The Electric Albatross

Discussing the "electric car" Eric Peters: 

Electric cars like the Leaf and Volt come with luxury car MSRPs -- until Uncle Sam transfers about 20 percent onto the backs of you and me. The Volt's MSRP is $40,280. The Leaf's MSRP is $32,780. What lunatic would pay BMW/Lexus money for either of these things? The answer, of course, is only a few (well-heeled) lunatics of the posturing "green" variety -- posturing because by definition, if you can spend BMW/Lexus money on a new car, worrying about the cost of gas is an abstraction. People who really have to worry about spending an extra $10 or $20 at every fill-up don't buy $32k-$40k new cars. If they do, that's why they're having to worry about the cost of fuel.

So, enter Uncle -- who is very generous with other people's money. "Buy" a new Volt or Leaf or one of the other electric Turduckens now available and he will send you a check for $2,500-$7,500, depending on the model. Nissan even advertises the actual cost of its car After Uncle ($32,780 less $7,500) to make the thing seem more appealing.

In summary: The prudent fellow who buys a $15k (and 41 MPG) Ford Fiesta pays full freight but the "green" poseur who buys the electric car that goes maybe 60 or 70 miles before it conks out gets a $2,500-$7,5000 handout at the expense of people like the prudent fellow who bought the $15k Fiesta on his own nickel.

Welcome to the funny farm.

Read the whole thing.