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Cheap Gas Fuels Switch From Electric Cars To SUVs
schwit1 points out news that's sure to clash with Earth Day narratives: drivers who bought hybrid and electric cars are switching back to SUVs at a higher rate than ever. Quoting:
According to Edmunds.com, about 22 percent of people who have traded in their hybrids and EVs in 2015 bought a new SUV. The number represents a sharp increase from 18.8 percent last year, and it is nearly double the rate of 11.9 percent just three years ago. Overall, only 45 percent of this year's hybrid and EV trade-ins have gone toward the purchase of another alternative fuel vehicle, down from just over 60 percent in 2012. Never before have loyalty rates for alt-fuel vehicles fallen below 50 percent. ... Edmunds calculates that at the peak average national gas price of $4.67/gallon in October 2012, it would take five years to break even on the $3,770 price difference between a Toyota Camry LE Hybrid ($28,230) and a Toyota Camry LE ($24,460). At today's national average gas price of $2.27/gallon, it would take twice as much time (10.5 years) to close the same gap.
My Camry Hybrid is quieter, smoother, and has over 30 extra HP compared to the 4 cyl Camry. You don't ONLY get improved mileage from most hybrids. They should be comparing the cost of the hybrid vs. the V6 model when calculating years to make up cost (not a perfect comparison, but much closer). They are just skewing statistics...
For most people, especially ones with NEW cars, the cost of fuel is such a small portion of TCO that gas mileage is almost inconsequential within reason. People get psychotic when gas swings one way or another because people are idiots, who cannot ignore the 20-80 dollars they spent today in favor of focusing on the 500 dollars they pay every month.
Maybe they shouldn't assume that fuel cost is the reason people got rid of their electrics. Maybe they got tired of the low range, or the length of recharge times, or the inability to haul large items (they are in for a surprise on how little you can put in an SUV, though). Maybe they got tired of having one car for fuel economy and one car for everything else.
The article is trying to paint a picture that people who switch are shortsighted idiots, but there are many other far more likely reasons that people switched.
It does make one feel better about one's own inferior intellect if one paints everybody else as an idiot.
Slashdot Quote: The first version always gets thrown away.
If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
And keep in mind that the EV owners, who do not pay gas tax, are driving relatively heavy vehicles.
Chevy Volt (small car) weighs more than a Honda CRV (SUV)
Tesla S (sedan) weighs more than a Ford F-150 (full-size truck)
Exactly. progressives are right, conservatives are wrong, and there's absolutely no need to address anyone else's issues because Truth. Which is exactly what the GP was complaining of, but with respect to both extremes.
Meanwhile the people actually involved purchased a hybrid before switching to an SUV, which suggests that they're neither stereotypically conservative nor stereotypically progressive. There's valuable objective information embedded in that problem, yet you want to focus on which of the stereotypes is superior to the other.
Way to miss the point, as well as a shining opportunity to address the real world concerns and behavior of the 'middle.'