I think the left right dynamic is poisoning the well. EVs can be part of a more independent and cleaner air future. We can easily generate enough energy on our own roofs to power our EVs, and companies like Redwood Materials are developing a closed loop ecosystem whereby at some point in the future old EVs will be mined instead of the earth. Both the left and the right push the EV narrative one way and ignore other aspects to make political points. The truth is that EVs are more energy efficient and less polluting overall now (including mining, coal power sources, lifetime use emissions, and after use value) and have potential to greatly exceed the current system, whereas ICE is near its peak. However it's also true that EVs are not able to travel as far on a single fuel stop / recharge, they are not 100% "green", and they are not fully developed or optimized yet.
Seeing people jump into the fact that things get mined, power gets generated by coal, and batteries have a capacity limit, seems just as stupid as the left saying bullets can kill children, viruses can kill people, and oil isn't 100% clean to produce. To both groups of NPCs: duh, it's more nuanced than those things. Trade-offs including freedom, future return on investment, personal responsibility, independence, and innovation, should be brought into the argument. But then the click-bait loses its teeth....
I think the left right dynamic is poisoning the well. EVs can be part of a more independent and cleaner air future. We can easily generate enough energy on our own roofs to power our EVs, and companies like Redwood Materials are developing a closed loop ecosystem whereby at some point in the future old EVs will be mined instead of the earth. Both the left and the right push the EV narrative one way and ignore other aspects to make political points. The truth is that EVs are more energy efficient and less polluting overall now (including mining, coal power sources, lifetime use emissions, and after use value) and have potential to greatly exceed the current system, whereas ICE is near its peak. However it's also true that EVs are not able to travel as far on a single fuel stop / recharge, they are not 100% "green", and they are not fully developed or optimized yet.
Seeing people jump into the fact that things get mined, power gets generated by coal, and batteries have a capacity limit, seems just as stupid as the left saying bullets can kill children, viruses can kill people, and oil isn't 100% clean to produce. To both groups of NPCs: duh, it's more nuanced than those things. Trade-offs including freedom, future return on investment, personal responsibility, independence, and innovation, should be brought into the argument. But then the click-bait loses its teeth....