EV Makers Fear Consumers Won't Go Green Without Cash In The Pocket From Tax Credits

If it requires bribery then the technology is not mature enough for customers to accept it. At any rate, we should not be using taxpayer money to bribe/reward people who buy EVs. The business case for EVs isn't ready just yet. Mass acceptance will happen when an EV can be recharged in 5 minutes and does not cost 50% more than a similar ICE vehicle.

I imagine there is a large portion of the segment that buy for reasons other than being green... IE: No fuel taxes, Tax incentives, HOV privileges, social status, even premium upfront parking spaces.

They might tell you they bought it to be green, but the reality is there was another driving force.

@Agent009: "I imagine there is a large portion of the segment that buy for reasons other than being green... " - totally agreed.

While waiting for the Model 3, my wife drives a used Focus EV with HOV privilege to solve the Bay Area traffic headache. The fact that it saves money and weekly trips to the pump is a side benefit. After one year of use, the Focus EV cost zero dollar on maintenance (save for 2 trips to the dealer to replace the wireless modem - a recall item) and zero time at the pump. Recharge at home is a 10 second task.

Sorry Henry - but YOU cannot recharge your Focus EV in 10 seconds - nor will you be able to do that with a Model 3 as well. It still takes hours for a full charge.

Unless the Electric source is green - then it is highly questionable to say that an EV is green. Since most Electricity in the USA still comes from Fossil Fuel plants - all we are doing is moving the emissions to another site.

Governments have been bribing the public for centuries - they are called deductions - and get us to do things in a way the government prefers by making it more economical to do so. Doing so with EVs - in areas where pollution is worst makes sense - for the preservation of the voters. However - until one can make a real business case for an EV against and ICE car- Evs will still be a small part of the market - and I believe that there will be a glut of EVs that will shake out the lesser financed players.

@TomM: it's a 10 second ** TASK **. It's done at night so doesn't matter how many hours it takes as long as I get it fully charge by morning. It sure beats getting in line at the pump.

As for Electric source being green, no matter how many times you say it's not it does not change the fact that Electric sources in the US ARE GREENER than ICE automobiles. If you don't believe in well established and proven scientific facts, then what you want to believe is up to you - it's your loss.

Tesla will soon use up its allotment for EV tax credits, argument against government support will be moot. The Model 3 will prove once and for all the validity of EV as a viable alternative to ICE.

To echo @TomM...Sorry Henry, but it still takes hours for a full charge on a EV. Thus you are constricted by its range. That's fine if you never leave your town. Fast chargers are great if you want to dramatically reduce the longevity of your batteries. Also, recharging your batteries without a deep discharge also destroys them over time. EV technology at the moment simply isn't sufficient to replace ICE.

PS: I'm glad you think that electricity derived from coal and nuclear is green energy.

Amen brother, but at least the Oroville Dam would not be unsafe and ready to unleash a cataclysm.

California is working on a bill to tax EVs and expect to pass. We have no problem with that.

I do plan to add solar panel and powerwall, so yeah my EV will be green.

@HenryN The tax passed DAYS ago.

@MD: I obviously didn't keep up with the news - the $52B transportation bill passed on Arpil 6. So what's up with all the rants ? Infrastructure needs repair, the state of California passed bill to fix it and its people pay for it.

I'm afraid you are right. The frugal ones figured that out quite a while ago.

@HenryN we already tax the living crap out of motorists in California, so instead of adding more taxes, we should stop diverting that tax revenue to welfare and spend it where it is supposed to be spent. The new money will also go to welfare, but Governor Moonbeam just wanted to pretend to do something.

Some day, when an EV gets 800 miles on a charge, recharges from empty in 5 hours, recharge stations are everywhere (like shopping malls), and it costs less to buy and operate an EV than a comparable vehicle with an internal combustion engine, getting that EV will be a no-brainer.

That days is not here. It's also not just around the corner, either.

Until that day comes, EVs will have a tiny market share, and they'll continue to be a fringe market.

Yeah, that's why people buy $135k Teslas, to save on money ??