It's really absurd that we are still subsidizing fossil fuels rather than increasing the tax rates on them.

I don't get it. I live in Texas and even with the brain dead $300 registration fee tacked on for EVs and the significantly cheaper gas prices compared to the rest of the US, it's still multiple factors of cheaper to drive an EV.

I bought a 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV. Even with excessive use charges from the electric company and the $300 annual registration spread out over 12 months, I spend around 1/3 to 1/2 of what my Prius cost in gas I had before this vehicle. And that was a PRIUS. I'm also not counting maintenance/repair items that only apply to a gas vehicle, like the head gasket it blew up, or the oil changes, or the coil pack that died in it.....

I used 375 kWh last month. My electric rate is $0.075 per kWh until I use more than 400 kWh in a month. Then it goes to $0.096. Even assuming that all of my charging was at the higher rate, that's $61 for the entire month of driving, if I break out the $300 annual fee across all 12 months. To drive the same ~1500 in my Prius V that got 38MPG on average between city and highway (according to the dash), that cost around $162 per month. And that's in Texas, where gas is $3.25 a gallon right now. This is essentially worst case scenario for an EV, given all of the things against it, and it's still barely above 1/3 of the cost.

Imagine someone coming from a fully gas SUV, in a state where gas is more expensive, where the registration fee isn't 3x of the income of gas taxes, etc. It would blow that person's mind that, instead of paying $50-60 per fill up one to two times a week, they could drive an EV for that much FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH.

I’ve always been of the opinion that gas should be more expensive. This idea has been unpopular in pretty much every group I’ve exposed it to.

Cut the subsidies they get, and put an environmental tax on its use. The problem is a lot of that will be passed to consumers and it will hit individuals more, so once again large companies won't notice.

The only green that a lot of people think about is money.

Yeah it's a shame the most effective way used so much violence. It would be nice if we could just protest it away but sadly only the more radical solutions actually work in the end. Luckily we're all the bigger person so none of us would do the violent thing. Let's look at our heros for what to do in these situations. All those posters talked about Malcom X at school I wonder what he would do?

Technology connections pitches electric cars I think in the way that speaks to many more people than the usual environment pitch. Basically " wouldn't you want energy independence?"

I hope that for you too. Luckily, I live near very good public trans, so for me, an e-scooter's really all I need.

The sad thing is that, like everything, the only people who can escape the insane prices are the ones in a place privileged enough to be able to afford to. I live in an apartment building and even if I was on the first floor and my landlord was ok with me running an extension cord out my window, across the pathway, and to the parking lot (I'm not and they'd kill me) fairly often I have to park my car 2 buildings away and walk the equivalent of a block and a half to my apartment. I also can't come close to affording a new car, mine is from the early 2010s. I drive an hour to work and an hour to school in the opposite direction, and constantly driving 20 minutes to the nearest charging station isn't a viable option either (nor is public transportation or an e-bike, because of the distances I go every day).

I'm all for electric and I'm glad you were able to make the switch, but a lot of us who can't afford the gas prices sure as hell can't afford to buy electric, because it's not just the car, it's the logistics. Until the infrastructure for electric becomes more common and apartment complexes put charging stations in (I'm sure some do, but I can't afford rent in those places) electric cars are a privilege for the rich and those who live in houses and have private parking.

Which one may I ask?

Our favourite president, Degrowth Don.

Not really, not even for long enough to enjoy the joke. The push to mow down the US national parks is still easy to recall.

There's no shortage of oil or oil products tbh. It's just less plentiful than it usually is, and transporting it out of the gulf is quite costly right now, need to pay a lot of danger fees to the ship crews and there are expensive insurance policies that you pay for literally by the hour apparently (because when you're insuring 100 mill worth of crude + a ship and crew in a warzone, well, that insurance is pretty costly).

Rather, people are burning less because prices are up.

For a large number of uses we already have alternatives. They're just being actively fought by the wealthy as it doesn't maximize their profit.

For power grids sodium batteries and solar are viable. For transport we could focus on much more efficient systems than long haul trucking, such as electrified rail. For many manufactured items we simply don't need them or can replace the oil used with other things, but again doesn't maximize profit

I became an e-scooter guy in June, and thanks to electrical costs, not only has it already paid for itself, but I'm actually saving a ton of money being out of the house more and just consuming less electric overall.

Plus it's fun.

My ebike replaced my car years ago. I still have it but rarely drive it.

Correct.

It also happened in 2008 after the housing crash. One of the first things people cut out when things get tough is travel, which for most is an unnecessary luxury.

Bummer that it never sticks.

What's ironic about Donald is that the most positive aspects of both of his presidencies were purely accidental. We got out of Syria and Afghanistan, in part, because he wanted to spite Democrats.

Republicans actually gave out more COVID aid than Democrats, in part, because Donald wanted to be able to say he had and pretend he'd personally given Americans a check by branding it with his name. (Granted, wasn't that much more, but still.)

Especially in Alberta Canada where they will be REQUIRED to run on fossil fuels. I shit you not.

...because celebrating war is ghoulish?

Celebrating unjust wars of aggression usually isn’t a good look, regardless of the spoils...even when they offer a delicious dose of schadenfreude at your political enemy’s expense.

I felt pretty happy about oil flow being blocked until I heard about hospitals in Philippines not running.

I've seen plenty of people thank trump for causing a surge in EV sales. Maybe you aren't as well informed as you think you are? Keep learning!

yeah. im not wild about reducing fossil fuels through war and death. one bad thing making up for another bad thing is not exactly progress. I mean greater energy efficiency causing more use I can live with although it does not thrill me.

voting GOP is accelerationism.

Sort of like how Bernie Madoff unintentionally ended up causing a temporary CO2 drop.

Yeah I got some bad news regarding what tax money is being used for...

The only way we got it down even a little bit (and it's not even permanent) was by making it too expensive and ruining a lot of people's lives.