Does Trump's Election Spell the End for Federal EV Subsidies?

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LeftieBiker

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The title is pretty self-explanatory. While EV subsidies don't amount to much in the Federal budget, they are an easy target for a Right-Wing Government. And we need to understand that this isn't about just one man taking power in the US. The Republican Party will, starting next year, be in control of both Houses of the Legislative Branch, and of the Executive Branch, with the Judiciary soon to follow. There's obviously a lot to talk about, sadly, but the most pertinent aspect for this forum is how long that $7500 Federal Subsidy will last. I'm guessing maybe until March. Maybe not that long...
 
What makes you think it is anywhere near the top of the list of things they want to change right away? There is a Supreme Court Justice to nominate, and Obamacare to repeal and replace. That should keep them busy for quite a while.
 
Don't forget digging up Michelle's garden.

As I mentioned on the other thread, They could be OK on account of the US manufacturing jobs. Remember the old saw "What's good for General Motors is good for America". Maybe we just throw in "or Tesla".

Nobody knows, he isn't really a conservative.
 
baustin said:
What makes you think it is anywhere near the top of the list of things they want to change right away? There is a Supreme Court Justice to nominate, and Obamacare to repeal and replace. That should keep them busy for quite a while.

Don't forget the Paris accord to dismantle, and millions of illegal immigrants to deport :(
 
Increasing the use of EVs would benefit our country and have less reliance on foreign oil... So I cant see that TRUMP will axe it...

Hey, we all have bought our cars at a good price... I'm not concerned with the future of the $7500 refund.

If it goes away, then our cars will be worth that much more....
 
powersurge said:
....Hey, we all have bought our cars at a good price... I'm not concerned with the future of the $7500 refund.....
We all didn't get our Leafs for a song, many including myself with my first Leaf paid in excess of $30k for the privilege of driving an EV, which with the $7500 rebate(I only got $6k due to my tax liability) brought my S down to the mid $20s, the most I've ever paid for a vehicle but I have no regrets. My second Leaf, a '12SL I got for a song, but it's really the only reason I got the second, how could I pass it up.
That said I feel it's almost time for the subsidies to end, they served their purpose to help spark ;) a revolution which I believe will continue even without the subsidies. After all I believe without intervention they were about to run out anyway and with the introduction of vehicles like the Prius Prime and others I really believe we've passed the point of no return. Not that I won't personally miss the rebates as I plan on only buying EVs or PHEV from now on but it is what is, the country as a majority has decided and all we can do is live with it....
 
I'm not worried about end of EV subsidies.

EVs will take off with or without subsidies. Might be slower, and I could see Trump targeting Tesla for destruction. But GM Bolt is likely safe, and will be at least a modest success. Battery prices continue to fall, gasoline will spike again.

FCEVs are probably in more danger. While I sometimes get annoyed at some advocates of hydrogen, I think fuel cell technology may be very important in 20 years or so, just perhaps not for personal transportation. And FCEVs are a good development platform.
 
There are three companies who have benefited from the EV subsidy. Nissan, Tesla and GM. All three of them are near the end of the program since they have built nearly enough cars to start getting phased out. The program was unfairly designed to phase out manufacturers one by one instead of the entire program with a quantity. If it ended now, it would end fairly instead of the unfair ending that was about to happen where latecomers would get all the benefit and the three leaders would get screwed.

But I doubt that this program is on his list of things to change. He had a big list of things he wanted to do which should keep him busy for quite some time before getting to this subject.
 
I bought a beautiful 2012 Leaf w/ 12 bars about two months ago - my first EV. These cars are amazing. Subsidies can't make or break something that is worthy and solid. EVs will move on as people learn just as I did. I don't need government money to survive, and neither do EVs.
 
Everyone forgets it was a Republican that got the ball rolling on the EV tax credit. And the clean air act, and civil rights, and ending slavery.

Perception and reality are two disjoint worlds when I think of the word "progressive".
 
LTLFTcomposite said:
Everyone forgets it was a Republican that got the ball rolling on the EV tax credit. And the clean air act, and civil rights, and ending slavery.

Perception and reality are two disjoint worlds when I think of the word "progressive".


Your perception of the Republican ethos is obsolete. Mine is up to date. As for all the complacency about the subsidies ending, you are ignoring people like me who would have to lease an iMiev instead of a Leaf or Bolt. That will be bad for both the folks who want to keep driving an EV, and for the people trying to sell Leafs and Bolts. Tesla probably will do ok, since there will still be affluent people to buy their cars.
 
LTLFTcomposite said:
Everyone forgets it was a Republican that got the ball rolling on the EV tax credit. And the clean air act, and civil rights, and ending slavery. Perception and reality are two disjoint worlds when I think of the word "progressive".
If you want more details about above: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Law_110-343#Energy_Improvement_and_Extension_Act_of_2008
 
DanCar said:
LTLFTcomposite said:
Everyone forgets it was a Republican that got the ball rolling on the EV tax credit. And the clean air act, and civil rights, and ending slavery. Perception and reality are two disjoint worlds when I think of the word "progressive".
If you want more details about above: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Law_110-343#Energy_Improvement_and_Extension_Act_of_2008

I know quite well that Nixon would now be classified as a "Liberal" - I was there at the time. This is not relevant to the current climate, in which Republicans cannot usually even be classified as "Moderates." You lot seem to have a very rosy view of Republicans, despite having grown up with them. I guess that Reagans, Bushes and Clintons are all you know...
 
baustin said:
What makes you think it is anywhere near the top of the list of things they want to change right away? There is a Supreme Court Justice to nominate, and Obamacare to repeal and replace. That should keep them busy for quite a while.

Yep gotta place the Nixoncare system of pre-existing conditions back in place
 
LTLFTcomposite said:
Everyone forgets it was a Republican that got the ball rolling on the EV tax credit. And the clean air act, and civil rights, and ending slavery.

Perception and reality are two disjoint worlds when I think of the word "progressive".

Lincoln would vomit in rage if he saw what became of the "progressive" republican party.
 
LeftieBiker said:
I know quite well that Nixon would now be classified as a "Liberal" - I was there at the time. This is not relevant to the current climate, in which Republicans cannot usually even be classified as "Moderates." You lot seem to have a very rosy view of Republicans, despite having grown up with them. I guess that Reagans, Bushes and Clintons are all you know...
Republicans have lungs just like the Democrats and both appreciate clean air.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-news/watch/trump--we-need-clean-air--clean-water-576202307582
Quote from Trump: We need clean air, clean water. ... We need clean air to breath.
 
Are you referring to spiked Jim Jones Koolaid because Trump won??

My final thought about federal subsidies... Thanks to the federal refunds, rebates and incentives, our 2-3 year old $35-40K cars are only worth $10-12K. If EV subsidies go away, then our cars will be worth a lot more than that...
 
Trump is pretty liberal. I don't expect too much to change, Obamacare will transition to HSA based plans, what most employers are going to anyway. God forbid we leave a little bit of control to the individual.

Also look for some tightening of border security, mostly just enforcing existing laws that 0bama conveniently ignored because it helped provide a steady stream of DNC voters. Expect some better protections in trade deals that have been totally one sided, giving free access to our markets while we lose manufacturing jobs. Cutting down on the number of shipping containers full of cheap throwaway crap floating across the ocean should reduce carbon emissions as they are replaced with locally produced higher quality products.
 
LTLFTcomposite said:
Trump is pretty liberal. I don't expect too much to change, Obamacare will transition to HSA based plans, what most employers are going to anyway. God forbid we leave a little bit of control to the individual.

Also look for some tightening of border security, mostly just enforcing existing laws that 0bama conveniently ignored because it helped provide a steady stream of DNC voters. Expect some better protections in trade deals that have been totally one sided, giving free access to our markets while we lose manufacturing jobs. Cutting down on the number of shipping containers full of cheap throwaway crap floating across the ocean should reduce carbon emissions as they are replaced with locally produced higher quality products.
+1, thanks. I find it interesting that many that traditionally voted democrat, the rust belt, blue collar workers, voted republican and many that traditionally voted republican, the well to do, voted democrat in this election.
 
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