Japanese Automakers Caught With Pants Down - Scramble To Join EV Circus

While I completely agree with the title that it's an "EV circus" -- everybody and their uncle is scampering to get a piece of the pie -- EV sales numbers suggest that the pie itself isn't that big (<1% US market share), and it has been declining for the past couple years. As it is, EV demand might not be big enough to support yet more contestants, while still being worth every manufacturer's time (and profit) to be in the EV business.

Also, a number of analysts observe the President-Elect's pro-big-business, pro-oil mindset, which is echoed by the GOP-dominated House and Senate, and they speculate there will be a substantial increase in government subsidization of these industries, and reduced impediments due to environmental-consideration-legislations, which will lead to considerably more oil extraction by the US, which will lead to lower fuel prices and possibly even oil independence for the US. This paints an even less hospitable picture for EV and hybrid manufacturers, as sales numbers draw a clear line between low gas prices at the pump and reduced hybrid and EV sales in the US. *IF* (big "if") these analysts' beliefs come to pass, then EV and hybrid demand might collapse to the point of no longer being profitable for any manufacturer.

I can't believe I'm agreeing with Butter Cup Bob, but get rid of the Ethanol subsidies ($6B/yr) now - - - along with the fossil fuel subsidies ($20B+/year).

The Ethanol subsidies and cronyism continue to be driven by the moonbat republican turds who took greedily take Monsanto bribes driving the corn to fuel industry. Regular use of E85 is low due to lack of fueling infrastructure, but is common in the Midwest where the majority of the population is republican and with farmers benefiting from outrageous farming subsidies ($20B/yr) - - - which also need to be stopped now. The continued growth in Ethanol was boosted to current levels by George Busch (the idiot son) by ratifying the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, doing so with with a republican majority held senate and house.

I'm all for dropping subsidies across the board as well as drilling for more resources, but keeping oil subsidies and not not subsidizing EVs would be a huge step backwards.

EVs are inevitable. Daimler announced today they are investing $11 billion in future EV technology, VW and Audi are also going all-in (although they have been saying that for a while). Plus you have new upstarts with $billions of funding: NextEV, FF, LeEco.

Even if gas drops to $1/gallon, we've hit the point where a well made EV will be faster, smoother, provide more space, require far less maintenance, and be more convenient to drive. It is a better product as a whole. 5 years from now battery prices will make an 200 mile EV less expensive to build than an ICE equivalent, but with all of the EV benefits.

Subsidizing oil in 2017 is going to be like subsidizing the typewriter industry in 1987. We're throwing money away on something that will be obsolete in a decade or two.

SanJoseDriver: +1
Just as we didn't leave the Stone Age because we ran out of rocks, I believe we won't wait until we run out of oil before leaving the Oil Age.

If(when?) the day comes when...
...an EV's purchase price is the same or lower than an ICE equivalent
...range, refueling, and battery life become a non-issue, and
...cost-per-mile is the same or lower than ICE
then it'll be hard to justify buying ICE over EV.

Assuming that the future of EV technology is NOT limited by what we know today, then I'd have to say tis scenario is possible within a few decades, and possibly much sooner.

"Subsidy - a sum of money granted by the government or a public body to assist an industry or business so that the price of a commodity or service may remain low or competitive"

So yes, a tax break is a type of subsidy.

Here are some that oil and gas companies get:
- 6% of taxable income deduction for local oil and gas production
- 15% gross income deduction for oil and gas produced via depletion allowance permits
- Oil and gas companies can deduct intangible drilling costs versus having to depreciate over the lifetime of the asset
- Exemption for oil and gas on passive loss limitations
- Foreign tax credits

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:3U_Z31dglAEJ:https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/reports/2016/05/26/138049/it-is-time-to-phase-out-9-unnecessary-oil-and-gas-tax-breaks/+&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us