A Major League Scam...

Less than 2% of all new cars sold in America are plug-in electrics.  And most of those (67%) are sold on either coast and in the upper Midwest.

Yet, more than 80% of all car ads on TV are for electric cars.

Do you find that statistic interesting?  I did.  And so I did a little digging, as obnoxious older folks who like to write and have plenty of time on their hands, and are in need of a hobby tend to do.  Like moi.  That's French, for "me."  The same kind of folks you hear yell, "Get off my lawn!"

That kind.

And so I decided to follow up on my recent blog posting about all the reasons why you shouldn't buy an electric car, with a little more info on this whole Major League Scam.  You may not call it a scam.  I call it a scam.  Let me tell you why...

First, electric cars are little more than a metal box, a bunch of batteries wired together in series, a continuously-variable auto transmission, and an electric motor to use all that stored energy to make the box "go."  Except when it doesn't.  Allow me to elucidate...  

What follows is a fairly complete listing of all the new plug-in electric cars offered here in America that are within the price range of ordinary Americans.  The list does not include the Porsche Taycan ($154,000) or the Mercedes-Benz ELQ ($149,000).  If you can afford those cars, you likely don't need my advice on cars.  And you probably aren't wasting your time reading this blog.

Anyway, before I bore you with the summary, here's the list:

     -  Chevrolet Bolt, MSRP $31,995, Expected Range: 259 miles
     -  Chevrolet Bolt, EUV, $33,995, 247 miles

     -  Ford Mustang Mach-E, $44,595, 305

     -  Ford Mustang, Mach-EGT, $61,600, 270

     -  Hyundai Kona Electric, $35,225, 258

     -  Hyundai Ioniq 5, $45,000, 300

     -  Kia EV 6, $58,500, 265

     -  Kia Nero EV, $40,265, 239

     -  Nissan Leaf, $28, 375, 226

     -  Nissan Ariya, $40,000, 300

     -  Polestar 2 (Volvo), $47, 200, 265

     -  VOlvo XC40 Recharge, $56,395, 208

     -  VW ID.4, $41,190, 260

     -  Tesla Model 3, $41,190, 353

     -  Tesla Model Y, $41,190, 326

These cars range in price from around $28,000 to more than $61,000.  Their "range" in terms of miles, the second number above, is from 226 to 353.  Notice, these cars report their anticipated range in miles.  Gas operated cars don't need to do that because you can buy gas on every street corner; the nemesis as yet for electrics.  They have as yet few charging stations nationwide.  And most of those are located on either coast and the upper Midwest.  Thus causing a disease particular only to electric car owners called, "Range anxiety."  

And also, this price range is pretty heady for cars that cannot compete distance-wise with a new Mitsubishi Mirage, $14,325, 43 mpg!  With a 9.2 gallon tank, you can cruise for over 400 miles, pull off the freeway, buy some more of that "motion lotion," and proceed ahead on.  

And you can use some of the $25,000+ still in your saddlebags to pay for the gas.  For the rest of your freakin' life!  And it will keep you warm in winter!*  And go just as far!  Something you can't say about electrics.

Oh yeah, and electrics depreciate much faster than "real" cars.  This could leave you with a Tesla you paid $130,000 for, which is now selling for $78,400, and will be worth bupkus in just a few short years.  And they will continue to do so until the Public decides to embrace them as main-stream, which they have as yet to do.  And I don't think they will, especially between the coasts.  Where they drill for oil and don't have charging stations on every corner and know that electricity doesn't come out of the ether.

Something the Coastal Elites have yet to learn... 

*  Electric cars can lose as much as 30% of their charge and effectiveness in sub-zero weather, forcing the driver to choose between either warmth and range.