UK Government Steals Taxpayer Money To Subsidize Electric Cars By £5,000

15 Responses to UK Government Steals Taxpayer Money To Subsidize Electric Cars By £5,000

1. MikeTheDenier says:

   January 2, 2011 at 2:37 pm

   Good news. The UK won’t be spending much on this .

   DETROIT – This was the year General Motors Co. and Nissan made good on their promise to bring mass-produced electric cars to the market. But don’t count on seeing one in traffic anytime soon. Sales so far have been microscopic and they’re likely to stay that way for some time.

   GM sold between 250 and 350 Chevy Volts this month and Nissan’s sales totaled less than 10 Leaf sedans in the past two weeks. Production for both is slowly ramping up, and supplies are limited.

   http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101231/ap_on_re_us/electric_car_sales

   Reply
2. Paul H says:

   January 2, 2011 at 2:41 pm

   “Paine said: “It’s critical that government grants and incentives continue. Oil has been subsidised for years and that’s allowed it a strangehold on the economy. For electric cars to really compete it needs help in the first years to get into truly mass production.””

   Oil subsidised? Where do these idiots come from?

   The running costs for electric are said to be lower, but this will only be because of the high level of tax on petrol. If drivers convert to electric in large numbers, the govt will simply replace the lost revenue by other forms of tax on motorists.

   Exactly the same happened in the 1990’s with diesel.

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   • mt says:

     January 2, 2011 at 2:51 pm

     Apparently, it’s standard liberal thinking:

     http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/business/04bptax.html

     Tax cuts for “evil” companies are subsidies. Not raising taxes on the rich is giving them money.

     Reply
3. Paul H says:

   January 2, 2011 at 2:45 pm

   The last time the UK govt tried to politically engineer car production was in the 80’s when we had the very expensive flop at DeLorean.

   Reply
4. Alan Simpson says:

   January 2, 2011 at 2:50 pm

   For @#$%s sake, at least get the headline corrected!

   It should read something like, “Thieving UK Politicos steal money from voters to pay for wishful thinking”.

   Meet the new socialists, same as the old socialists, FFS!

   Reply
   • stevengoddard says:

     January 2, 2011 at 2:52 pm

     Fixed

     Reply
5. TinyCO2 says:

   January 2, 2011 at 2:51 pm

   The only person who will spend over £20,000 on a car that travels about 100 miles in ideal conditions (no heater, no cold reduced battery life, etc) and then needs hours to recharge is someone who owns more than one car.

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   • stevengoddard says:

     January 2, 2011 at 2:53 pm

     I could buy a fantastic racing bike for ?2,000, which never needs to be recharged.

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6. R. de Haan says:

   January 2, 2011 at 2:55 pm

   The electric car is dead upon arrival.
   There is no flexibility in the concept, there is no economical basis despite the Government grants and the batteries are not reliable.

   Read about the battery problems with the Honda Hybrid here:
   http://www.dailytech.com/Honda+Civic+Hybrids+Encounter+Battery+Life+Problems+Software+Update+Problematic+for+Some/article19357.htm

   Read about the incredible amount of power needed to charge the batteries over the grid
   http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/10/07/will-electric-cars-finally-succeed/electric-cars-are-not-the-answer-to-our-problems

   Just like wind mills and solar panels electric cars represent a symbol of plain stupidity.

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7. Baa Humbug says:

   January 2, 2011 at 3:04 pm

   Problems with batteries will put paid to these cars for the forseeable future.

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8. Magnus says:

   January 2, 2011 at 3:28 pm

   Windmills are the perfect way to power electric cars (and everything else!).

   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/8234616/Wind-farms-becalmed-just-when-needed-the-most.html

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9. Justa Joe says:

   January 2, 2011 at 4:14 pm

   “Oil has been subsidised for years and that’s allowed it a strangehold on the economy.” – said Chris Paine, director of the cult documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car?

   The government(s) makes more profit on a gallon of gasoline that the oil companies do. The oil companies are in effect subsidizing the govt. I’m sure the would be Michael Moore of the electric car fan boys can be relied upon to give accurate info about electric cars or the oil industry, or why would he be quoted by a “journalist”.

   “They also pay no vehicle excise duty, have cheaper insurance premiums, are exempt from London’s Congestion Charge and can be charged for free at some public car parks.” – Edmund King

   The tax payer also has to recurrently subsidize these POS for the entirety of thier existence free charging included.

   Reply
10. suyts says:

    January 2, 2011 at 4:49 pm

    Groan, a new high in peak electricity demand! Right after the sun goes down! It isn’t just the 5,000 pounds, if it catches on, it will necessitate even higher energy prices. People will “plug-in” when they get home from work. Right at the same time they are preparing supper, doing laundry, and other wise using the most electricity exactly then. Of course, then the govt. will see this problem and fix it using smart grid technology and then schedule you a time when you can use your appliances. You won’t have a say.

    Think that’s a bit Orwellian? Or over the top? You decide…… First, look up the Zigbee protocol or IEEE 802.15 and understand why it was designed. Then look to our old friend, GE. http://www.electronichouse.com/article/ge_first_with_zigbee_smart_energy_appliances/C157

    If you get an in-home display today, odds are, it will be ZigBee compliant. In other words, have the ability to communicate and control the appliances in your home. I can do it today. Electric cars are simply a requisite step to get there.

    bbl

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11. Andy Weiss says:

    January 2, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    What we should do is put a windmill on the back of everyone’s car!! Maybe I should patent this brilliant idea.

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12. Layne Blanchard says:

    January 2, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    Let’s see….. put a little charge back on the car, or turn on a tiny heater and warm the house up to 50F? Can’t afford both, which shall it be?

    Oh, well, can’t go anywhere anyway with 3 feet of snow outside. Let’s throw on a Cardigan and toast the house up to 52F! Ahhhh, the luxury!

    Reply