According to recent reports, car dealers are informing auto manu facturers that they have too many electric vehicles on their lots and are dialing back orders until their current inventory is soId. Scott Kunes, Chief Operating Officer at Kunes Auto and RV Group, explained that his company is turning away additional EV inventory.
“We have turned away EV inventory. We need to ensure that we have a good turn on it,” he said, as reported on Business Insider. Kunes said that automakers are “asking us to make a Iarge investment….and we’re just wanting to see some return on that.”
Sam Fiorani, Vice President of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, outlined how EVs aren’t practical for many Americans as they would have to alter their lifestyle when switching from a gas-powered car. “It’s not just that these vehicles are expensive — which they are. We’re talking about a much more nuanced Iifestyle change,” said Fiorani. EVs obviously have a more constrained range than gas-powered vehicles, and charging stations can be sparsely located.
EVs are also notably more expensive than traditional combustion engine-based cars. According to Consumer Reports, the average sale price of an EV is over $61,000, or $12,000 more expensive than the overall average in the auto industry. “It’s hard for the average customer to make that leap while spending an extra $10,000,” Fiorani continued.
Electric vehicle horror stories have also plagued the news, where consumers share personaI anecdotes of the dysfunctionality of these cars. Recently, a Ford F-150 Lightning owner was forced to ditch his EV on a road trip from Winnipeg to Chicago.
The all-electric Ford pickup retails for well north of $100k. However, based on the sentiment from disgruntled consumers, it seems this truck does not live up to its price tag. The man called electric vehicles the “biggest scam of modern times” after his experience with his F-150 Lightning.
While many have lofty projections for EVs in the Iong term, it’s safe to say that these vehicles are not ready to replace the reliability of traditional automobiles. Although, this hasn’t deterred some woke, blue states in the U.S. from preemptively enacting electric vehicle mandates.
For example, California announced it would ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. Such mandates have drawn concern, particularly from automakers who will be forced to play within the guidelines of these new regulations.
“Whether or not these requirements are realistic or achievable is directIy linked to external factors like inflation, charging and fuel infrastructure, supply chains, labor, critical mineral availability and pricing, and the ongoing semiconductor shortage,” John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation said in a statement. “These are complex, intertwined and global issues.”
Also, many concerns surround the feasibility of a mass transition to electric vehicles. As it stands, this could limit people’s autonomy as driving ranges are limited and charging infrastructure is insufficient. Furthermore, there couId be an affordability crisis as many Americans can’t even afford a new car, let alone the price of a new EV.
The Big Bang Theory star suddenly died today
Bob Newhart, the actor and comedian known for his roles in “Elf” and “Legally Blonde,” has died at the age of 94. His career began with regular appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” before he transitioned into acting, starring in films like “Catch-22” and “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.”
Born in Oak Park, Illinois, on September 5, 1929, Newhart’s early education was at Roman Catholic schools in Chicago, and he graduated from St. Ignatius College Prep in 1947. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Loyola University Chicago in 1952. After graduation, Newhart served as a personnel manager during the Korean War until his release in 1954.
Newhart’s TV career took off with “The Bob Newhart Show,” where he played Chicago psychologist Robert Hartley. He later starred as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon on “Newhart.” In the 1990s, he appeared in the sitcoms “Bob” and “George & Leo.” His voice work includes Bernard in Disney’s “The Rescuers” and “The Rescuers Down Under.”
He won his first Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Professor Proton on “The Big Bang Theory” from 2013 to 2018. His debut comedy album, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” became a hit in 1960, topping the Billboard pop album chart.
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