In another blow to the green zeitgeist, it’s been revealed that part of America has little interest in electric vehicles (EVs). Recent numbers from AAA show that a whopping 63% of potential car buyers would rather not switch to an electric vehicle for their next purchase. Why? Because they don’t want to be strong-armed into a choice that doesn’t sit right with them.
Instead of fattening the pockets of Tesla and other EV companies, buyers are veering towards hybrid cars. CBS correspondent, Ben Tracy, interviewed Ford production manager, Courtney Reeves, who confirmed a significant upswing in Ford’s hybrid sales. The company relished a 30% hike in hybrid sales just within the last year alone, being the choice du jour for consumers wanting to play their part in reducing emissions but without going completely green. According to Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue, hybrids are the elegant solution that binds the past and future, forming a bridge from gas to electric.
However, a look at General Motors (GM) paints a different picture. An airing of a 2022 interview with GM CEO Mary Barra showed the company’s headstrong ambition to be the top player in EVs, with a bold plan to kiss gas vehicles goodbye by 2035. Fast forward to 2024, and we see MotorTrend editor, Eric Tingwall, shattering GM’s bright EV dreams, stating any manufacturer banking on an all-EV strategy by 2030 or 2035 may be forced to backtrack amidst current market dynamics.
And he’s not wrong. For one, Ford and GM had to delay the launch of several EV models and battery production plants. That might knock a significant dent in President Biden’s ambitious target of reaching 50% of new car sales in EVs by 2030. Beyond just automakers, even consumers have shown reluctance towards this bull-headed push for an all-EV market.
By all indicators, the tide leans more towards the hybrid option. Despite the Biden administration flexing its regulatory muscles to coerce automakers to hasten the shift to EVs, the resistance is noticeable. The goal is decarbonization, but the roadmap to get there seems a little misguided. The intrigue of the EV era, despite its promotion by the administration, the press, and a whole lot of taxpayer money, may not be as bright as previously heralded.
In the concluding remarks, the hosts seem to acknowledge the elephant in the room. We all want to get to a greener future, but the journey there is fraught with uncertainty and likely a lot longer than we had anticipated. One thing’s for sure: America’s car buyers aren’t falling in line with this top-down decision to change lanes. This is an overt nod to our foundational principle of freedom of choice.
