The Missing Middle of the American EV Market

GM’s decision to axe the Chevy Bolt has me pissed.

It’s further evidence, as if any were needed, that the incumbent U.S. car companies are run by idiots and deserve to go under.

This comes just months after the Administration put forward its regulations under the Inflation Reduction Act.  They want cars assembled in the U.S., with U.S.-made batteries. They also want mid-market vehicles. That means sedans and coupes priced under $30,000.

Guess what Detroit isn’t going to produce?

We have too many electric Cadillacs in the U.S. market. Every damned start-up that followed the success of Tesla has an ultra-expensive car. Rivian, Lucid, Fisker. None will be able to get under the Administration’s price limits.

You know who will? Polestar. They like to say they’re Swedish, but they’re about as Swedish as Beijing duck. They’re owned by China’s Geely, and their Polestar 3, to be assembled in South Carolina next year, will be eligible for the credits.

My dear heart and I were forced into the car market last year when our old Scion got run into at 5 mph, cracking the frame. There was nothing affordable, so we went with a Toyota hybrid. Now I’m glad we did because nothing better is going to come out for years.

When it does, how much you want to be it carries a Japanese or Korean brand name? Or maybe a German one? Hyundai, Toyota, and Volkswagen are all building their cars in the American South. They’re building battery plants, too, often with government help. The mid-market will be served, but it won’t be Americans who serve it.

Pisses me off.