Thoughts on Elon and the EV subsidy
I hear many people here saying they’re not going to buy a Tesla because of Elon. You’re not alone. There are millions of progressives around the country who won’t want to either.
What I am curious about is what happens if Tesla becomes the only US EV you can buy (1) with the full subsidy (2) within a reasonable timeframe. Yes, others like the Bolt with ultium will have the subsidy too, but it’s highly likely that they won’t be able to meet demand…..
So what happens? Dealerships become thieves. Salesmen hint that $1000 puts you on the waitlist for this year—otherwise wait till 2024! Dealerships put on thousand of dollars of mandatory upgrades. Dealerships have a MSRP adjustment. And the price won’t be guaranteed on delivery. You go to buy one of the few non tesla full subsidy EVs and suddenly you’re facing thousands of dollars of fees.
I am truly, honest before the gods, sympathetic to people who are annoyed with Elon rn. I am too. But how much of a premium are these feelings worth? It is almost a guarantee that by the time the ^ situation I spelled out above plays out, (1) a standard 4680 model Y will have a $ per mile of range as cheap, or cheaper, than competition because it will receive the full IRA subsidy.
I know everyone here is aware of the shitty state of the non tesla charging network. These stories will grow. I have a friend who bought the id4 that won’t road trip with it anymore. They are not alone.
So hate Elon all you want. I don’t blame you. But let’s be honest… the tesla cost advantage is going to grow, and unless legacy seriously reforms the dealership system and third party charging reliability goes up significantly…then the cost of avoiding tesla for an EV in the future goes up a lot.
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