We Don’t Need No Flaming Sparky Cars

Where, oh where, did the stupid rich people go?

As automakers continue to delay their electric-vehicle plans and report lower-than-expected sales, Canada’s goal of ensuring that at least 20 per cent of new vehicles sold by 2026 are electric seems to be in jeopardy.

Ford Motor Co. last week said it was going to delay EV production at its assembly plant in Oakville, Ont., by two years to 2027 from 2025. The additional time will allow the company to take advantage of an emerging battery technology and let the number of consumers grow.

Earlier this month, Tesla Inc. reported a decline in quarterly deliveries for the first time in nearly four years. The Elon Musk-led company attributed the fall to logistical issues, but analysts say that slowing demand for EVs also played a role.

General Motors Co.’s chief executive Mary Barra referred to this slowdown as well on an earnings call in January, when she said the slowing pace of EV growth had created some uncertainty. She still expects EV sales in 2024 to improve, but said “if demand conditions change, we’ll take advantage of our manufacturing flexibility … to build more internal combustion engine models and fewer EVs.”

Emphasis mine.

22 Replies to “We Don’t Need No Flaming Sparky Cars”

  1. The lawyers are missing out right now for the MASSIVE (I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS DANGEROUS) CLASS ACTIONS LAWSUITS from radiation poisoning that it’s occupants will be experiencing.
    They thought Cell phone battery was bad on this is on a much larger scale along with many vehicles fires, houses fires that have faulty wiring to plug in these and electrocuted vehicle repairs people.

  2. Probably the worst part of all this EV stupidity is the increased pricing we’re seeing on ICE vehicles to compensate for all the massive losses these automakers are taking due to their practically nonexistent EV sales. Thanks progs!

  3. And here in Lockdownistan, Trudeautopia (formerly Ontario, Canada), Thug Fraud is giving billions to foreign companies to build batteries for cars that won’t be built.

    I can’t see an issue. Can you see an issue?

  4. So how “bad” is it anyway?

    https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/market-snapshots/2022/market-snapshot-record-high-electric-vehicle-sales-canada.html

    Pretty bad. EVs accounted for less than 7% of new vehicle sales sold in Q2, 2022 and that includes hybrid plug-in cars that also use gasoline engines. Things were marginally better in 2023. StatsCan defines EVs as ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles) and they classify gas-assisted battery electric as ZEVs while battery-only autos are BEVs (so knock 1.5% off the totals).

    The industry has 2 years to almost double the number of new EVs sold while the number has flat-lined at 12%.

    1. This may be part of the reason as people figure out the reality of the fad.

      My friend in B.C. has a Tesla 3.

      He let me drive it and I must say that it was fun to feel the low end torque as it accelerated off the line, but as we were driving he told me that if he had to replace the battery, it would cost him $26,000 CAD

      I told him, “I’m out!”

  5. Tesla culls about 1,400 employees as it’s stock plunges …

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/analysts-weigh-in-on-far-reaching-tesla-layoffs-as-stock-extends-slump/ar-BB1lI70p

    Curiously, the media sounds almost … gleeful … about Musk’s loss of $$ Billions in his portfolio. Hmmm? I wonder why?

    And here’s where I report my DAILY ANGER over Tesla drivers not moving when the light turns green. Why are they holding up traffic, and making everyone behind them miss the green light? Because they’re fiddling-with, talking-to the giant touch screen on their dashboard … because they’re making Amazon purchases at the stoplight. IDK? They’re doing something other than actually DRIVING! I’m giving fair warning … I’m ollllld … so my foot might just slip on the accelerator pedal … let’s see how your batteries perform after a 2mph rear end collision …

      1. Missed it byyyyyyyy … 12,600 unemployed. Missed it byyyyyyyy 90%. Hence I am now qualified to become a government Labor and Statistics Board statistician !!

  6. The canary in the coal mine is the car rental industry. Rental companies discovered there is no resale market for EVs. They are stuck writing off practically the entire EV fleet and enduring more expenses for disposal.

    1. Gas is $11US/usg in Portugal.
      Or $4.12us/usg in Alberta

      How’s the Schwab doing these days?

  7. you peepull dont get it.
    the goals are going to be achieved by attrition.
    falling sales is part of the plan. its the ‘well you had your chanc to opt electric but you still cant keep those ICEs’.

    theyre coming and as is par for the course the elite are serviced first and foremost.
    they will be the one driving in the otherwise deserted streets. and only every 5th one will be designated bicycles only. if a useful EV is ever designed and marketed is uncertain.

  8. EVs, an environmentally unsound and impractical solution to a non-existing problem and one that can’t fulfill the dictates of the Bolsheviks and Jacobins due to the inability of anything major to meet regulatory obstacles such as enlarging grid capacity with reliable energy. The failing state subsidizes one segment while regulating another into virtual stasis.

  9. The only way Ottawa’s EV sales goal is going to be met is to impose some draconian tax on ICE vehicles or an enormous tax credit if you buy an EV. I’m sure they’re thinking about it already.

  10. Ford may find the number of consumers falls as the EVs that have been sold in the last number of years move toward the age of more frequent repair – including the big one, battery replacement. Inevitably that’ll drive resale values down which will be a further drag on new sales.

    Progressive policies generate many unintended consequences – consequences the progs don’t foresee in their myopic quest to change the world.

  11. All the rich Liberals have already bought one. The wells run dry on expensive virtue signalling – most won’t want a second.

  12. Big Government pushing its ungodly head into the free markets is why everything is so pooched, not just battery car sales.

  13. WE are living in one of the coldest climates in the world! EV vehicles will not work ! Thanks Trudeau and Free land for giving 33,000,000,000 dollars of our tax Money to 2 foreign companies—Stellantis and Volkswagen!
    And “The Budget Will Balance Itself”!
    Also by weakening our electric system –destroying coal and LNG plants plants! —Brown outs will not enhance anything—- especially electric vehicles!

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