Dadnatron
Veteran Member
I'm all for alternative fuels. I'm all for alternative forms of transportation. I look forward to the day when vehicles are capable of driving themselves. (Hopefully before I am old and my children want to take away my keys.)
I love driving and have driven since I was 5yo on my dad's lap and 7yo alone, when my Grandpa would put the truck in 1st gear and let me drive all over the field as he was working it. But in reality, any more, there are a lot of things I could and would rather be doing, than driving.
But concerning ZEVs or so called... I don't like subsidies in ANY FORM, from the Government. I do recognize that certain aspects of 'progress' however you wish to term it, would be more difficult without subsidies in some form, however, the damage they cause is not worth the supposed benefit.
When it makes financial sense to purchase an electric car/truck... I'll do so. When solar panels make more sense than hooking up to the grid, I'll do so. I believe both will happen before I'm gone. Trucks... I'm all for them, but I believe there will be a bigger hurdle given the battery size, cost, and weight. Hauling around 10K lbs of battery not only costs efficiency, but also payload. (Perhaps the offset of fewer mechanicals will make enough difference, although a 5K Tesla isn't showing it to be the case.) I can see short haul trucks being used, but I think it will be a while before long haul trucks are out in force. That is... barring a major breakthrough in battery tech.
In fact, I believe the BEST way for .gov to be involved... if it believes it wants to 'shepard' the people in a direction, is to offer a large award, to be given to a company who meets the goal set out beforehand. ie, 1st company to produce a battery with X capacity/lb, Y safety, and Z cost will receive X$B and a government contract for 3 years.
.gov 'needs' vehicles for function, even at the level I'd like to have .gov functioning. If the goal is lofty enough to make a real change... I would be much happier supporting THIS type of Tax manipulation, than subsidies.
I love driving and have driven since I was 5yo on my dad's lap and 7yo alone, when my Grandpa would put the truck in 1st gear and let me drive all over the field as he was working it. But in reality, any more, there are a lot of things I could and would rather be doing, than driving.
But concerning ZEVs or so called... I don't like subsidies in ANY FORM, from the Government. I do recognize that certain aspects of 'progress' however you wish to term it, would be more difficult without subsidies in some form, however, the damage they cause is not worth the supposed benefit.
When it makes financial sense to purchase an electric car/truck... I'll do so. When solar panels make more sense than hooking up to the grid, I'll do so. I believe both will happen before I'm gone. Trucks... I'm all for them, but I believe there will be a bigger hurdle given the battery size, cost, and weight. Hauling around 10K lbs of battery not only costs efficiency, but also payload. (Perhaps the offset of fewer mechanicals will make enough difference, although a 5K Tesla isn't showing it to be the case.) I can see short haul trucks being used, but I think it will be a while before long haul trucks are out in force. That is... barring a major breakthrough in battery tech.
In fact, I believe the BEST way for .gov to be involved... if it believes it wants to 'shepard' the people in a direction, is to offer a large award, to be given to a company who meets the goal set out beforehand. ie, 1st company to produce a battery with X capacity/lb, Y safety, and Z cost will receive X$B and a government contract for 3 years.
.gov 'needs' vehicles for function, even at the level I'd like to have .gov functioning. If the goal is lofty enough to make a real change... I would be much happier supporting THIS type of Tax manipulation, than subsidies.