• hark@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    If I’m just making things up, then why are car prices so damn high and car companies are posting record profits? Tesla is only doing fine because it was the first big EV manufacturer to market and it’s riding on that momentum. People willing to go with the least worst option available doesn’t mean the option isn’t bad. If it was a good option, then the ones offering those options wouldn’t be afraid of the competition. Tesla cancelled development of a $25k model shortly before these tariffs would be announced. This is not a mere coincidence. They know that there is high demand for cheap EVs, but auto companies here much prefer fatter profit margins and the government is all too happy to protect those fatter profit margins.

    Chinese companies focused on development of better and cheaper batteries and the result is that they’re able to offer much cheaper EVs. Why should that be punished while the other car companies get rewarded for dragging their heels on EVs due to their comfort in selling petrol cars?