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Originally Posted by Dadhawk
I disagree. Yes, there is some set of the buying public that would love a small vehicle like this, but at least in the US, it isn't there. It isn't some grand conspiracy, it's just not what the buying public wants in a vehicle any longer in any meaningful numbers.
Just the fact that you think they should be subsidized to drive interest speaks to the interest not being there. The products should stand on their own, as should EVs for that matter.
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Federal and state governments provide all types of subsidies, grants and tax breaks to individuals, industries and corporations. It does this for housing, healthcare, oil industries, energy industries, meat and dairy, agriculture, education, etc. Despite what you said, I don't think you believe that the government should stop subsidizing meat, right, or that there is no demand for meat and dairy products? There clearly would be less demand if they didn't subsidize the products, which was part of your point, but your point would only be truly valid if there was no demand despite the subsidies, and we should subsidize something if it is in our interests. I'm saying there is demand, but we don't have supply, and it is in our interest to have more people drive smaller vehicles (especially EV variants) than single occupants driving 6,000 trucks and SUVs.
We pay $20 billion on direct fossil fuel subsides each year.
We pay $38 billion on direct farm subsides to support mostly the meat and dairy industry each year.
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The U.S government spends $38 billion each year to subsidize the meat and dairy industries, but only 0.04 percent of that (i.e., $17 million) each year to subsidize fruits and vegetables. A $5 Big Mac would cost $13 if the retail price included hidden expenses that meat producers offload onto society. A pound of hamburger will cost $30 without any government subsidies.
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