An economics, investment, trading and policy blog with a focus on Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). We seek the truth, avoid the mainstream and are virulently anti-neoliberalism.
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Monday, April 4, 2016
China.org.cn — China-made electric SUV put into mass production
Finally picked up a used Prius a couple of months ago prices have come down ... has "EV" mode but you cant exceed 15mph and you cant re-charge it... but gets close to 50mpg and only takes $18 to fill it...
Nothing like kicking the opec people when they're down...
Guys, you should seriously consider the Chevy Volt - pure EV range of 53 miles and then a range extender engine kicks in to allow another 360miles at 40mpg gas generator. Awesome car. I got one early Feb, put 2700 miles on it with less than 15 gallons of gas. So 80% of my driving is using EV. Use gas only on weekends when I do a 100mile roundtrip.
Most of the money in an EV goes into the battery, so BASF, FMC, Talison, LG, 3M, Dow, Lyondell, Shaw, even Exxon Chevron Sabic and these guys produce the specialty plastics and chemicals, while Universities, Governments, Gov. Pensions and Patent Farms and other rent extractors have royalties from their government research $ legacies into battery technology. All these guys make tons of money on each unit and on patents. And the batteries have to be replaced every few years as they fade away and become fire risks as they degrade, which we haven't seen yet. Electric motors and controllers are mostly *yawn* low margin mercantilism policy victims. Companies like maxim that should be doing great with their charging and battery management tech, are also China/Japan/German/Korea/China mercantilism victims with rampant copies. The rest of the vehicles are pretty much standard fare auto suppliers that are going to vietnam, china, malaysia, africa and elsewhere where people can pollute and pay low wages then assemble in destination markets. The big, big liability story will be the cobalt and other toxic metals companies have rushed to market rather than waiting for less toxic models. Twenty grams will kill a person and these early models are loaded with pounds and pounds of the stuff. You can already see the rich people shifting off their worn out vehicles to other people and the people buying them. This is going to be the story of the decade for progressives who will be incensed at the pollution and want heads on stakes for the criminality because 'they didn't know' (didn't care) they were buying toxic chemicals.
I don't think there has been another consumer good produced with government subsidy and help, stamped by the EPA and other agencies since asbestos, MTBE or lead which helped solve problems of the day but caused grave disease in the poor and working class later. The current view is that the environmental benefits outweigh the future costs, but of course, the future costs will be borne by others. And future people have the benefit of new technologies that are not toxic and won't understand why Tesla/Panasonic/Chevy-Toyota-Nissan and friends didn't use the better tech.
Apple wants to dump their toxic left over/used iphones from rich Westerners on Indian consumers but the Indian government understands the toxic waste games so they won't have it. Paying for proper disposal of billions of dangerous iphones will eat up Apple profits. They'll probably end up dumping them in Africa now or somewhere that Apple can pollute but keep meeting profit targets while spinning the hazardous waste dumping as "doing good for people." Shameful.
Buffet's BYD company produced 58,000 mass produced electric vehicles last year, and expects sales of 150,000 this year.
ReplyDeleteUS sales of all brands of electric vehicles were up by 37% YoY with sales lead by Tesla and Chevy. Followed up by Nissan and Ford.
Finally picked up a used Prius a couple of months ago prices have come down ... has "EV" mode but you cant exceed 15mph and you cant re-charge it... but gets close to 50mpg and only takes $18 to fill it...
ReplyDeleteNothing like kicking the opec people when they're down...
Guys, you should seriously consider the Chevy Volt - pure EV range of 53 miles and then a range extender engine kicks in to allow another 360miles at 40mpg gas generator. Awesome car. I got one early Feb, put 2700 miles on it with less than 15 gallons of gas. So 80% of my driving is using EV. Use gas only on weekends when I do a 100mile roundtrip.
DeleteMost of the money in an EV goes into the battery, so BASF, FMC, Talison, LG, 3M, Dow, Lyondell, Shaw, even Exxon Chevron Sabic and these guys produce the specialty plastics and chemicals, while Universities, Governments, Gov. Pensions and Patent Farms and other rent extractors have royalties from their government research $ legacies into battery technology. All these guys make tons of money on each unit and on patents. And the batteries have to be replaced every few years as they fade away and become fire risks as they degrade, which we haven't seen yet. Electric motors and controllers are mostly *yawn* low margin mercantilism policy victims. Companies like maxim that should be doing great with their charging and battery management tech, are also China/Japan/German/Korea/China mercantilism victims with rampant copies. The rest of the vehicles are pretty much standard fare auto suppliers that are going to vietnam, china, malaysia, africa and elsewhere where people can pollute and pay low wages then assemble in destination markets. The big, big liability story will be the cobalt and other toxic metals companies have rushed to market rather than waiting for less toxic models. Twenty grams will kill a person and these early models are loaded with pounds and pounds of the stuff. You can already see the rich people shifting off their worn out vehicles to other people and the people buying them. This is going to be the story of the decade for progressives who will be incensed at the pollution and want heads on stakes for the criminality because 'they didn't know' (didn't care) they were buying toxic chemicals.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there has been another consumer good produced with government subsidy and help, stamped by the EPA and other agencies since asbestos, MTBE or lead which helped solve problems of the day but caused grave disease in the poor and working class later. The current view is that the environmental benefits outweigh the future costs, but of course, the future costs will be borne by others. And future people have the benefit of new technologies that are not toxic and won't understand why Tesla/Panasonic/Chevy-Toyota-Nissan and friends didn't use the better tech.
ReplyDeleteApple wants to dump their toxic left over/used iphones from rich Westerners on Indian consumers but the Indian government understands the toxic waste games so they won't have it. Paying for proper disposal of billions of dangerous iphones will eat up Apple profits. They'll probably end up dumping them in Africa now or somewhere that Apple can pollute but keep meeting profit targets while spinning the hazardous waste dumping as "doing good for people." Shameful.
ReplyDelete