenditure) then we need to give it to them - BIG.
Clean Energy transportation is gonna be a big cost to us as a country if that is where the incentives have to come from and not just for this type of clean energy.
Around here people drive
probably in this order) - Big trucks, SUV's of all sizes, Luxury vehicles, smaller sedans and older cars/trucks/SUV's Those are what fits their lifestyle and pocketbook. Dealerships make money not only on selling the popular (and better advertized) models but also on the maintenance and repairs of these vehicles. If they are not selling electric cars, they aren't investing in the new equipment necessary to service them.
IOW, we have to change the lifestyle wants/needs of people (that is hard to do) or build electric vehicles to fit those needs - including price and size - a small sedan only fits so many people.
It all goes back to the manufacturers and those selling and maintaning them.
Look at what GM just did:
ElecTrek 11/26/2018 - GM kills the Chevy Volt, shuts down factories, but accelerates EV investment
GM announced today a major restructuring that will involve “doubling” the company’s investment in electric and self-driving cars, but they will pay for it by shutting down factories and laying off thousands of workers.
The company has also confirmed that the Chevy Volt will be discontinued.
Do you want to sacrafice jobs for the sake of electric cars that only a few can use presently?
Seems to me, it is not just about using electricity (batteries) to power autos - but designing the autos using electic energy to power them that people want /need- and making the price affordable.
Like I said - if government incentivizes this - BIG BUCK.
If industry puts forth the effort - then they probably aren't gonna be paying taxes because of the
R & D.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: "There is no more beautiful sight than an American-made car."
I bet if he actually drove himself in DC or NYC (as in no chauffeur or Secret Service leading the way), he'd be singing a different tune. What a dork.
