Against my better judgment, I will jump into the fray on this electric vehicle issue simply because the issue I think is most important hasn’t been addressed.
I am a strong believer in the marketplace, the notion that people will do what usually is in their economic interests and that manufacturers will respond to consumer demand. In other words, I believe in capitalism as the most effective means by which to regulate our economic system. Let people choose freely, and don’t think you can force them to do something they don’t want to do when it comes to purchases and sales.
With that said, forcing people to buy electric vehicles that are priced well above gas-powered vehicles – and with limited range to boot – will not solve any problems. It only will generate hostility and subterfuge, including the registration or leasing of vehicles out of state for use in Delaware.
Until such time as manufacturers are producing vehicles that compete in price with gas-powered vehicles – without government subsidy/our tax dollars – and provide a reliable range of at least 350 to 400 miles and a quick recharge at home in two hours, government efforts to force EVs upon us will produce nothing but resentment.
The vast majority of people in Delaware – and in these United States – are still committed to our capitalist system, to the operations of a free market economy. Don’t think you can tell us what we have to do. Offer us alternatives that we will want to choose. This issue goes to the very heart of our system.
Finally, as we await further advances in EV-only technology, be on the lookout for any hybrid models that may be both reasonably priced and self-charging. And for safety’s sake, stay away from the supposedly self-driving cars that have caused needless deaths on our highways.
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to newsroom@capegazette.com. Letters must be signed and include a telephone number and address for verification. Please keep letters to 500 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content and length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days. Letters restating information and opinions already offered by the same author will not be used. Letters must focus on issues of general, local concern, not personalities or specific businesses.
