# Is the US EV market dead? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671 "2026-02-14T20:46:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/221 "2026-02-18T14:25:02Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Eh, depends where you are. I can easily take a road trip generally maintaining 80 without ever worrying about the cops, probably even 85. A 12.5 hour drive plus stops is a long day, but doable, especially in the summer. But made doable by making shorter stops and putting miles down. This. 60mph whether due to congestion or preference plus long stops makes a 300 mile drive an excruciating experience. 80+ and hurried sub-10 minute pit stops to refill the car and drain the people makes 1000 mile drives much easier. If you’re gonna drive, _drive_, dammit. YMMV of course, and it gets harder as one ages. Based on my last road trip, I can sorta see the knee in my personal curve coming up. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/222 "2026-02-18T14:40:49Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > 60mph whether due to congestion or preference plus long stops makes a 300 mile drive an excruciating experience. 80+ and hurried sub-10 minute pit stops to refill the car and drain the people makes 1000 mile drives much easier. I’m just the opposite. Taking the time to be out of the car, to unbend my body and move around, to breathe air that’s not just been inside our lungs a bunch, makes it much more pleasant. I’ve also enjoyed road trips a lot more since getting a fun car to drive in. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/223 "2026-02-18T14:47:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But for the thousands of neighborhoods and millions of houses built between, say, 1900 and 1960, expensive electrical upgrades to the house will be probably needed to supply any but the slowest and weakest of chargers. If you’ve got an electric dryer on 220, you can install a smart switch/outlet that lets you share the circuit. Dry your clothes, can’t charge, but since you can charge at night (and probably only dry clothes once or twice a week) sharing the circuit is generally not a problem. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/224 "2026-02-18T15:01:23Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > They really ought to rename those to GAVs = Geezer Access Vehicles. SunWife and I have three surviving parents between the two of us. We’ve had a minivan of one stripe or another for the last twenty years, and though the kids are now college age and we’re not driving them around everywhere any more, we’re holding on to that minivan since it’s our easiest car to get everyone into and out of. I like to say that the minivan is really the best kind of car when you have a lot of parents. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/225 "2026-02-18T15:18:35Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I think that you are really bristling and offended by that word “privilege,” and not listening to what people are saying because of it. In support of pezworld, I think the use of ‘privilege’ has poisoned the well here. The debate was good up to that point, but that remark made me bristle too. The world isn’t fair, not everyone can have everything they want, and nobody is forcing everyone to get an EV. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/226 "2026-02-18T15:26:01Z")
Transportation costs are very regressive, even considering how much the extremely wealthy spend on private jets. Just like fuel-efficient cars were not popular in the U.S. until gasoline prices made foreign imports look attractive, I don’t expect electric cars to become popular until gas prices again make foreign imports look attractive. * * * I see we’re in the personal anecdote phase. We currently have three cars. Two electric cars for the daily commutes, and one hybrid for family trips. Energy costs are less than $0.02 per mile for the electrics, and about $0.20 per mile for the hybrid. Our total commute miles are about 350 miles per week, which is about $7.00 per week. It’d be about $70.00 that if we drove hybrids. Edited to add: we’re in Los Angeles. We charge at our home, and it’s easy to charge anywhere we go. Even going as far Mammoth Lakes or Las Vegas. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/227 "2026-02-18T16:05:59Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I think the use of ‘privilege’ has poisoned the well here. Meh. I have no problem acknowledging that I have and have had a metric shit ton of privilege. In this specific case I only have an ounce or so. When it comes to the ability to easily have an EV in fairly ideal circumstances (access to charging either at home overnight or, less commonly, at work; a second vehicle capable of road trips, or don’t do road trips, or road trips are on routes very well served by current charging infrastructure, etc.) includes a majority of American automobile buyers. The number of potential buyers for whom an EV would be superior experience compared to an ICE vehicle is many times the current number sold. Even more when PHEVs are included. No question that there is a minority that is underprivileged in this regard, and for whom a BEV is not currently a great choice. They are not the limiting factor for the market right now. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/228 "2026-02-18T16:40:25Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > No question that there is a minority that is underprivileged in this regard, and for whom a BEV is not currently a great choice. They are not the limiting factor for the market right now. They are in some regions of the US, though, so it might look as if that’s a significant issue, depending on where you live. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/229 "2026-02-18T16:57:55Z")
And it might be a limiting factor for a critical mass of sales in those areas. Of course even in those regions _sometimes_ the perceived barriers are more a matter of perception than reality. It just isn’t the limiting factor for sales growth in the American market right now is all. I’ll also btw grant that EVs also partly are subject to the Vimes boots economic theory. Total cost of ownership is often less for an EV of comparable size and appointment than the ICE competitor, but at this point the cost is slightly front loaded at time of purchase, and their are fewer small affordable choices. Again favoring those of us with more economic privilege. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/230 "2026-02-18T17:00:23Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > I’ll also btw grant that EVs also partly are subject to the Vimes boots economic theory. Total cost of ownership is often less for an EV of comparable size and appointment than the ICE competitor, but at this point the cost is slightly front loaded at time of purchase, and their are fewer small affordable choices. And possibly even more front-loaded if one factors in having to rewire your garage (or your house!) for a Level 2 charger – which is, AIUI, not technically a must-have to own an EV, but certainly a very very nice-to-have. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/231 "2026-02-18T17:46:56Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > EVs also partly are subject to the Vimes boots economic theory. Total cost of ownership is often less for an EV of comparable size and appointment than the ICE competitor, but at this point the cost is slightly front loaded at time of purchase, and their are fewer small affordable choices Better stated than I was trying to compose. And therein is also embedded the factor of uncertainty about just _how long_ would the long term be to realize that “total cost” advantage; and tied to that in turn questions of depreciation/resale value. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/232 "2026-02-18T19:48:51Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Excuse hijack/threadshit/whatever, but I gotta say that as a non-car-owning public transit user/pedestrian/cyclist/car renter etc., I am kind of enjoying seeing a lot of other Americans these days confronting the prospect of adjusting to a default transportation model that isn’t automatically prioritizing their own convenience. The point is that we’ve collectively got options, and that for many people that convenience is a major consideration. And if the companies are engaged in either enviro-shaming or being snarky about how actually-not-inconvenient it is, they’re going to end up not being competitive versus the other options. In the absence of government legislation or subsidies, EVs are going to have to show a really compelling cost difference vs. gas and/or be just as convenient, along with being the environmentally conscious choice. Otherwise a lot of people are going to decide for hybrids or ICE cars because they’re more convenient and similar in cost. Free market at work and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/233 "2026-02-19T05:42:07Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Question, you imply here that adding in an EV charger is a considerable expense. I have a EV in the UK, don’t have a garage, and had a charger fitted to the wall of my house for £1000 ($1350). Not nothing, but a considerable saving over the price of filling up for me. What does it cost in the US? The cost you’re looking for (level 2 charger) varies greatly from $1,200 to $4,000. Or zero if you have an EV hybrid. Which broadens the consumer base. IMO the push for electrical vehicles should have focused on the hybrid as a way to support auto manufacturers and allow for batteries and electrical infrastructure to catch up. It’s a better match in the US vs countries that have denser populations and greater transportation alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/234 "2026-02-19T12:17:28Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > IMO the push for electrical vehicles should have focused on the hybrid as a way to support auto manufacturers and allow for batteries and electrical infrastructure to catch up. It’s a better match in the US vs countries that have denser populations and greater transportation alternatives. That’s what’s Japan is doing, even with a greater population density and good train system. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/235 "2026-02-19T12:45:43Z")
Eh, ever since the Romans built networks of roads (and probably before) effective governments have subsidized transportation, and it’s paid off in trade and other economic activity. Government subsidization of the infrastructure and early vehicles was a good idea. Too bad it got strangled. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/236 "2026-02-19T13:53:46Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Government subsidization of the infrastructure and early vehicles was a good idea. Too bad it got strangled. This is the enormous point. One of the major principles of Trump’s domestic policy is to destroy anything that Biden or Obama did. Biden shepherded a massive infrastructure bill through Congress in a remarkable display of savvy politics and statesmanship; if it remains in place, it becomes a powerful legacy. So Trump is doing everything he can to ruin this infrastructure improvement. [https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5289922/trump-transportation-department-ev-charging-halt](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5289922/trump-transportation-department-ev-charging-halt) Edit: that said, it looks like the strangling is present tense, not past tense, and the charging advocates are fighting back. Reports of its demise are greatly exaggerated! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/237 "2026-02-19T14:14:40Z")
In looking for that article, I ran across another article that talks about hurdles for EV ownership, including the bonkers right-wing notion that they’re worse for the environment than ICE cars, and the less bonkers worries about charging infrastructure. Both of these hurdles are deliberately being raised by right-wing activists and politicians. [https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5289922/trump-transportation-department-ev-charging-halt](https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5289922/trump-transportation-department-ev-charging-halt) ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/238 "2026-02-19T16:32:28Z")
You posted the same link twice, FYI. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/239 "2026-02-19T16:33:27Z")
D’oh! Here’s the link I meant to post the second time: [https://www.npr.org/2024/09/23/nx-s1-5074064/ev-gas-cars-environment-skepticism](https://www.npr.org/2024/09/23/nx-s1-5074064/ev-gas-cars-environment-skepticism) > Everyone knows that electric vehicles are supposed to be better for the planet than gas cars. That’s the driving reason behind a global effort to transition toward batteries. > > But what about the harms caused by [mining for battery minerals](https://www.npr.org/2024/08/23/nx-s1-5081517/rio-tinto-lithium-serbia-europe-ev-vehicles-battery-supply-chain)? And coal-fired power plants for the electricity to charge the cars? And [battery waste](https://www.npr.org/2024/06/27/nx-s1-5019454/ev-battery-recycling-us)? Is it _really_ true that EVs are better? > > The answer is yes. But Americans are growing less convinced. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671/240 "2026-02-19T17:53:15Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > At this point one way or the other my wife wants a different car. Hopefully we get a refund under lemon law Update! So to Nissan’s credit they are going to offer a buyback! Now back to looking at new options! The Volvo EX30 would be great except that its infotainment interface is minimalist - all screen. But small, fast, good range … The updated Toyota BZ will be worth a look. The only Niro EVs local are ‘25s but decent deals and no major change to the ‘26. But on paper at least the Ioniq5 SEL leads. And decent discounts right now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-us-ev-market-dead/1027671.md?page=13)