I have spent most of my career arguing that the auto industry is inherently political and that ignoring politics as an enthusiast is to risk all sorts of negative outcomes. Bans on imported cars and unreasonable limits on aftermarket tuning are just two of the ways that politicians who don’t understand our hobby have tried to harm it in the last few years. Now, though, the opposite has happened. Cars are explicitly political in a way that’s unavoidable.
It’s a real monkey’s paw situation here at The Morning Dump today as people are starting to agree with me that cars are explicitly political but in a way that’s more extreme and less fun than I could have predicted. Yesterday, the President of the United States declared a boycott against Tesla to be illegal. He said today he’s going to purchase a Tesla “as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk” after Tesla’s stock had a bad week.
I very much see cars as a hobby that can bring people of disparate views and backgrounds together. That’s what I see this place as, so I try to be careful not to alienate anyone by only highlighting my views. It’s why this particular moment in time is interesting as a journalist and confounding as an enthusiast.
Tesla had an awful day yesterday in the markets, partially as everyone woke up to the fact that Chinese consumers aren’t going to default to buying Model Ys, and just to compound things, one of the company’s newest competitors is also going to build robots. While we’re doing this, let’s just rip off the bandaid and talk about congestion pricing. It’s become another local issue that is now a national political football, although it seems like people who live in New York are fine with it.
And, just to wrap it up, Ford is going to keep dumping money into Germany as it struggles to make ground in the European market.
The Ed Begley, Jr. Effect Is Real
If you’re a new urbanist or an environmentalist, buying a car has always been political, driving is political, really everything you do as a consumer, in a zero-sum view of the world, is political. The environmental activism of the Clinton Era shifted its focus from the hole in the Ozone layer to global warming, which led to a cry for electric cars, making them political in a way they hadn’t really been before.
GM was the first to really answer the call in a consumer-facing way with the GM EV1. This early EV was heralded by celebrities of the lefty California green variety (California being one of the few places you could lease one). In particular, the actor Ed Begley, Jr. became sort of the face of Hollywood environmentalism. It’s why, when GM decided to take back all the EV1s and destroy them, he even hosted a funeral for the car.
After that point, Begley, Jr. would go on to promote a bunch of other electric cars, including the RAV4. It’s no surprise, then, that when Tesla came out with the first Roadster, the company and its CEO Elon Musk got a lot of support from that same community. Begley, Jr. called his Model S the “best car I’ve ever owned” and even drove it cross-country.
There’s been plenty written about Elon Musk joining the Republican Party, though there’s been some cognitive dissonance required to square a President who seemed fairly anti-EV being embraced by the biggest maker of electric cars in the world. The last few weeks, the dissonance has grown unavoidable.
People have stopped buying Teslas for many reasons, but some of them are likely political. Police are now having to guard Tesla facilities in order to avoid the kind of vandalism that has turned Tesla facilities and owners into a target. I asked last week how much goodwill Tesla could afford to lose, and we’re about to find out.
The “left” has found an easy target in Musk, whose companies benefit from valuations far outsized to their actual earnings. Activists, like unofficial Musk biographer Ed Niedermeyer, have focused on an approach summed up by the #TeslaTakedown hashtag, which includes protests at Tesla service centers.
Yesterday was mostly a bad day for stocks, as the market seemed to react to President Trump’s assertion that maybe a little recession is necessary to make things better (President Trump called it a “period of transition”). Tesla did massively worse as a stock, dropping to $222 at close, which erased all of the bump the company got from the election. There seems to be a lift this morning, but whether that’s a real bounce or a dead cat bounce is anyone’s guess.
The President didn’t wait for the market to open today. Here’s what he said yesterday on Truth Social (Twitter/X was down a lot of yesterday, but it’s still funny that the President saves his more important posts for Truth Social):
To Republicans, Conservatives, and all great Americans, Elon Musk is “putting it on the line” in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s “baby,” in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for. They tried to do it to me at the 2024 Presidential Ballot Box, but how did that work out? In any event, I’m going to buy a brand new Tesla tomorrow morning as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American. Why should he be punished for putting his tremendous skills to work in order to help MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN???
First of all, it’s definitely illegal to get together with your friends and to decide to damage property. That’s how the law works. To some, though, this is more like a Boston Tea Party-like movement, wherein attacking a commercial entity connected to a political one makes a bigger point. Honestly, I’m surprised that no one has dumped a Tesla into the Boston Harbor yet. Other people see this as vandalism. And while vandalism is obviously illegal, just getting together with your friends and boycotting a car company sure seems like free speech to me.
This is weird, though, right? President Trump’s own right-wing movement in this country has been vehemently against electric cars and has even attacked electric car owners. But now he’s going to buy, I presume, a Cybertruck and tell other people to buy electric cars?
It’s clearly weighing on Musk a bit, who talked to Fox host Larry Kudlow in an interview about this yesterday. Kudlow asked him how he stayed on top of DOGE and his businesses, to which Musk replied, sighing, “With great difficulty.”
I have my own political beliefs that are not hard to find or, really, hard to intuit. One of my strongest beliefs, and this is a non-partisan one (I hope), is that we all do better when we can all communicate. The last few years have seen a Balkanization of thought, with people breaking off into little groups without much contact with the outside world. I don’t think that helps. If we can talk about cars on a level playing field, maybe we can talk about other things without the immediate anger or judgment that has made political conversation so hard.
There are other car websites that are very good at making it clear you’re not welcome if you don’t share their politics, and that’s totally fine for them. Some of the people who write for those sites have been critical of me for not doing the same. That’s valid criticism, but I just think an approach that tells a lot of people to go to hell isn’t going to change many minds. This country won’t get better with one side overwhelmingly prevailing over the other.
If you put crabs in a bucket, you don’t need to put a lid on it, because the other crabs will always pull down any crab that tries to get away. That’s a terrible way to live and I, for one, choose not to live that way.
[Ed Note: Just to state it explicitly: We welcome Democrats, Republicans, and everyone else to The Autopian, both as readers and writers. -DT].
Xpeng Is Going To Do Robots
Car companies, which rely on robots to make cars, love making humanoid ones. Honda had ASIMO, GM had Robonaut, and Tesla has Optimus. While Tesla saw its stock fall yesterday, Xpeng had the opposite happen as it announced it would be building humanoid robots and flying cars. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the company has also seen its sales grow instead of shrink in China.
“Xpeng shares have got a lift this year from its improving monthly sales figures, demonstrating to investors that its product strategy are working well despite intense competition,” said Steven Leung, executive director at UOB Kay Hian Hong Kong Limited. While the company’s latest updates on flying cars and humanoid robots could boost sentiment, “it’s still distant for those projects to translate into earnings contributions.”
FYI, we’re also doing robots. The Autopian is doing robots. Become a member now! Robots!
New Yorkers Now Support Congestion Pricing
After much delay, the New York State/City plan to charge an extra toll to certain drivers going into lower Manhattan went into effect. This is called “Congestion pricing,” and the goal was to reduce the number of car trips into the city and increase revenue for transit.
It was a political hot button issue for all of a minute, until it went into effect and most people saw that it worked as promised. Now, for the first time, New Yorkers seem to be in support, with a new poll from Siena College (who will not win the MAAC Basketball Tournament) showing more support than opposition according to The NYC Streetsblog:
A new poll released Monday from Siena College found that more New York City residents approve of congestion pricing than don’t, a dramatic turnaround from a previous poll by the same firm.
Now, 42 percent of city residents told the pollsters that they think congestion pricing should stick around, despite the Trump administration’s attempt to end it, while only 35 percent of city voters think Trump should end it.
When Siena last asked about the toll in December, support for congestion pricing among city voters was underwater: Only 32 percent favored the poll and 56 percent opposed it.
The President called the plan “Dead” and the Secretary of Transportation is trying to stop it, saying:
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair. The program also hurts small businesses in New York that rely on customers from New Jersey and Connecticut. Finally, it impedes the flow of commerce into New York by increasing costs for trucks, which in turn could make goods more expensive for consumer. Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few.”
The interesting thing about living in New York as a non-native is that I always had the impression that New York got a disproportionate amount of attention. Now that I’ve lived here for a while, I realize it’s just because we’re awesome and everyone is obsessed with us.
Ford Is Going To Try To Save German Operations
Everyone knows that Ford or Ford-associated companies have been involved in two of the greatest cars of all time, the Mazda Miata (out of Japan) and the Merkur XR4Ti (out of Germany). Oh, how far the mighty have fallen. Ford is now having to put $5 billion into the German branch of the company to keep it afloat:
Ford announced Monday that it will inject the money to support the ongoing transformation of its business in Europe and increase long-term competitiveness. The money will fund a plan to turn around Ford’s German subsidiary, Ford-Werke GmbH.
The Dearborn-based automaker has already made significant investments in its German operations in recent years, including a $2 billion upgrade of its plant in Cologne to produce electric vehicles.
Europe is a tough market now, though the possibility of Germany untightening a bit on spending is a sign that maybe things can turn around in the medium term. Hopefully, it’ll be just long enough to get a successor to the XR4Ti.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
While we’re still talking about great pop/indie acts from the early part of the 21st Century, I don’t think any song landed quite like “Time To Pretend” from MGMT did. It’s not “Yellow,” but it’s pretty good.
The Big Question
Was buying (or selling) your car a political decision?
Top photo: GM/Tesla
We traded in our Tesla this summer for a Mach E. The primary reason was that Tesla has really abandoned current drivers on service. Need a part? Two months. Need service? Three months. They, and their leadership, are totally focused elsewhere. When you get political, you get distracted from the nuts and bolts of running a company across the whole value chain. It’s bonkers that anyone would have faith in that improving without a CEO that cares or thinks about the current business.
“While we’re still talking about great pop/indie acts from the early part of the 21st Century, I don’t think any song landed quite like “Time To Pretend” from MGMT did. It’s not “Yellow,” but it’s pretty good.”
I saw MGMT live when I was in college a little over a decade ago, and it stands as one of the best live shows I have ever seen. Profoundly weird and fun show and environment, especially in the small venue I saw them in. I STILL crank the volume for Electric Feel when it comes on.
I’m not sure if it counts as political as much as personal, but many of Elon’s recent statements have ensured that no business he’s part of will ever get a dollar of my money. I mean, would you be willing to purchase a product worth 10’s of thousands of dollars from someone who has repeatedly called you a worthless, lazy POS who doesn’t deserve to earn a living?
More Adams and Paine, less Jefferson and Hamilton sometime in my life please.
“First of all, it’s definitely illegal to get together with your friends and to decide to damage property. That’s how the law works”
Does it? The last folks who got in trouble for that just got Presidential pardons.
Insurrections all over USA were protected by local govts.
I was robbed, and the police protected the people robbing me to the extent of arresting me and redacting all charges I filed.
I was bankrupted by this and even denied a victims advocate, because the police control that too.
Are you sure those robbers weren’t cops?
I am not.
Even other police say there is collusion.
I am very sorry for your experience.
Not that much. But I’m buying used cars for ecological reasons. However, I’ve been a fan of Tesla from the early days, but would never consider buying one now, as I just dont wanna give any money in the hand of a complete lunatic. So it isnt nesserarily political, but responsibility (which is political).
How is buying a used Tesla putting money in the hands of a lunatic?
Service costs?
I think if its under warranty those service costs are taking money back from the lunatic.
For consumables there’s the aftermarket. Hopefully that keeps the money away from the crazy.
Ooh a chance to put on my tinfoil hat!!!
So any Tesla on the road is full to the brim with cameras, and there are interior microphones. Are there any on the outside? Not sure.
These cars are all connected back to the Tesla central service cloud. One dude we all know runs the show and we can assume he can access any of that data at any time for any reason, presumably in real-time. If not, I’m sure there is a means to index and search the collected data.
Beyond building a bunch of cars, he’s actually built a mobile, remote controlled surveillance network. Sure, other cars have cameras, but are they under the control of a dude who’s gone coo-coo for cocoa puffs?
If he wanted to find a person, put in a search for their face.
On the super crazy side, get the “self-driving” car to run over the person who matches.
Stuff of science fiction? Maybe.
I’m sure a clever person could figure out how to hack into the cameras and send a constant loop of Rick Ashley videos.
I purchase and drive older cars, and my reasons would be “political” to a lot of folks: I’m conservative about technology, fearful of surveillance, and I believe keeping a decent car running cleanly is a good alternative to scrapping it and manufacturing a new one.
But what’s actually political about my hooptie habit is that I can get away with it because of my complexion and social status.
It wouldn’t make much of a political statement because everyone would assume it just Full Self-Drove itself off a pier.
Most of the time, “political” just means “doesn’t implicitly agree with MY politics.”
Was burning (or destroying ) a car a political decision?
Society is based on a clearly defined and widely accepted yet often unarticulated hierarchy. Violence done by those higher on the hierarchy to those lower is nearly always invisible, that is, unnoticed. When it is noticed, it is fully rationalized.
Violence done by those lower on the hierarchy to those higher is unthinkable, and when it does occur is regarded with shock, horror, and the fetishization of the victims (that poor uhc ceo).
The property of those higher on the hierarchy is more valuable than the lives of those below.
It is acceptable for those above to increase the amount of property they control by destroying or taking the lives of those below. This is called production. If those below damage the property of those above, those above may kill or otherwise destroy the lives of those below. This is called justice.
I don’t think burning a few Cybertrucks to the ground is enough. It’s not even a good start.
We’re gonna need a bigger fire pit.
Billionaires shouldn’t exist.
They are all villains.
I have no qualms about sticking tires on their shoulders and lighting them on fire.
For the better of society.
They wouldn’t think twice about doing the same to me.
Ol laminated face Musk has said it himself.
“The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is
empathy.”
Maybe leave the cars out of it and just burn you plasti-dipped fucks at the top.
Apropos of precisely nothing to do with today’s TMD, this GIF popped up in the adverts. How am I supposed to concentrate on Matt’s content?
https://imageaws.popin.cc/ML/fa08b5b84802ae5dfe2afbbf67abb6bb__scv1__300x175.gif
I think we all need to take a chill pill with getting worked up about someone else’s car choice.
Find me a car manufacturer that doesn’t have some darkness in its past. I’m thinking we can all find something unseemly if we look hard enough.
For me, as a Model 3P Tesla owner, I genuinely thought it was a noble idea to do my part to lower my carbon footprint and go all in on EVs. I bought a Chevy Bolt too last year.. With my mostly urban driving habits, EVs make way too much sense. So far, almost two years in, I’m happy with my choices.
Now, of course, I’m told by by certain circles to ditch the Tesla because somehow a fair amount of people now think Musk is a Nazi, and by association, I must be one too.
The people who make these statements have absolutely no clue what Nazism was and is.
Musk is indeed a weirdo who makes awkward gestures and seemingly unhinged statements with some frequency. Do I think he’s a Nazi? Absolutely not. He’s never espoused Nazi statements or sentiments that I’ve ever seen. His recent awkward hand gesture, taken in context of the entire video sequence, show clearly he was in no way giving a Nazi salute.
The guy’s a goof, and admittedly on the autism spectrum, which explains some of his oddness.
I’ll keep driving my Tesla because I really enjoy driving it. Same with the Bolt.
What’s so ironic is that my more conservative friends gave me some grief about going rogue lefty when I bought the EVs.
Now I’m supposedly a Nazi. Go figure.
He very carefully and distinctly gave a Sieg Heil. He supports white nationalist political parties in several countries. His mixture of corporate and state power is practically the definition of fascism, which is to say Nazism.
Why are you here posting lies?
Just owning a Tesla does not make you a Nazi, but your clearly misleading and disingenuous post certainly might lead to that conclusion.
Ok. Fine. You’ve convinced me to sell the Tesla. Can’t argue with your logic at all.
Hey, there’s still a couple gently used Hellcat Redeye Challengers around here for sale. Destroyer Gray paint would be the chef’s kiss, no? Matches some of those early Waffen-SS uniforms almost exactly.
Or, maybe just go all in with a SS Camaro?
Nah, too obvious.
/s
In 2025, I’m not worried about what Henry Ford did.
Musk is a concern today, right now. And if you think he’s just “a goof” “on the autism spectrum”, I hope you’re in the care of a court-mandated conservatorship.
Here’s the problem with the “Musk is autistic” narrative:
I actually have worked with actual autistic people and have ADHD. It’s a sitcom cliche that they’re that oblivious. Stop watching South Park and deal with people instead.
There’s no reason to think they’re prone to blundering into doing a fucking nazi salute in front of a crowd, they have normal morals and values, but go about it differently.
In fact they would probably be overwhelmed and terrified at the prospect of being in front of crowds, not seek out attention like Musk does.
I watched the first ten seasons recently and South Park, while being profane and poking fun, tends to treat people with disabilities and the like with at least a modicum of respect, or at a bare minimum sending up the people that would treat them badly.
I don’t want to overstep into telling you your experience, just having watched it through recently I learned/was reminded that it generally works pretty hard to deliver a message at the end of it all. They know they’re leaning into the cliche, “you know, I learned something today…” but Stan and Kyle also stick up for Timmy & Jimmy, who also have an entire episode where they struggle with issues as people, not disabled people.
Anyway. I get your message and agree with you, I just thought it might be worth sharing that in particular.
Musk is a current threat, not a piece of history. Driving a Tesla doesn’t mean you hold fascist ideals. It means you financially supported a person who does and is not enacting those ideas nationally. Musk screwed you by inextricably linking himself to the Tesla brand, getting most of his wealth from the success of that brand, and then going full fascist. Be pissed at the fascist, not the people who don’t like fascists and want to make supporting their companies socially unacceptable.
BTW, training to paint the fact that “conservatives.” ridiculed you for wanting to minimize your environmental impact and that other people are upset at fascisms as equivalents is a strange flex.
I am medically diagnosed with ADHD, which is comorbid with autism, and I have tested very high on the RAADS-R autism screener, so I think it’s fair to label myself as “a goof on the autism spectrum.”
I can assure you that not once have I been auDHDistically compelled to do nazi shit. We aren’t Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove.
When I mentioned Musk being on the spectrum, it was in the context of explaining some of his quirks, especially the awkward arm movements that have been widely skewered and mocked. Last Saturday’s SNL cold open with Mike Myers portraying Musk is a prime example.
I wouldn’t presume that someone diagnosed to be on the Autism spectrum would portend anything about their morals or political philosophy.
I promise I am engaging with this in good faith (I feel the need to say this because it’s not always clear on the internet).
“Explaining some of his quirks, like the awkward arm movements” as a product of autism removes his own agency in deciding to perform said “awkward arm movements” (which are absolutely and obviously a nazi salute). Removal of agency is something many neurodivergent people struggle against, hence my glib remark above about not being Dr. Strangelove.
For the record, I want to emphatically state that I do not think you are a fascist just because you own a Tesla. Nor do I think you’re a fascist at all. But it does feel like you are covering for someone who is very explicitly doing fascist shit, even if he doesn’t literally say “I am ein member of ze deutsche national sozialist party ja” as he’s doing it.
Reporting from inside the congestion relief zone (that’s the official name), the change in traffic has been remarkable. But it’s not just that there are fewer vehicles, the behavior of drivers has also changed. Now to the point that honking complaints have dropped almost 70% and there have been no summonses issued from the noise cameras below 60th St. Not sure how noise cameras work, but it’s a subject worthy of Autopian investigation.
https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/03/11/traffic-noise-complaints-drop-congestion-pricing/?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=nypr-email&utm_campaign=Newsletter+-+Early+Addition+-+20250311&utm_term=Inside+the+congestion+pricing+zone&utm_id=426650&sfmc_id=54465270&utm_content=2025311&nypr_member=Unknown
This may be a polarizing statement in these trying times,
but ‘Time To Pretend’ was and is an S-tier banger.
Buying (or selling) a car has never been political for me. It’s been practical when necessary and emotional when I’ve got the practical covered. I bought my Mercedes because when I was a very poor kid, it’s what successful people drove. For me it was a symbol that I had achieved a measure of success. Yeah, I know it’s silly, but it’s also my truth. I bought my Maverick because it meets so many needs. It seats 4 fairly comfortably. It hauls mulch. It carries my kayak to the lake and my bike to the trails. It gets 40 mpg (hybrid). And it’s small enough that I don’t feel like I have to find a spot at the back of the parking lot. It was also inexpensive; I was out the door under $30K with a heated steering wheel. See – practical.
I don’t care for Teslas and I despise Dr. Evil. It would never occur to me to vandalize someone else’s property because of this. Don’t become what you hate.
My last car purchase was a 2021 Buick Envision. Nothing political, just a good deal on a used car. I waiting for the Clown Prince to tell me I have to crush it. Don’t think it couldn’t happen.
As a serious addendum to that Ed Note, we don’t welcome transphobia. We don’t like having to ban people, but cross the line and you’ll be zapped from these pages. We welcome all, but remember to be kind. 🙂
Sucks that this has to be said!
No reputable site worth giving clicks to would support or encourage or condone transphobia. Neither would any reputable commenter. Everybody’s a person, everybody has family.
It’s so sad that this has to be posted, but expected in today’s world. Stay strong.
It isn’t possible to ban those people without banning supporters of Musk and the current administration. They are simply choosing to be transphobic by proxy.
Considering the republican platform is now openly transphobic, I don’t really know how this site squares that circle.
Sadly, the GOP platform isn’t even only “now” transphobic. It’s been that way for years. Remember, North Carolina actually enacted a bathroom law all the way back in 2016! It’s just more brazen and hateful nowadays.
The founders of this site do welcome everyone here. But an exception is that I can zap ‘phobes when I spot them. Sadly, I have had to use that power at times, even against paying members. All I ask is that you treat your fellow human well!
I will say, “no Mercy for transphobes” has a nice ring to it
Yes, of course that’s sadly true, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise (and I’m also sure you’re much more aware of these issues than I am since I’m not trans). It just felt for, like, a few years after everyone came out in opposition to the bathroom bill like maybe we were moving in a positive direction but this administration has quadrupled down on the hate and made it a huge part of their ad push before election day so everyone knew exactly what they were voting for this time around 🙁
How do you define a transphobe?
Nope, it was a transaction.
I very much like that The Autopian is relatively politics free. There is way to much gotta win at all cost bs around today.
I wish Nissan well and hope they survive. Although it is going to be a long hard climb out from we’re they currently are.
I hope Ford is able to get its German mojo back as well.
I will muzzle myself on the topic of your President and Mr Musk as they both generate enough hot air and press to rival a California wildfire.
One thing that is not political in any way is people’s race.
Unfortunately, it’s something Musk has taken a strong stance against since taking office.
He has openly come out giving a repeated and deliberate Nazi salute to a throng of raving supporters.
He has now started posting pro-apartheid white supremacist propaganda on X. Musk is one of many whites who fled South Africa after apartheid ended, when South Africa declared blacks equal to whites.
His posts imply that he believes that giving black people equal human rights has ruined his beloved former white supremacist haven of South Africa.
Musk’s proud racism would be the most significant factor for a person of colour deciding whether or not to support him or Tesla.
How can we talk about the situation with Musk right now without mentioning these things to give context?
I know a number of people from Za and I’m not confident any American is qualified to judge their politics.
One of them is an ardent supporter of the white south African party.
Here’s the thing.
In USA, he’s black.
Also his wife is fully African and black.
When the Democratic party became bigoted and vilified anyone that didn’t goose step to their new cult, I recognized them as America’s Nazis.
As a lifelong Democrat, the party changed and no longer represents us.
Perhaps the Democrats shouldn’t have elected Trump, but they did.
What a complete load of shit.
I am a car guy.
It takes some clear malevolence to make me look away from an otherwise attractive vehicle. Some vehicle were just plain stupid and designed to provoke (Hummer…H2 I’m looking at you). Some are way too goodie 2 shoes (earliest of Prius come to mind).
As an actual Tesla Model 3 leaser…I like the car…but will dump it in a heartbeat when the lease expires. Elon is not good for the US or the world…and adding more cash to his toybox is unthinkable.
Sometimes you can separate the art from the artist (I have not erased Thriller from my collation)…but Tesla…easy to do without and happy to make this decision a public statement.
Now I need to think about what that Merkur XR4Ti I’ve been eyeing says about politics…
Mundus sine caesaribus
If left wing extremists are vandalizing Teslas, will theoretical battery car advocates start buying big diesels and screwing up the market for those of us using them for their mechanical superiority?
Sam Sam Sam… Let’s look at this another way. If theoretical heavy diesel advocates continue to drive F250’s duelies all by themselves in the commuter lane thus announcing that they don’t give a fuck about their neighbors and community because of their mommy issues…are they actually benefiting from lower fuel costs due to lowering demand created by all of those electric cars purchased by normal reasonable folks who simply want a very quick, quite, modern vehicle that doesn’t require $200 of diesel twice a week?
One major reason I went diesel is the ethanol trash fuel ruining the mileage of my petrol vehicles, and engine damage.
Mass adoption of battery cars is never going to happen.
And my mid size diesel gets around 19 mpg.
Some get 25 mpg.
Considering engine longevity and cargo capacity, I feel like the ecogical warrior.
I will take billionaires gaming us for control seriously when they ground private jets and yachts.
Math says we don’t have any of the infrastructure for battery cars.
I have some battery tools and bikes though.
As someone who drove a Audi A7 diesel for a few years (until Audi bought back due to cheating) and as a car guy, I appreciate all the torque and great fuel economy they can provide. It was fun while it lasted.
I also spend a fair amount of time in Europe…and I can tell you that there…electric (and definitely hybrid) is rapidly taking over most markets. Reasons are simple economics. When fuel prices are rational, it is very expensive to fill the tank of even the most fuel efficient cars. Its also informative to look at what the EV vs. petrol market looks like in China (largest potential car market behind US). We may not ever completely leave petrol behind, but the future bends more toward electric than you may be aware of.
To circle back to the topic, cars as a political statement. Europe is rapidly running away from Elon and Tesla. The scars of last century’s interaction with fascism remain readily apparent and well ingrained in the culture. If you want a warm reception as a tourist in France…visit Normandy…they still put flowers on the US GI graves of those who gave their last measure to fight fascism. It is a powerful statement.
Funny.
I associate fascism with battery cars myself, in the egregious attempts to force untried technology on a resistant public.
Biden said we needed $10 a gallon gas to make battery cars appealing.
And he openly did everything in his power to sabotage the fuel supply, and coincidentally our national security.
I continue to perceive battery cars as a blatant symbol and real part of active fascism.
Doesn’t matter though.
The numbers don’t work.
If we spend the cash now on Deadend technology, it still won’t make sense.
I can barely justify battery bikes.
Just bringing my battery systems up to snuff with better lead batteries will cost me thousands, and their only purpose is bringing the beasts to life and filtering the electrical system.
I wish batteries were better, but in the present, they’re not.
Sam,
Big difference between Facts and Opinion.
As a fact, Biden’s administration worked from facts and an excellent understanding of oil market economics. So much so, that bastion of pinko liberal blather…THE Wall Street Journal…documented Biden’s mastery:
https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp500-nasdaq-live-11-08-2024/card/biden-administration-tops-off-strategic-oil-reserve-scores-big-profit-hA4kCDRqAEusP85qxHOa
So…viewing this as your “opinion” that Biden did not understand the real costs of petrol. Biden retained true experts…not Fox News blond hair blue eyed fashion model wannabees (prove me wrong) to guide policy. As noted in the Economist magazine last summer…the US economy was the envy of the world. Today…one foot on a banana and the other in the grave.
Electric cars are not new. An excellent historical reference comes from Car and Driver:
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g43480930/history-of-electric-cars/
Early mass market electric cars had ranges up to 50miles…admittedly nothing to brag about. But we have pushed the technology along pretty well since then. You can argue that there is evidence to prove that oil companies convinced car manufactures to abandon electricity for gas…but I find this incomplete…and has much to do with oil companies convincing cities to rip out their electric trollies for gas/diesel powered busses…which is a fact.
I don’t think that we will be using lead acid batteries to fuel our electric cars, bikes, or laptops. The technology is evolving fast from nickel, lithium, and solid state technologies. These are being driven by good old capitalism. The group that produces the best batteries will make the most money. Don’t forget that the actual motor and appurtenance equipment efficiencies are also quickly reducing parasitic energy losses (yay heat pumps).
We have had two electric cars over the past 5 years. We have had zero mechanical/software issues with either. No oil changes, no stops at the gas station , no drips in the driveway. Just jump in, punch the button and go. We have learned to plug in…but that’s no hassle. On road trips, the charging stops are reasonably well planned out…much like when the gas gauge starts bumping up on E. Our service experience with electric so far has been much better than with our other gas powered vehicles (I’m looking at you Audi).
One other nice feature of the move to electric…and this is totally an urban thing. In most big cities, electric bikes/scooters have replaced petrol powered ones for commuting and package/food delivery. Electric is quiet…and you can really sense the difference not having all those small gas engines screaming around town.
I do agree with you in that for the for foreseeable future, we will have petrol fueled vehicles. I grew up in farm country. I cannot envision large farm equipment running on our current battery tech. Also, large distances between destinations will also be the purview of petrol until batteries get better. Large pieces of construction equipment, (foundation augers, bulldozers, etc.) may be the last to convert to electric. Side note, most all tower cranes are electric and I have seen a few electric skid loaders recently.
Electric cars are great.
They just need gears and really long cord.
When we have great batteries, battery cars might be more than a peculiar blip.
Main grid powered trolleys have always been superior.
No relevance to battery cars though.
Forcing technology, even when it is actually better, has always failed.
The acceptance. curve lags behind even inevitable improvements.
The backlash from this will hold battery cars back even if they become useful.
I am determined to never buy one.
Not hard, since there is no justification yet.
Comparing the scam to remove electric trolleys is an apt comparison to the current scam to deprive the public of money and transportation.
History will remember them together.
The still running game to keep housing costs unaffordable predates the Lustron homes and continues.
It’s about power and wealth, and one small group wants all of it.
From what I understand…you are simply stating that for you, there will never be a compelling argument for electric cars that can possibly change your mind. Furthermore, any argument to the contrary has malevolent intent.
I find this sad as I have changed my opinion on many issues throughout my life. Example – hated olives and now love them. In every instance…changing my mind based on some solid info has been empowering. You would also enjoy this experience from time to time as well.
Plus commuter lanes are regressive and worse than a waste in most cities.
I don’t drive in them, but I do have contempt for the scam.
no, they will just buy another EV like a Mach-E, Equinox EV or a Kia EV6.
“Was buying (or selling) your car a political decision?”
Never!, thou I’ve never bought New, or from a dealer. Never put stickers on my cars, nor signs in the yard. Never posted anything anywhere till here, and the clear and present danger that Trump represents. No one has done more damage to our country, and our world reputation.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dalberg-Acton,_1st_Baron_Acton
“A republic, if you can keep it”https://constitutioncenter.org/education/classroom-resource-library/classroom/perspectives-on-the-constitution-a-republic-if-you-can-keep-it
The Democrats elected Trump.
Twice.
I have always registered independent, and have never been a fan of politics. Nixon was in when I became cognizant of politics, and the whole game never lost its stink for me. I am a fan of the constitution, the bill of rights, and the founding fathers.The last politician I was hopeful for was Jon Huntsman Jr. because he was vocal about the need to curb the influence of lobbyists. I get that some think the Democrats lost the message, could have had stronger runners, but at least I trusted them to put responsible people in power, instead of a known morally bankrupt egomaniac want to be dictator. His toxicity and cult following has stripped the republican party of any morally responsible members.
Was buying (or selling) your car a political decision?
No. First two cars were older American cars (1960s). Always had older dudes saying how “they don’t make them like that anymore” in a positive sense. The maintenance and quirks about cars of that era compared to what was current had me thinking to myself “and thank God they don’t” My 3rd car was a Mazda B2200 and I got some dirty looks from some of those same dudes. I don’t really care what they think. If the same dudes are around, I expect they would like my Pontiac and hate my Honda except the Honda was the one built in the US with US union labor.
The Pontiac is Australian.
Maybe the Sierra XR6 was a great car (and the Sierra Cosworth certainly was) but the Merkur XR4Ti was hugely disappointing. I was a previous owner of a Capri II (a car I loved) was looking for an upgrade from my Mustang GT. I wanted to love the XR4Ti and I went to the dealer ready to buy but it was just a really meh car. For the same money, the SVO Mustang was much more sporting and the Toyota Celica GTS was much more refined. I ended up buying the Celica.
It’s amazing that in just a couple years Musk has gone from being the darling of the typical green, lefty, Californian to a Nazi scumbag. All the while, right-wingers have forgotten about railing against the subsidies his company received for a decade. Cognitive dissonance is alive and well on both sides.
“It’s amazing that in just a couple years Musk has gone from being the darling of the typical green, lefty, Californian to a Nazi scumbag.”
Not so amazing when Musk started Sieg Heil’ing. At least here in Europe it’s definitely not just ‘lefties’ but normal ‘non-political’ people who are appalled by that and his ham-fisted attempts to influence local politics.
What’s also amazing is that the vocal Left thinks that everyone else thinks Elon is a Nazi. It’s a good jab at the guy, considering the whole dumb salute thing, but to believe he actually holds Nazi principles as truth? Nah, come on now.
The guy has been reposting and subtweeting white nationalist rhetoric for years now, wether or not he holds them as truth in his heart is irrelevant, he supports them with his actions
It’s actually very relevant. He can retweet bullshit all day long, big whoop. If he was an actual Nazi, he would have no gov’t contracts, no tax id#, heck, he would be banned from doing any business almost anywhere in the world.
The day that he says he is a Nazi, is the day you can call him one. Until then, he’s just a dude with an outwardly opposite stance on things compared to you. I suspect not everything, but probably most things.
That said, I have never asked him what his views are, and I doubt many people here have either. Call him a Nazi all you want, I guess. It would be inaccurate, though.
He might not be a Nazi but he’s a fascist, homophobic and a white supremacist through and through. This kind of behavior shall not be a thing in this day and age, even less so in a developed nation that in theory has all the foundations to be a reference to the rest of the world, but here we are.
Moreover he’s been alienating many of his customers and openly promotes hate speech, why would they keep on supporting him with their wallets?
Again, if you want to get after it like that and keep repeating the same boilerplate insults, to what basically amounts to an echo chamber here, go for it.
It doesn’t change anything, and I feel is a waste of energy. But, that’s just me. You do you. Hope you are having a great day 🙂
Agreed, I don’t really get what ‘Nazi’ principles people think he holds. I’m no fan of him personally but most of what he advocates for is basically the opposite of what Nazis did. The whole salute thing was just a guy on the spectrum who acts weird when he gets excited.
Doesn’t he support shitler?
Read up on how the Nazis came to power, Trump and Musk are running the proven fascism playbook. And Musk himself has been openly funding white supremacist German political parties.
He knew exactly what he was doing when he gave the sieg heil
The United States Office of Government Ethics rule on “Endorsing Organizations, Products or Persons” states that “Executive branch employees may not use their Government positions to suggest that the agency or any part of the executive branch endorses an organization (including a nonprofit organization), product, service, or person.”
Trump stepped over that ethics line again, like he did with Goya foods in his first term.
I do hope he convinces some of his more die hard followers to try EVs. I bought one in the winter of 2023 because it was a car I could actually get. Politics had nothing to do with it. My wife followed that summer because we loved the day to day simplicity of EV life. Once some of the “gasoline forever” crowd (David Freiburger excepted) tries an EV, hopefully they will realize that EV life can be better than ICE.
I like your Freiburger exception. He wants to keep old stuff running. That is recycling. Crusher Camaro anyone?
I agree in principle with what you’re saying and your point is spot on, however, the president is not an executive branch employee, he is an elected politician and not subject to those ethics rules. It’s a case of rules for thee, but not for me. Luckily we don’t need ethics rules to tell us when someone is stepping over the line like he consistently does. Not having codified rules doesn’t excuse a person for corruption.