Letters to the Editor: Cheap electric cars exist. Stop citing only ‘average’ EV prices

To the editor: I must call attention to the last paragraph of an otherwise helpful article about President Biden’s push to get more people to buy electric vehicles.

The writers, both with the Associated Press, strongly imply that even a generous $7,500 federal tax credit won’t be enough to help folks afford an EV, because the average price is $58,600.

Average price is entirely irrelevant. People on a budget don’t buy the average-priced car; they buy affordable cars like the Chevrolet Bolt, which goes for less than $20,000 with the credit.

Far too many journalists cite this average, and it’s got to stop. It instantly turns away a large segment of the car-buying public. A more realistic approach would report a range of EV prices and include used cars, which are bought by Americans more than twice as often as new cars.

Paul Scott, Santa Monica

The writer is co-founder of the electric vehicle advocacy group Plug In America.

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To the editor: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants a huge increase in EV sales in the next decade.

Nice, but what happens if you do not have your own garage, or if there are not enough charging stations close to where you live? And if you have a private garage, how will you pay to upgrade the electric system and install a charger so you can charge overnight?

I have owned hybrid cars for 18 years and luckily fill up every three or four weeks. I cannot afford to make the necessary electric upgrades, and there are millions of people like me.

Meg Schaffer, Tarzana

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To the editor: Transitioning to a situation where all vehicles are electric is a noble goal. But it would be better achieved if Congress would put a price on carbon.

Actions of the executive branch can be undone by a future administration. Congressional legislation is more durable.

A price on carbon should be acceptable to Republicans, because it uses free-market forces rather than government rules and regulations, which they abhor.

Murray Zichlinsky, Long Beach