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Middle East oil/Rednecks

Discussion in 'Electric Vehicles' started by [email protected], Oct 3, 2019.

  1. Sp@z

    [email protected] New Member

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    Just curious;

    Why don't electric car companies use the argument, that USA made electric cars do no not use oil from the middle East, that they are not dependant on middle East oil. Try and use that narrative against these coal rolling rednecks who hate anything related to the middle East. They are in essence supporting the people the claim to hate. I'm just baffled at the hate towards Tesla and other American made electric cars. Tesla is the American dream! Just some food for thought.
     
  2. KG2V

    KG2V Member

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    Um, you realize that the US has been a net exporter of oil for a few years now?
     
  3. RFernatt

    RFernatt Solar/EV Owner/Enthusiast

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    #3 RFernatt, Oct 4, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2019
    It's a good argument that may resonate with some, but probably politicizes the sales argument more than a company would want. IMO, it's just good national energy security in general. Not that we don't produce the oil we need domestically (edit: maybe not quite based on other posts here), but because it is a world market, every time a car backfires in the middle east gas prices jump $.30. It would probably be more accurate to say if we weren't so dependent on oil and buying it in a world market, we wouldn't be subject to price volatility, but getting a redneck to understand that may not be so easy. However, "quit sending your cash to them <insert middle eastern slur> that want to kill you" is easier to digest. Can't hardly put that in a marketing brochure though.
     
  4. KG M3

    KG M3 Member

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  5. North75

    North75 Member

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    I believe the US is the worlds largest oil producer now though. We just don't produce quite enough to cover what we use.

    Regardless of that, I think making a bigger deal of the fact that they are made in the USA would help. I believe that Tesla has one of the highest % of american sourced parts of cars that are made here.

    I think that there is a decent part of the population that thinks they are a foreign company. Not quite sure why. Maybe because Elon has a bit of an accent?
     
  6. srs5694

    srs5694 Active Member

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    A few months ago, I had a brief chat with a guy at a Supercharger station. He wasn't a Tesla owner, just a passer-by. He seemed to like Teslas, but was puzzled by my statement that they're made in the US. (I don't recall how the subject came up.) After I reiterated that they're made in California with a high proportion of North American parts, he fell back to asserting that Tesla was a foreign-owned company, which of course is a much more complex issue for any publicly-traded company. I think you may be right that confusion on this issue may be related to the fact that Tesla is so strongly associated with Elon Musk, whose nationality is complex (he was born in South Africa, and holds South African, US, and Canadian citizenship, according to Wikipedia).
     
  7. Webeevdrivers

    Webeevdrivers Active Member

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    Yah but I heard you guys are importing your electrons from Moldovia.

    Just sayin.
     
    • Funny x 1
  8. Brovane

    Brovane Member

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    Oil production and usage is a bit more complex than that.
    If you look at pipelines for crude in the US you see a lot going to the Gulf of Mexico and some going to the great lakes area and Ohio. There is a significant gap of pipelines carrying crude East-West, from the Central part of the US to either coast. This can result in Oil been exported from the Gulf Coast to foreign countries and the refineries importing Oil on both coasts from foreign countries. Or the US importing Oil from Canada. So the US will probably always import Oil because of these logistical issues.
     
  9. Brovane

    Brovane Member

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    Great video earlier this year. This guy gets it about why Tesla is so important.

    A Tesla is the most patriotic car an American can buy!

     
  10. Sp@z

    [email protected] New Member

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    That's a great video! Thanks for sharing that
     
  11. KG2V

    KG2V Member

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    Very true - We import in some places, export in others, because the shipping is easier that way, plus refinaries tend to be setup for a versy specific crude, and it is easier not to change
     
  12. ggr

    ggr Expert in Dunning-Kruger Effect!

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    • Informative x 1
  13. motocheme

    motocheme Member

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    I have used this exact argument! I was astounded when the reply I received was that if we start driving electric and oil demand goes down, then there is more cheap oil for bad countries to purchase and use against us. Sometimes you just can't win.
     
  14. tonybelding

    tonybelding Active Member

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  15. jboy210

    jboy210 Supporting Member

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    I think a lot of people are just jealous and do not like change. There are always going to be people that get upset when they see the Porsche club driving their 911s down the street, or an electric car. These are the type that will park their trucks in EV charging spots to compensate for their shortcomings.

    My advice is ignore them. I gave up long ago trying to change people's attitudes about electric cars. Soon enough EVs will be all you can buy ( see https://fortune.com/2018/12/05/volkswagen-ending-gas-powered-cars/) and they will think they are great.
     
    • Like x 1
  16. jerseygirl18

    jerseygirl18 jersey girl

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    i think it comes with the territory of being "American" not everyone loves us...and now more than ever
     
  17. SO16

    SO16 Active Member

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    Oil is a global commodity. Do you think us consuming the oil we produce in the US doesn’t also enrich the Middle East?

    And we still get involved with the Middle East because of oil.

    also look up who owns the largest refinery in the US. Yup....Saudi Arabia.

    Saudis take 100% control of America's largest oil refinery
     

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