Oh, no, the trinkets and baubles will be even more expensive. Scary.

I just want my gasoline prices back to $1.85 per gallon.

I just want my gasoline prices back to $1.85 per gallon.

Sorry. Didn't you know gasoline is dark, satanic and killing the planet? So ICEs are going to be banned, and the UK's just announced it's banning ICE motorbikes. Hopefully setting the scene for conlficts between two sets of 1%'ers.

But I've been re-reading one of my favorite economics texts (Merchant Princes, Charles Stross) and thinking about current policies & urban planning. So US towns and cities built up and were zoned based on people having affordable personal transport. EVs currently break that model, and it would be a collosal task to re-engineer urban areas for a carless future. Our elite will have less crowded roads, but an increasing number of people won't be able to afford to drive.

But I've been re-reading one of my favorite economics texts (Merchant Princes, Charles Stross) and thinking about current policies & urban planning. So US towns and cities built up and were zoned based on people having affordable personal transport. EVs currently break that model, and it would be a colossal task to re-engineer urban areas for a carless future. Our elite will have less crowded roads, but an increasing number of people won't be able to afford to drive.

Don't worry, the mass transport issue will take care of itself in our brave new world!

"Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature."

Georgia Guidestones Rule # 1

With average new car costs in the US about $40K with nothing on the market under $20K the appearance of a car for potentially $10K or so from an established manufacturer (albeit one not a household name in the US) is likely to be really disruptive. So we're reacting in the only way we know how -- slap on tariffs to make everything expensive. All that stuff you were taught in Econ101 about 'competition seeking the best product at the lowest prices' really was just pie in the sky, BS fed to the masses. The reality is that vehicle supply in the US -- like in the UK -- is run through a well established system of monopolies, all designed to take a fairly expensive product and turn it into a $500-$700 (or so) monthly payment.

Unfortunately, in the US we can't just go without. Our public transport systems can be extremely spotty and unreliable, even when subsidized to the hilt, so for many places cars are a must. (...and no, we're not all car obsessed -- I don't think anyone commutes by car in Los Angeles because they want to, they do it because they have to).

So yes, the Chinese have been figuring how to make affordable, usable, electric cars. (They also know how to make IC cars, they've been making them or their components for Western car manufacturers -- we're all for cheap Chinese products if we can stick a decent markiup on them before they're sold.) As for us, the ordinary person -- "screwed yet again....".

But by limiting the supply of EVs to $50K Teslas, $100K cybertrucks and $150K F150s we can massively increase the "investment" in green technologies.

Oh dear. What a palaver. And it is going to get worse still for the West because of the way the American dream is planned to be.

Rampant runaway inflation because of the entertainmemt of compound interest and profit ...... which is money for nothing extra making everything more expensive to buy than to produce ..... eventually, very quickly makes everything too expensive to both produce and purchase at an artificially elevated cost ...... and the masterplan is to think to deny nations the affordable products from neighbours who haven't followed the counsel of fools and carpetbaggers?

Yeah, that'll keep the natives happy and prevent them from revolting. What a load of plonkers.

China always talks about their rights when tariffs are increased or one of their corporations is banned. What rights do foreigner companies have in China? Zero.

I suppose we could buy Chinese cars, use them until they break in a couple of years, then strip out the precious metals that China originally refused to export.

From what I've heard, the Chinese EV's are pretty good (I know one with an MG and loves it).

Still, could buy a $100,000 Tesla with an interior that is outclassed by an entry level Kia

"So, when automakers, tech companies and regulators push back on China, the sentiments that they’re just protecting our market from unsafe or security-challenged products feel hollow. Instead, it feels like grandstanding, and a tacit admission that they have no intention of trying to do better.

Instead of competing, they’d rather just shut out competition entirely. The concerns about cybersecurity don’t address the elephant in the room here: Your product sucks, compared to what China is putting out now. It doesn’t go as far. It’s not as well-made. It’s not as nice. It’s not as connected."

InsideEVs

P.S. "I’d later learn that the auto show had more than 100 new model debuts and concepts. That’s a far cry from the Detroit Auto Show last September, which only featured one fully new model. Two other models were refreshed versions of current cars already on sale. None were electric."

Nobody Cares About Western Brands in China.

No need to rush the EV charger roll out any more as EVs will be expensive and restricted to the wealthy. The real profit will be in ICE vehicle parts and refurbs. A good refurb can take an ICE vehicle back to better-than-showroom with some after market accessories. And maybe stop flogging those scavenged car parts to the developing world by the shipping container. They may be worth more at home when new ICE are banned.

Didn't the Americans panic like this over Japanese cars a while back too?