After making bold proclamations about moving to an all-electric fleet of vehicles in a short time frame, many automakers are now changing their tune, according to The Truth About Cars.
What's happening?
A significant number of the world's major automakers — including but not limited to Cadillac, General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Honda — have made commitments to move toward producing more all-electric vehicles.
Some, such as Cadillac, had said that they would be producing mostly electric vehicles by 2030. Others, such as Honda, have been less specific about their commitments.
However, many of those companies are now quietly walking back whatever commitments they have made. "Times have changed," said Automotive News.
The Truth About Cars observes that most people choose to buy electric vehicles from manufacturers who specialize in producing them, such as Tesla or Rivian. "Sales volumes reflect this," they said, "which undoubtedly helps explain why certain brands are walking back targets."
Why is a slowdown in electrical vehicle production important?
Moving toward electric vehicles has meant less reliance on dirty energy. MarketWatch noted that electric vehicles are better for the environment even when you take into account the processes involved in producing their batteries and their charging requirements.
To produce fewer of these vehicles means that we will continue to rely on dirty energy for a lot longer. According to International Rivers, this will continue to heat up the planet, change the climate, and damage communities around the world. In focusing only on their bottom line, these companies are affecting the whole planet.
What's being done about the slowing down of electric vehicle production?
The Truth About Cars noted that part of the reason more electric vehicles aren't selling is because the people who can use them have already adopted them. The batteries don't last long enough for many people, or some don't have good access to chargers when they need them.
This seems to be a true observation. According to data from Our World in Data, electric car sales still increase a little bit each year in some places, but they have largely leveled off.
For people to make their next car an EV, the charging situation needs to improve. Companies can follow the lead of others, like Ikea, by investing in charging stations in their parking lots.
Other innovative ideas, like battery-swapping stations, may help people who need to travel long distances by car. Some people are even trying to harness the power of the sun for car charging purposes.
If we can work to make electric vehicles functional in more situations, we may be able to convince carmakers to commit to them again.
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