...Tesla - by far the nation's biggest EV maker - have told a Trump-transition committee they support ending the subsidy...Elon Musk, one of Trump's biggest backers and the world's richest person, said in July that killing the subsidy might slightly hurt Tesla sales but would be "devastating" to its U.S. EV competitors, which include legacy automakers such as General Motors.
Jesus. So much for the idea that Tesla is working to accelerate the transition from ICE vehicles to EVs.
I will never buy a fucking Tesla. Ever. I would buy a Chevrolet Equinox EV, and I encourage anyone who is in the market for a new vehicle to buy one before the tax credit goes away.
Edit: I would also get the Honda Prologue. It's also eligible for the $7,500 tax credit. So is the Volkswagen ID.4.
Chevy volt was and is still a great car. 2000s Chevy trucks are amazing. The Cruze is a steaming pile, the bolt had a battery problem but the ones that got free replacements are doing great, can't think of any other major issues with Chevy tbh.
Saying you'd only buy a Ford is crazy work and just shows you really aren't super informed about cars at all. The focus, the edge, the escape, the ecosport are all dogshit. Certainly not better than gm.
Neither of them are Honda status, but the dud of the 3 domestic manufacturers is stellantis save for ram 1 ton trucks.
My Chevy Volt is great and was one of the best reviewed hybrids. Still untouched on battery range, I think. And GM's battery management system is top notch. Heater in my volt is shit unless I'm running ICE, though.
Wouldn't buy a GMC, but Chevy has never really done me wrong. Cadillac seems overpriced for a rebadged Chevy.
Ford's got good stuff but I've never really owned one since the Escort. Guess I might if they ever transition me from contractor to full employee.
Chrysler.... has a van. Guess it's been fine but I'll personally never get another one.
Probably never buy a Japanese car unless those plants are staffed by UAW. I hear they are good but I've never been in one that seemed any better than an American car.
I would never, ever buy a fucking Hyundai. I've been in two and they were the most cheap pieces of garbage I've ever seen. But I guess they were cheap pieces of garbage. They might've gotten better since I was only in the first couple of model years.
I was just trying to think of models that are eligible for the maximum $7,500 tax credit, and that are relatively affordable. There are lots of great EVs out there from several different manufacturers.
Edit: I will mention, though, the Equinox EV looks like it's a pretty good car, for the price. Car and Driver rated it 8.5/10.
GM also tends to build in Canada and Mexico for many of their product lines while claiming to be "American" - to say nothing for their terrible build quality and non-understanding of electricity.
Their volt program was excellent. Gen 1 volts are tanks. I have a gen 1, and gen2. The gen2 has 1 big issues with a free recall to cover it. Still a great car.
Bolt is good too so far. I got one with a replaced battery from the recall.
Don't discount the other autos lobbyists. Some have invested heavily in new factories being built and have many more workers in the US combined. Not to mention they can keep selling gas guzzlers till we burn the planet.
The current structure of the credit doesn't get used up like that anymore. Tesla vehicles are still eligible. Musk thinks removing it would hurt competitors more than him.
In a world where everyone else in an NPC, everything lines up to prevent me from getting the nice thing I want within a short time of saving, yet again.
Y'all I don't think this is the good place, and it sure ain't earth
This is up to congress (who have GOP members who like either UAW or auto company profits/sustainability), but would be a big mistake. US transition to EV is already slow, but models with lower sticker prices than inferior ICE vehicles, and legitimate competition to Tesla, are being released, in addition to much lower operating costs, and future revenue potential from V2G (or robotaxi). There will be no more investment in new ICE vehicle performance or capacity, even in US.
There have been significant IRA related announcements around EV production in US mostly from colonies. Part of the attractiveness for US/NA production is this tax credit. If the US is trying to kill EV market both by eliminating this tax credit, and not investing in charging infrastructure, then the US becomes a shithole country for investment and very high cost production.
This is one of many job destroying, and deficit/debt balooning, measures that are intended, and will significantly impair/collapse US economy such that mid terms GOP will be voted out. The biggest collapsing intent is a war on Iran, which risks high spike in oil prices, that are ironically good for EVs, but they will need to be imported if US investment is discouraged.
Geopolitical headwinds with colonies are global warming, Israel supremacy, and colonial brainwashing to pay more for war on Russia with ambition of cutting off colonial imports from Russia, and increase tributes to US. Biden/Blinken were masterful at pretending to be pro-human, while achieving the above destruction. Geopolitical alliances with US are likely to be much weaker under Trump, though Trump humanizing media promises that every disrespectful order he gives every country will be executed with enthusiasm.
That said, a carbon tax (with dividend paid to residents) is much better than an EV credit. Emissions are based on miles driven. Many alternatives to an EV purchase are available to reduce that number.
“Geopolitical headwinds with colonies are global warming…”
The colonies, who do not produce oil, care more about global warming than the US/Trump does. That means, this is one of many issues the colonies will push back against their hegemon/master. Trump's style in demanding greater subservience from colonies will certainly have media demanding more backbone from them, and perhaps loosen their subservience as a result.
Good, we should not continue to subsidize profits for private companies. Nobody that is actually in a place that NEEDS help buying a car will ever be in the market for a NEW car nevermind an EV, all these tax credits do is help well to do people justify buying a new car. If EVs can't sell without the big credit, their not ready for the market anyways.