The fEVer has broken

New EVs in Liuzhou, China (Globe and Mail)

Our suburban cul-de-sac has six homes, and three have Teslas. In the Bay Area Teslas are everywhere and have long ceased to be status symbols.

As we mentioned four months ago, we're having second thoughts about joining the parade, and millions of potential EV-buyers are apparently feeling the same way. [bold added]

Ford Motor said Friday it is slashing production of its F-150 Lightning, the electric pickup that has generated major buzz since its launch nearly two years ago. Tesla in recent days cut vehicle prices in Europe and China, and its stock has fallen sharply this month. Hertz last week said it was dumping 20,000 EVs from its rental fleet, replacing them with gas-engine cars.

Meanwhile, the Arctic blast affecting much of the northern U.S. offered a visceral reminder of one inconvenience of EV ownership: Reduced battery performance in cold weather. That phenomenon has left some EV owners out of juice—and the industry with a jolt of bad publicity for electric cars.

EV sales in the U.S. and globally continue to climb, but the pace of that growth—and the fervent enthusiasm around the EV story—has faded. The long wait lists and accelerated factory schedules that characterized the budding EV market in recent years have given way to a backlog of inventory and downsized ambitions.

Carmakers say they remain committed to going electric while calibrating their plans amid multiplying signs that not as many consumers as anticipated are ready to rush into EVs.

Surveys show many car buyers are interested in the technology, but are hesitant to make the switch because of concerns over charger availability and higher prices.

It's very early, but California's mandate to restrict purchases only to "zero emission" vehicles beginning in 2035 looks like it will be extended, cancelled, or riddled with so many exceptions as to be toothless.