Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on a tear. This week he trotted out the b-word — “baloney” — to describe Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s call for tariffs on cheap Chinese-made EVs threatening to flood the Canadian market and demolish domestic manufacturing. In May, the U.S. hiked its tariffs to 100 per cent from 25 per cent, while the EU has set tariffs north of 38 per cent. The Canadian government just wrapped a 30-day consultation on the issue, with a decision expected soon.
Trudeau calls Poilievre’s stance on Chinese EV tariffs ‘baloney’
Prime Minster Justin Trudeau took aim at federal Conservatives on Monday, accusing leader Pierre Poilievre of not supporting investments in the electric vehicle sector.
Trudeau was attending a funding announcement at Goodyear’s tire plant in Napanee, Ont. Goodyear Canada announced it is investing $575 million to expand and modernize the plant with the goal of making it net-zero in less than two decades. The federal government is contributing $44.3 million, while Ontario’s government is kicking in another $20 million.
Trudeau said the plant’s increased capacity will include tires made specifically for electric vehicles.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his government’s decision to spend billions attracting electric vehicle manufacturing, arguing some recent slowdowns in the market are just bumps along the road.
“Canada has positioned itself to be a leader in the EV industry and we will continue to be because those are where the jobs are going to be, not just a couple of years from now, but a decade from now, a generation from now,” he said Monday.
Trudeau is a genius ya know.
Zap. You’re electrified!
Welcome to the mantra of major economies around the world. The fight against climate change demands action. That means more electric vehicles, more carbon capture and global initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund, launched to help developing countries accelerate their energy transition. Here at home, Canada’s action on climate change has focused on carbon pricing, clean electricity, public transportation, energy-efficient buildings and innovation. The Liberal government has also committed billions of dollars to electric-vehicle (EV) projects.
SEOUL—It took just seconds for an underground South Korean residential parking lot to be engulfed in flames. The culprit: a Mercedes-Benz EQE electric vehicle that hadn’t been charging.
The blaze incinerated dozens of cars nearby, scorched another 100 vehicles and forced hundreds of residents to emergency shelters as the buildings above the parking lot lost power and electricity. Nobody died, but the fire took eight hours to extinguish.
The blaze dominated national news in South Korea. Some organizations are pushing for EVs to be parked outdoors, residents are protesting and lawmakers are proposing new safety measures.
h/t DS
We don’t know all the inevitable costs for Trudeau’s EV mandate, but everything we do know shows we can’t afford it
Alberta’s energy regulator recently warned people to stop using kitchen appliances because the electricity grid was at risk of blacking out.
Albertans were told to stop cooking on stoves and washing clothes in warm water.
You know, modern life, circa 1955.
The government also told us to not charge electric cars.
If we’re being told to stop using toasters, how are we going to charge our government-mandated EVs?
The potential of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports is being welcomed by the Canadian head of General Motors as major producer BYD looks to enter the market.
“We’re encouraged by the government’s examination of these issues,” said Kristian Aquilina, president of GM Canada.
“Because on the basis of strong competition, a fair playing field, it encourages us to invest heavily, employ deeply.”
Who can blame a carpetbagger for wanting free money?
Junior can let his Chinese pals flood Canada with cheap vehicles undermining the investment of our money in EV tech manufacturing or he can impose tariffs that will likely only delay the inevitable collapse of the EV fad.
To attempt to address the growing issue of ill-mannered electric vehicle owners hogging fast chargers, Electrify America is experimenting with a strict limit at 10 of its busiest charging stations in California.
CNN reports that the growing popularity of electric vehicles has led to a significant increase in demand for public fast charging. However, this demand has also brought to light a frustrating issue for many EV owners: “charger hogs.” These inconsiderate drivers linger at fast chargers, even when their batteries are nearly full, causing long wait times for others in need of a charge.
Fewer than four in 10 Canadians now say they would consider buying an electric vehicle, marking a decline in interest since 2022, according to in-house research conducted by the department of natural resources.
“Canadians hold mixed views on zero-emission vehicles and continue to have a general lack of knowledge about these vehicles,” the report said. When asked, “Have you considered purchasing or leasing a zero-emission vehicle?” only 36 percent of respondents said ‘yes.’
Alberta’s energy regulator recently warned people to stop using kitchen appliances because the electricity grid was at risk of blacking out. Albertans were told to stop cooking on stoves and washing clothes in warm water.
As the colossal fear-mongering operation that has accompanied the obsessive preoccupation with climate change is abandoned by former adherents—an operation that strains credulity with the uneventful passage of time—Canada’s commitment to electric vehicles appears more and more absurd. But we seem at least to have spared ourselves the billions committed in the United States to set up new charging stations for road vehicles, which has so far resulted in only a handful being opened.
“I can’t believe how many people are negative on tariffs that are actually smart people,” President Donald Trump told Bloomberg in a June 25 interview. “Economically, they’re phenomenal.”
Since then, a lot of smart people have rushed to the American media to say that, on the contrary, high tariffs are horrible.
Trump is right. Although these levies would increase costs to American consumers, the costs would not be nearly as great as experts say. Moreover, there are other considerations, both economic and national security, favoring raising tariffs now.
With floods and wildfires overwhelming municipal infrastructure across Canada these days, is it really a good idea for federal and provincial governments to have earmarked over $52 billion to subsidize the manufacture of electric vehicles and EV batteries?
Policymakers have wasted billions chasing a net zero pipe dream. It is time they were held accountable
Profits at the German auto giant Mercedes plunged on Friday as sales of its slick new range of electric vehicles (EVs) went into freefall. Porsche abandoned its sales targets for battery-powered cars amid waning demand from customers. Ford is losing nearly $50,000 (£39,000) on every EV it sells, while Tesla’s profits dropped 45pc. Meanwhile, battery manufacturers such as Germany’s Varta are getting wiped out.
Over the last few days, it has become clear that the EV industry is on the brink of collapse. Hundreds of billions of euros, dollars and pounds have been pumped into this industry by political leaders and the subsidy junkies that surround them – and it is surely time they were held to account for the vast quantities of taxpayer cash that has been wasted.
h/t Mauser
The technology behind the production of EVs, which I regard as EVil, is in my estimation at least 10 years away from perfectibility. Meanwhile, EVs comprise a technical hazard, a convenience disaster, an energy cannibal, a financial liability, and a moral ignominy.
As the Western Standard reports, in Canada, “Big money — something like $52 billion in tax-payer dollars have been allocated to over 13 projects in the form of investment tax credits, production subsidies, and other supporting mechanisms, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.” Enacting an authoritarian policy, the federal government is pilfering tax revenues to fund the production and sale of EVs, subsidizing companies that have no accountability and buyers who have no practical sense.
