> the vast majority of drivers take occasional trips that are beyond the range of an electric car. [...] no one is concerned with the EV getting through their commute
In a prosperous society, the economic activity that you describe (daily commute, occasional trip) is important. Commuting keeps workers working, and trips are part of people's quality of life.
So let's agree with your point that consumers are choosing the type of vehicle that will meet all their needs.
At the same time, US car manufacturers know their business well and have not delivered small EVs or small hybrid vehicles because the manufacturers have chosen to aim at Tesla's demographic (i.e. rich and "spendy"). It's clear that physics absurdities like the F150 Lightning or the Dodge RAM "RAM charger" are also aiming at rich and spendy customers. US manufacturers are delivering "autobesity".
The daily commute is a dire source of pollution, though.[1a , 1b]
And the combustion engine is also having dire health effects on society, therefore economic effects. At scale, combustion engines are bad for the environment and bad for people. [2]
We can understand that a topologically large country or US state can't build extensive public transportation as easily as a small country. Trains and subways are expensive. Parking and roads are "easier" to build. But parking and roadways are more of the same problem at scale.
The estimated 100 million daily trips in combustion engines are responsible for a significant amount of pollution in the US, contributing to asthma, lung cancer, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. [3]
A right-sized selection of EVs and PHEVs would make a big difference to people's quality of life and economic prosperity. But maybe the message needs to be delivered better and more clearly.
> At the same time, US car manufacturers know their business well and have not delivered small EVs or small hybrid vehicles because the manufacturers have chosen to aim at Tesla's demographic (i.e. rich and "spendy"). It's clear that physics absurdities like the F150 Lightning or the Dodge RAM "RAM charger" are also aiming at rich and spendy customers.
They're aiming at it because like almost everything (including ICE cars), you need to make it work before you make it cheap.
In a prosperous society, the economic activity that you describe (daily commute, occasional trip) is important. Commuting keeps workers working, and trips are part of people's quality of life.
So let's agree with your point that consumers are choosing the type of vehicle that will meet all their needs.
At the same time, US car manufacturers know their business well and have not delivered small EVs or small hybrid vehicles because the manufacturers have chosen to aim at Tesla's demographic (i.e. rich and "spendy"). It's clear that physics absurdities like the F150 Lightning or the Dodge RAM "RAM charger" are also aiming at rich and spendy customers. US manufacturers are delivering "autobesity".
The daily commute is a dire source of pollution, though.[1a , 1b]
And the combustion engine is also having dire health effects on society, therefore economic effects. At scale, combustion engines are bad for the environment and bad for people. [2]
We can understand that a topologically large country or US state can't build extensive public transportation as easily as a small country. Trains and subways are expensive. Parking and roads are "easier" to build. But parking and roadways are more of the same problem at scale.
The estimated 100 million daily trips in combustion engines are responsible for a significant amount of pollution in the US, contributing to asthma, lung cancer, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. [3]
A right-sized selection of EVs and PHEVs would make a big difference to people's quality of life and economic prosperity. But maybe the message needs to be delivered better and more clearly.
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[1a] _ https://auto.howstuffworks.com/air-pollution-from-cars.htm
[1b] _ https://www.statista.com/chart/18208/means-of-transportation...
[2] _ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93crime_hypothesis
[3] _ https://today.uconn.edu/2019/05/traffic-related-air-pollutio...