Trump threatens to end subsidies for electric vehicles

[Drizzle]

Trump plans to end subsidies for electric cars, renewable energy

President Trump last week threatened to end electric car subsidies after GM announced five plant closings — four in the U.S. and one in Canada — as it cuts domestic production of sedans.

Is this a threat to GM, or is this supposed to look like it's helping GM by trying to thwart EV sales from manufacturers like Tesla?

 

[C141medic]

Trump’s a frikking bozo. Not surprising from an idiot who touts “clean coal”?

 

[smartypnz]

Doesn't that require Congress??? Did the rules change? Is that just the rantings of a wanna be dictator?





sorry......

 

[ngogas]

Hang in there just two more years of the village idiot in our office.

 

[RayK]

I'm betting (hoping) for slightly less than that .

 

[Glamisduner]

I think that would actually help tesla

 

[mkspeedr]

ICE vehicles have already lost. I would rather raise the tax on ICE vehicles.

The EV is already a better vehicle.

Give the EV subsidy to the recycling guys - we need a Musk to revolutionize waste management. Our garbage solution is trash...

 

[crackers8199]

Is this a threat to GM, or is this supposed to look like it's helping GM by trying to thwart EV sales from manufacturers like Tesla?

it's neither, it's an idiot ranting and either being too stupid to realize he can't actually do this or just simply not caring and lying about it. it doesn't help having advisers like kudlow who are also idiots and seem to think he can (even though he can't), or also don't care about just flat out lying about it.

he can't change the tax credits without congress, and the new house in january is never going to go along with it. the only way this happens is if they pass it in the next 4 weeks (before the new year).

 

[azred]

I think that would actually help tesla

Of course it will and since GM is nearing the end of full tax credits, it will help them compete with other manufacturers, too. Pure stable genius.

 

[jamnmon66]

It was put into law by an act of congress so it would take another one to repeal it. The president has no power on this one. No need to worry about it. Plus, his beef is with GM not Tesla.

 

[SSedan]

Ever stop to think this might spur on companies playing with R&D to jump in at high production levels.
We know the tech works, everyone has a solid R$D program, time to crap or get off the pot.
The subsidies have worked EVs are gaining acceptance. Now it is up to us as owners to be good stewards and help people understand not spew hate at everyone not on board.

A little over a year ago when I bought my P85 there was one Volt at work as another sort of electric car, last week another older S showed up in the lot and someone is picking up a 3 today. A year or two from now if the subsidies actually end then EVs will have a really good foothold.

 

[Swampgator]

This helps Tesla, and GM.
Why not get rid of all subsidies of any kind? No EV credits, but also so support for Oil, NG, anything.
Can't understand why one group that is all about picking winners and losers gets so upset when the picks go against them.
The purpose of government should be to protect property and life, not to decide which industries win or lose in competition.
Of course, this is a rational argument, which many on this forum unfortunately are unable to engage in.
End of the day, it does not matter at all what governments do at this point. EVs are just better, and within a year or 2, cheaper to make than ICE vehicles.
So ICE goes away from natural competition within the next 15 years. Governments all over the world may wet their finger and stick it up into the wind before declaring they are outlawing ICE vehicles in 2030, 2040, etc. They are not driving some progressive movement towards EV adoption, but rather jumping on the bandwagon and then claiming they are the driver.

 

[roguenode]

This helps Tesla, and GM.
Why not get rid of all subsidies of any kind? No EV credits, but also so support for Oil, NG, anything.
Can't understand why one group that is all about picking winners and losers gets so upset when the picks go against them.
The purpose of government should be to protect property and life, not to decide which industries win or lose in competition.
Of course, this is a rational argument, which many on this forum unfortunately are unable to engage in.
End of the day, it does not matter at all what governments do at this point. EVs are just better, and within a year or 2, cheaper to make than ICE vehicles.
So ICE goes away from natural competition within the next 15 years. Governments all over the world may wet their finger and stick it up into the wind before declaring they are outlawing ICE vehicles in 2030, 2040, etc. They are not driving some progressive movement towards EV adoption, but rather jumping on the bandwagon and then claiming they are the driver.

The political will to end all subsidies is not there and hasn't been for a long time. The idea of a level playing field in business is just not reality. Hoping for that or an end to all subsidies is not rational, it is denying reality and what is possible. Of course it matters what governments do, auto manufacturers adjusting to China's EV regulations is a case in point. That is driving industry.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Old story, re-hashed.

 

[dsvick]

I'm betting (hoping) for slightly less than that .

I'm not so sure that the vice president would be any better, probably worse in some ways...

 

[adaptabl]

Hang in there just two more years of the village idiot in our office.

That would be 6 years.

 

[Msjulie]

Dangerously close to making even stronger political statements but -shiver- grrrr that guys is such a bozo!

Must leave this thread now..

 

[SigNC]

somewhat off topic but I wish they would merge all the credits into one pool and not tie them to a manufacturer.

 

[Knightshade]

This helps Tesla, and GM.
Why not get rid of all subsidies of any kind? No EV credits, but also so support for Oil, NG, anything.
Can't understand why one group that is all about picking winners and losers gets so upset when the picks go against them.
The purpose of government should be to protect property and life, not to decide which industries win or lose in competition.
Of course, this is a rational argument, which many on this forum unfortunately are unable to engage in.

Rational argument would lead one to understand that EVs are better for the life and property of the country in the long run- so a subsidy that encourages their development and adoption might well be in the national interest of the government.

Te day, it does not matter at all what governments do at this point. EVs are just better, and within a year or 2, cheaper to make than ICE vehicles.
So ICE goes away from natural competition within the next 15 years.

Nope.

It's physically impossible for that to happen- there's simply not enough battery capacity (or will there be in 15 years) to entirely replace ICE vehicles in that timeframe.

Even the most optimistic projections of battery production capacity won't be providing enough batteries to replace even half the ICE cars in the world, let alone all of em, in that timeframe.

EVs are undoubtedly better, and their share will keep increasing about as fast as production can ramp, but the sheer # of cars out there versus how tiny production capacity is (and will continue to be for years due to numerous constraints) makes the idea of ICE "going away" in less than a couple of generations simply an impossibility.

 

[Nocturnal]

Trump is a senile old idiot. He doesn't have the power to do this. I'm constantly surprised by the level of his stupidity and malice.

This helps Tesla, and GM.
Why not get rid of all subsidies of any kind? No EV credits, but also so support for Oil, NG, anything.
Can't understand why one group that is all about picking winners and losers gets so upset when the picks go against them.
The purpose of government should be to protect property and life, not to decide which industries win or lose in competition.
Of course, this is a rational argument, which many on this forum unfortunately are unable to engage in.
End of the day, it does not matter at all what governments do at this point. EVs are just better, and within a year or 2, cheaper to make than ICE vehicles.
So ICE goes away from natural competition within the next 15 years. Governments all over the world may wet their finger and stick it up into the wind before declaring they are outlawing ICE vehicles in 2030, 2040, etc. They are not driving some progressive movement towards EV adoption, but rather jumping on the bandwagon and then claiming they are the driver.

It isn't just about picking winners. Let's ignore all the subsidies, both direct and indirect we give to fossil fuels (cough cough constant wars in the middle east). Sometimes a new product needs a push to move past the early stages to where it's self sustaining. A short term subsidy can help create a market where none might have existed otherwise.

You also have the huge issue that gas cars dump out pollution and that cost is shared by everyone while the profits are centralized. It's gravy that this subsidy is helping the US gain/retain an advantage over other nations in a growth industry. EVs and green tech will be the next internet and I hope the US is at the front once again.