• Molecular0079@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    No reason why western countries also can’t subsidize EV car companies to remain competitive.

    Like…what are we supposed to do? Be content with ridiculously priced EVs and be willing to pay a small fortune for them? Fuck off with that noise.

    Western corporations have had no problems fucking over the average consumer for decades or laying off thousands of employees at the first sign of trouble. Let them adapt or die I say. Competition is always good. Western corporations have the smarts and the resources to compete, they just need to be forced to.

    • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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      2 years ago

      Controversial take: the problem isn’t car prices. They haven’t increased that much when compared to inflation, and you’re getting far more and far better cars for your money when adjusted for inflation.

      The problem is wages haven’t risen and housing prices have risen too much, meaning people have less to spend on a car.

      E: I googled. In the US the cost of a median house was 18k in 1953. An average car cost 3.5k.

      Now, the median house costs 400k.

      400k/18k x 3.5k = If car prices had risen as much as house prices, the median car would cost 77k.

      • MonkderZweite@feddit.ch
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        2 years ago

        and you’re getting far more and far better cars for your money when adjusted for inflation.

        Better at getting me from A to B?

        • JJROKCZ@lemmy.world
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          2 years ago

          Yes… cars now are faster, safer, and more efficient than they were in the 50s.

          Even if you discount all the “features” they’ve added the bare necessities of a car are tons better than mid-20th century cars or even late 20th century cars

    • SCB@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      Or just let those who can’t compete die, which is totally fine.

      I don’t have any loyalty to some specific car brand.

    • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
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      2 years ago

      That‘s a terrible idea. Just because China throws irresponsible amounts of cash at cars doesn‘t mean we have to do the same mistake. We can simply say it‘s not OK to sell products under manufacturing costs to gain market share and that‘s that. Let‘s not inflate the already oversized car market even more.

      • silentknyght@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        I agree it’s a bad first step. I’d keep trying idea on the table, but I’d start by working with the European car manufacturers to create huge tariffs on those cars. Make it impossible for them to be sold at those prices in Western markets

      • eltrain123@lemmy.world
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        2 years ago

        They can simply say they don’t subsidize their manufacturing and operate profitably at those prices.

        Just saying something doesn’t make it work unless there are legal things that back up the position. And in foreign trade, that means tariffs… which economists have been screaming about (for decades) having negative ramifications that ripple through the economy.