By TJ MARTINELL | THE CENTER SQUARE
One strategy for state officials looking to transition Washington’s transportation sector to electric vehicles is by subsidizing them with taxpayer dollars.
This week, Gov. Jay Inslee announced $45 million in subsidies through a Department of Commerce grant program for families deemed “low-income” to purchase an EV.
“Washingtonians really get it when it comes to electric vehicles,” Inslee said at a Wednesday news conference in Tukwila.
The program provides up to $9,000 for families to lease an EV, or $5,000 to purchase one. The grant program allows them to purchase either new or used EVs. The funding would be available to those who make 300% of the federal poverty level or less. And the grant will only stretch to about 9,000 people, if they all take the $5,000 deal being offered, or 5,000 people taking the $9,000 deal.
Inslee described it as a way to “democratize EVs. We’re not stopping here. We want to help the entire ecosystem, if you will, of electrifying our transportation fleet. We expect there are going to be a lot of folks that are going to be enjoying this benefit.”
Subsidies has been one recommendation made in the Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council’s transportation electrification strategy, in which residents would receive public dollars in exchange for giving up a fossil fuel vehicle to purchase an EV.
Inslee described it as a way to “democratize EVs. We’re not stopping here. We want to help the entire ecosystem, if you will, of electrifying our transportation fleet. We expect there are going to be a lot of folks that are going to be enjoying this benefit.”
The program has drawn criticism, including from Washington Policy Center Environmental Director Todd Myers. In a blog post, he argued that the subsidies won’t help reduce carbon emissions and is a waste of taxpayer money better spent on other environmental priorities, such as salmon recovery.
“This is one more example of how wasteful and ineffective Washington’s climate policy is,” he wrote. “It also reveals the disingenuousness of claiming that climate change is an ‘existential crisis’ while wasting tens of millions of dollars on projects that do nothing to address that crisis.”
The grant funds will be available to qualifying low-income residents in August.
Do those morons not realize that coal is used to power those EVs? I’d love to see their faces when they realize their error, lol.
They won’t ever realize this. They are too dense and separated from reality that all they see is their self righteousness, at the cost of real, productive people.
The argument that EVs are powered mostly from coal simply isn’t true. At a high level, 15 states with 25% or more of electricity from renewable sources accounted for 53.5% of EV sales in 2020.
And the other 35 states?
And the other 75% of electricity?
As usual, radical leftists are utterly clueless when confronted by numbers. they are consistently and completely innumerate. I think that is because feelings (the only source of their opinions) are not quantitative.
25% who are you trying to gas light,you’re an idiot,that’s still 75% great
Math skills
Who are you trying to gas light,25% that still leave 75% great math skills. There is another major political issue that the left is bad at math also 1+1 = 2 not 1+1=50 “I can be what ever I want”
In other words, “my truth isn’t your truth.” Which means there is no truth!
A state can be getting “25% or more of electricity from renewable sources” and still be generating electricity from “mostly coal”.
Wrong. Plus, it’s coal that fuels the mining for the lithium and cobalt. There is no net gain of anything with EV’s. The do-what-you’re-told leftists believe this is new tech. It’s not. It dates back to the early 1900’s. If it was viable and feasible, there never would have been a need for combustion engines.
Educated in Washington public schools, I’m just guessing, because you have the worst math skills I’ve ever seen.
According to the Seattle Times, not a great source, but handy: Natural gas and coal made up 10.4% and 8.6% of electricity respectively in 2022. Wind made up 8% of our power and solar just 0.8%. Nuclear — mostly from Washington’s only commercial nuclear power plant in Richland — made up 4% of the state’s electricity use.
But as more people use up the electricity from hydro, the state will have to burn more coal to meet the demand. Keep that in mind. The Washington Depatment of Commerce says that by 2050, if Washington meets its electrification goals with cars, it will need to import electricity. Where will it import it from? Coal-burning states.
I live in Wa State and it has zero available excess electricity. We were asked on our bills to reduce use because there is a shortage.BTW there are no plug ins at most apartments. Where the under class lives. Durr x infinity.
I live in WA also, have never seen a request to curtail electricity use. And the program this article is about includes funds to install charging stations at apartment complexes.
Bill, believe me, nobody here has had any doubts at all about you living in (the radical leftist hellhole that is) Washington state.
That does still leave open the question of why somebody from Washington state would be trolling an Alaskan website and forum.
The public utility districts asked alkoa to leave. They didn’t have enough electricity for the electric arc ovens to process aluminum. So Alcoa is mostly in Iceland now.
Would that be the one in Whatcom that’s been idle since 2020, or the one in Wenatchee that’s been idle since 2015? And are you sure it was the utility, and not Alcoa, that made the call? Meanwhile, data centers and crypto-currency mines seems to be cropping up wherever there’s a power source and I’ve yet to hear a peep from the peanut gallery about that. I see there are 84 data centers in the state now and a report in Real News Network indicates that crypto-mining in the US may use as much power as the entire state of Washington’s 8 million inhabitants.
You all are not looking at the bigger problem.
The entire electrical grid will need to be ungraded to handle the new loads to charge all the Eva.
The power lines and hardware will not support the power that these ecs will require.
Let’s not forget to mention each and every electric car has a battery the weighs 900 lbs or more. The way they are constructed it is virtually impossible to recycle the battery. “They” hope to make a battery that will last 20yrs or more but right now they only operate in peak performance for about 5 years. And then operate at subpar levels until they die a few years later. Someone want to tell me where the heck we’re going to put a million 900 lb batteries every 5-10 years? Anyone?
WA produces electricity from hydro electric dams
It’s called transitioning. Of course it’s not perfect but it’s a step in the right direction. Too bad we don’t have more support from folks like you because the sooner we transition completely away from carbon the better. And there are already alternatives like wind and solar not to mention the other technologies to come in the future. Also becoming more energy efficient would help. My guess is that you like to dis the whole idea of clean energy while you drive your inefficient big gas hog. Thanks for doing your share!
Michael, if one wants an EV, then one should go buy one, or two, or three even. However, I don’t see where confiscating one’s hard earned dollar to give to another is in anyway good or right.
“… the sooner we transition completely away from carbon the better.”
Why?
On another note, paying more in income taxes than about 90% of the population (per capita, both in tax rate and in total dollar amount) only to have it pissed away on your ilk’s BS agenda surely accounts for more than “my share”, especially when almost half pay no income taxes at all, but are in effect, net receivers of tax dollars.
Carbon is not a pollutant. Carbon is essential for life. Climate change is a scam. I was born in the early 70’s and have seen them try everything under the sun (which actually affects climate). They fear mongered about a mini ice age, a hole in the ozone, global warming, and now climate change (which is genius). This is manipulation to rob us of our wealth. How would you liked to be taxed for exhaling and flatulence? Its coming.
Indeed, Trigger.
I will say it again: “Happiness is a giant carbon footprint”.
I’m a little older but I remember the tree-hugger scare tactics of the 70’s. Newspapers and magazines full of it. I always say carbon DIOXIDE or C02 so as to confuse them. The hole in the ozone layer was an excuse from DuPont because the patent for R12 was expiring, so they patented a new “environmentally friendly” R134a refrigerant. Now the claim is it’s 1100 time more toxic than “carbon”! sorry, I could go on and on.
Where are these other sources of future energy going to come from? Space aliens? Wind and solar are not sufficient to power a country the size of America
You can’t transition from something that is powering 100% of an economy to something that can (AT BEST) power 10-15% of your economy. There isn’t enough wind or solar to cover all of America’s power needs, never has been and never will. Plus, the environmental damage being done to the planet by lithium mining and disposal of used batteries, wind mill blades and solar panels will far outweigh and damage ever done from the extraction and use of hydrocarbons. Now nuclear and hydro there is enough of, but that isn’t a money maker for the leftists so no bueno.
I PRAY he gets voted out. How stupid is this?!!. If they can’t afford the vehicle, how does he think they will be able to pay for a home charging system ? Or replace the batteries?
I will ALWAYS buy gas powered. EV is just as bad, if not worse and who the hell wants something that must be charged every 200 to 300 miles for HOURS??
INSLEE you f.cking suck. Get out of office, you’re tone us overdue.
EVs are nowhere near as bad as ICE vehicles when it comes to carbon emissions. Even with coal as an electricity source, EVs break even with an ICE after 80k miles. Washington barely uses coal thankfully so it breaks even closer to 15-20k miles.
As for how they would afford a charging station, most people already have an exterior outlet. That will get you about 40 miles of range per day which is more than the average person drives each day. You plug it in every day. You don’t wait until you have driven 250 miles and the battery is down to nothing before you plug it in. That would be silly.
With this, you can get a lease on a new Toyota bz4x for $56/month. 10k miles of use will cost about $300 of electricity. The same miles on an ICE would be $1300 for the gas and you would need an oil change.
EVs are here to stay. It is silly to be so attached to gas as an energy source. Solid state batteries that will be coming out in the next couple of years will have much better range, be lighter, and charge more quickly for the rate occasion that you would need to charge somewhere besides home.
Your misplaced faith in the Myth of Progress is touching, you oh-so-gullible summer child.
Battery vehicles (what you mischaracterize as “EVs”) are a technological dead-end, just as they were 100 years ago. The fact that they are failing and being rejected by most drivers even in the fact of massive governmental subsidies and mandates, both in the USA and in Europe, speaks to the lies that you are peddling here.
Their adoption rate has only been increasing…
You seem to want to be shackled to oil companies. EVs allow you to create your own energy for your travel. Maybe you are not one for self sufficiency but many do value that.
No, their adoption rates are FALLING, Jon, as their impracticality for most people has been becoming increasingly apparent to those who have bought into this government-pushed but unsustainable fad.
Your disinformation and lies are pathetic.
When these “EV’s” have ON BOARD equipment to produce their own HHO Gas to run these cars by adding water to the car’s tank…THEN “EV’s” will get my vote. Just so you know this techlology IS available and perfected. Yet it’s the govbrment that keeps this tech unavailable so they can control where and how far we can go. All else is bs & designed to keep an eye on yourself and what you do.
Furthermore, anybody that thinks we can live without oil production have already lost common sense & drank the coolaide.
Take 2 minutes and evaluate your most precocious possessions and tell me it’s not containing 60% to 90% plastic components
“…most people already have an exterior outlet. That will get you about 40 miles of range per day which is more than the average person drives each day.”
Lol, most low income people are living in apartments or rentals. They aren’t going to be able to charge an EV to a full charge each night or even partial. It’ll cost them or the landlord $10-15k to upgrade the electrical to charge a full EV.
I have a BMW X3e that I charge nightly on a 120V outlet. It can only charge up to 16 miles overnight. Your estimate is extremely flawed and, given the low IQ of Democrat constituents including you, it’s going to be a disaster.
ms100, how rude of you! Don’t you realize that you are harshing Jon’s radical leftist, self-righteous buzz!
The open pit mines and child labor we just sweep under the rug right? The first ev was made in the 1800’s and they still can’t make one properly.
Sorry Jon, but I find the claim the EV are environmentally superior to gas vehicles intellectually dishonest.
You only see your “carbon footprint” (whatever that really is) and deliberately disregard all the other environmental issues associated with the production of your EV.
Take the mining of rare earth metals. While not so much in the US anymore, it mostly takes place in countries with either no environmental protections or where regulations are ignored. A planetary ecological disaster in the making, if as you espouse everyone is to own one of these conveyances.
Then you need fossil fuels to produce the vast majority of parts for construction, along with the energy to do so.
This brings me to the batteries, which currently can not be recycled and present a toxic mess for disposal, which becomes exponentially more dangerous as the number of EV grows.
The vast majority of electrical power needed is most effectively and reliably produced through fossil fuels. While you crow about “clean energy”, it as well require fossil fuels for production of parts, lubrication etc. I supposed killing thousands of birds, by wind turbines, is acceptable for you to feel better about yourself being kind to mother nature…
In the final analysis your measly little pretend “carbon savings” by use of an EV is vastly overshadowed by the increased amounts of pollution and carbon production from various sources required to bring that EV to you.
So if it is all the same to you, I would prefer not to have my tax dollars contribute to the environmental disaster coming our way from the production of EVs.
First off, your claim that EV batteries aren’t recyclable is incorrect. There have barely been enough EVs sold to make a full asseesment of how long they will last, let alone a for commercially viable recycling at scale to develop, but companies like Redwood Materials, Li-cycle and Ecobat current operate recycling facilities in the US. There is also that fact that used ev batteries can be repurposed after they are no longer viable for moble applications. For example, used Nissan LEAF battery packs are being used in fixed location battery backup systems. This article is specically about a Washington state program and statewide our electrical supply is the cleanest in the nation; 60% from hydro, 18% natural gas, 10% non-hydro renewables and 8% nuclear (EIA data). Our sole coal fired plant will be shut down next year. Battery technology is also advancing rapidly. LFP batteries use no cobalt, no nickel, no manganese. More advanced batteries are in development; solid state lithium, sodium ion and other chemistries will soon replace the NCM Lithium technology that has been the standard for a decade. No one claims that EV are perfect, but the only valid comparison is to fossil fuel powered vehicles and the environmental impacts inherent therein. You express concern about a pending ecological disaster but seem to overlook the present ecological damage resulting from nearly 200 years of fossil fuel addiction.
Bill, I have been around a good long time and recall the gyrations of the so-called environmental movement over the decades to scare all into the doom and gloom apocalypse over this that or the other. It is generally about power to dictate their personal preferences upon all.
ALL of these cults have predicted global collapse in varying time frames (most 50 to 1000 years or more), which of course is very convenient, as many will not be here to witness. Manipulated data (ask the Brits) and researchers in search for grants, make a great deal of science dubious at best.
By your own admission there are not enough batteries around to have an actual data set of of large scale recycling.
You operate in a microcosm. I see the global implications of a mass scale.
As for our so-called fossil fuel addiction, I think we gained a great deal of experience over the years and have done very well managing this asset. Our air is considerably cleaner than in the 1980’s, our cars burn less fuel than back in the 1970 and our environmental standards have greatly improved.
You ironically are not willing to admit that you too need fossil fuel to make your EV dreams a reality.
I am a firm believer in organic development and the ingenuity of mankind, not government top-down forced decrees, which generally do not serve us well in the long run.
The Northwest relies on hydro power.
Settle down, MAGA.
Wrong.
“In 2023, coal fueled about 4% of the total electricity generated in Washington, almost all of it from one coal-fired power plant, the TransAlta Centralia plant.”
Source:eia.gov
Which is being shut down next year. My (WA) utility is 75% hydro, 15% nuclear. about 5% wind.
And how about the carbon footprint created to manufacture one battery.
There are multiple studies which show voccurs at about 18 months typical driving, epending on how the electricity is generated. Washington has some of the cleanest power in the country.
Dumb argument. First of all, not all electricity is generated by coal. Second, after all the electricity being generated to light homes, factories, industrial what percentage will be increased to charge vehicles? It would be like pissing in the ocean to make it rise. Then there’s the price of coal compared to gasoline. So stop mimicking the paranoid community.
A couple things: even using coal, an EV is still significantly better than an ICE after a few years for carbon emissions. Second: Washington gets very little of us energy from coal. Maybe before calling people idiots, you at least get sobre of the basic facts right.
That is a blatant lie, Jon, but being an obvious radical leftist extremist, you are of course hopelessly crippled when it comes to thinking numerically; the invariable innumeracy of radical leftists never ceases to amaze me.
What you fail to account for here in your battery vehicle propaganda is the energy, resources and costs associated with the mining, refining, and production of all the relatively rare metals and elements necessary to make the battery for your beloved BV. Honest estimates put the total “carbon cost’ of a battery-powered vehicle anywhere from two to four times MORE than an internal combustion engine vehicle.
So put that in your ‘green’ pipe and smoke it!
First: calm down. You are starting to seem unhinged.
And second: you are completely wrong on both of your statements.
‘https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/electric-vehicles-beat-gas-cars-on-climate-emissions-over-time/
“An average EV produced in the U.S. in 2023 will close the gap in about 2.2 years or 25,000 miles, according to analysis released Monday by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.”
That is just one study, BTW. There are many that confirm it. And yes, that is taking into account the increased CO2 emissions from the supply chain associated with the battery. Again, assuming coal is your sole source of power (not the case for 99% of the country), an EV emits the same CO2 as an ICE after 80k miles and then emits less every mile after. So over the lifespan of a car (let’s assume 200-250k miles), EVs emit significantly less. Period. There is no debate on that.
You know what is even cooler? That number will just keep getting better. Why?, you may ask. Because 90-95% of the materials in a battery can easily be reused or recycled into new batteries. So the initial need for mining materials drops off significantly once the general need for batteries is met. Pretty cool, huh?
Oh you sweet, innocent, naive, gullible summer child. I usually have to go to a kindergarten to find your kind of ignorant faith in authority.
It is vastly amusing to see you attempting to quote the now pro-globalist, pro-establishment, pro-radical-leftist rag that is the (so-called) “Scientific American” as an authoritative and unbiased source of what is unavoidably a highly politically charged issue. ALL the studies that I have read on battery vehicles, from more independent and free-thinking sources, utterly damn battery vehicles as having a VASTLY highly environmental footprint than internal combustion vehicles, which as we all know are not exactly environmentally benign. But as is so common with pro-establishment conformists and radical leftists (but I repeat myself), their ignorance and innumeracy will invariably lead them to make the perfect the enemy of the good.
There are simply not enough, not NEARLY enough, resources on this earth to produce even a small fraction of the current vehicular fleet into battery vehicles. Or do you have several other earths hiding behind the moon that you propose mining? And it is not just a matter of the hypothetically required megatons of copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, cerium, and other metals needed for the batteries, but the ENORMOUS quantity of copper that would be required to vastly expand the already failing US electrical grid. Where, pray tell, in a time of chronic national decline, do you think the money AND the resources are going to come from to support your pipe dream?
No, your fantasies of an all battery vehicle national vehicle fleet is absurd, impossible, and intellectually insulting to even propose. Not unless you envision, a al Klaus Schwab, George Soros and other globalist sociopaths, almost everyone living in 15 minute city prisons, with vehicle ownership restricted to a small handful of “the good people”, i.e, the totalitarian overlords.
I’m sorry if dunking you in reality comes across as “unhinged”. Maybe you need to check your mountain of assumptions?
Brilliant, just brilliant!
You say all of the ones you have read state that EVs have a higher carbon footprint yet you can’t even link one source. Why would anyone take your statements seriously even if they weren’t horribly unhinged?
It’s laughable that you think Scientific American is part of some conspiracy. News flash: it wasn’t their study. Scientific American reported on it. And guess what? There are dozens of others. There is no debate on this subject. Period so stop with the lies.
There are absolutely enough resources to switch over to BEV. Where are you getting your information on that? Lithium is one of the most prevalent metals on earth. You’re saying there is not enough of that? Are you serious? The grid would not need to be vastly expanded at all. To switch over to EVs, even including trucking which is a ways off, we would need another 15-20% electricity over several decades. The US has increased capacity by more than that several times before. Are you saying America is not good enough to be able to do it again? Do you not think America, the greatest and most powerful country in the world, is capable of that?
What are you talking about 15 minute prisons? Did you really by that quackpot conspiracy theory? That is literally just suggesting cities should start thinking about zoning things so that most people can walk to them. That’s it. The fact that you were gullible enough to buy into that conspiracy theory along with mentions of George Soros tells me all I need to know about how far off your rocker you are. Good luck with that. Hopefully someone helps you come back from the deep end.
Jon, the mere fact that you, ignorantly or disingenuously (or both), try to deny that Scientific American has not been politicized for decades now, like almost EVERY other mass media publication, and has not been pushing the pro-globalist, pro-radical leftist, totalitarian and neo-feudal agenda that it so WILDLY obviously has regularly been doing, is enough to completely discredit your blatherings here as those of just another pro-establishment lackey and radical leftist conformist drone.
As to your wild-eyed and hopelessly optimistic (and/or malicious dishonest) figures for the conversion of the US vehicular fleet to all-battery vehicles, you are so ridiculously wrong as to make a laughing stock of yourself. Most estimates that I have read give a necessary and minimum DOUBLING of the US electrical grid, at a cost of tens of TRILLIONS of dollars. And this in the face of our electrical grid already creaking and groaning as it fails due to age, overuse and neglect. And THIS in the face of our impending national bankruptcy, and overall terminal national decline. Honestly, you would be more believable preaching the imminent arrival of commercial nuclear fusion power, which has been “only 20 years away!” for 60 years now.
Seriously, I am constantly left wondering, HOW do people like you, so ignorant and so oblivious to what is happening in the world around you, and so brainwashed by and inured to the propaganda of the ruling elite, manage to get through a single day without killing yourself or falling down a well? Or are you simply playing a part that you know to be a lie? It is an abiding mystery to me.
At least Jon doesn’t find it necessary to re sort to insults and ad hominems to make his point. He’s asked you to provide a source for some of your more bombastic declarations and you just increase the volume and spout conspiracy theories.. It’s pretty obvious who’s the more pathetic commenter here.
Thank you!
My wife asked her young co worker this very same question after touting how he is doing his part to save the environment by purchasing an ev. His response was “the wall socket.” My wife went on to educate him and he did his homework. She ran into him about a month later and told her he sold it for a Honda civic ice vehicle.
Slow news day in Alaska, I guess.
Why don’t you just go take a nap. I really doubt that you will be missed. Nite nite.
Slow radical leftist poster, I guess.
And not even in Alaska.
It would be vastly more efficient if these so-called “electric” (meaning: battery) vehicles would just burn the coal directly onboard. Much more honest, too.
You know there was such a thing….oh yes it was called the steam engine! Queen Victoria and her hubby Albert were very fond of those.
I suppose if you run out of coal on the way, you can always burn wood from the side of the road, to create the steam to power your generator, to charge your batteries, to make your car go…….. 🙂
Easy to be generous with other peoples money.
It wasn’t that long ago Washington was a nice place. And we’re on the same path.
At this point, it’s hard to feel sympathy for Washington tax payers. This is a self inflicted wound.
People get the government they deserve.
Yes and I hope the governor uses more tax dollars on stupid stuff.
The only way to teach people is tax them more and discriminate The masses by giving money to the poor.
The poor need help but not handouts.
The poor need to to work !
Not all of us feel this way. There is one county that controls it, they are all turds. It’s unfortunate that it’s a small footprint compared to the rest of the state.
Yet they have the numbers and committed voters.
The biggest, ongoing issue with conservatives are most are lazy.
I disagree. I didn’t vote for that idiot
King County determines who gets elected in WA.
EV , what a waste. The batteries are worse than emissions. I can’t wait for the Inskee is replaced
You may not have, but more did that didn’t. That’s how democracy in a republic works.
Remove the 3 most populous counties in Washington state and we bleed Red, White & Blue 🇺🇸
Yeah. Remove where people live and suddenly things change a lot. Like the state’s finances. Those three most populous counties subsidize services for the rest of the state.
You can say that about almost any blue state. But it doesn’t work that way.
At least the EV market is right for it. The money could be better spent subsidizing legacy media to insure the climate crisis message gets out and to counter the mis/dis denier info put out by these uptittty conservative newsletters and podcasts.
A communist governor stirring it furiously on his way out of power. In addition to building “the poor” free housing “the taxpayer” must provide them with free vehicles and free fuel for said vehicles.
Can see it all now, EV vehicles left on the streets all over the cities like Seattle that cannot be charged. They will be left where they run out of electric charge. Sometimes, you just can’t grab an extension cord long enough for a quick charge.
“Washingtonians really get it when it comes to electric vehicles,” Inslee said
Yep, Washingtonians ARE really getting it when it comes to electric vehicles, and getting it good and hard.
I believe the expression is BOHICA.
Perfect!
9000 people/ 7,812,880 population = .00115
If 0.1% is able to take advantage of the “opportunity,” is it really democratic?
On the macro level, is this an effective use of taxpayer dollars? Or is this Inslee’s way to hush the dealerships crying foul over the EV mandates?
Coming soon to Anchorage! LaFrance will make it happen! /s
Low income families lease cars? And 5,000 off on a 60,000 car? For low income?
I know, right? They can’t afford the lease monthly payments, anyway, that also require full coverage insurance, and the problem with living in low income territory, is that even if they qualify-but barely- today, tomorrow is a different story- any cut in hours or just the smallest changes- that are so common down there in minimum wage job territory, will wreck their ability to afford the payments. Food vs car payment (or insurance payment) decision making, is a normal occurrence down there in the land of ’poverty level low income’ life. Food wins, every time.
I understand the desire to provide access among the ownership of the EV landscape, but luring low income people into expensive leases and purchasing payments, is not the solution.
I was laughing thinking the same thing.. also low incomes credit isn’t going to qualify to buy a new or even used vehicle most don’t have good credit and most don’t have the income to qualify. This is another Joke on Inslee’s part the guy is a clown.. taxes are already taxing people out of their homes in and around Seattle many retirees had to sell their dream homes because taxes were to high .. now he’s giving away tax payers dollars. What a Jerk
This makes leasing for three years very affordable. You can get a Toyota bz4x for $56/month. That is absolutely affordable for people who are lower income since they would be saving more than that in gas costs. The cost to charge that bz4x for 10k miles would be about $300 vs over $1300 for an equivalent gas vehicle that comes to a savings of $83/month which is more than the cost of the lease.. Plus no oil changes and no need to change brake pads.
If we have to give low income money to buy a EV, then are the taxpayers also responsible for their car insurance? It is illegal to operate a vehicle without insurance. I understand that times get hard and people need a little help. I say put them to work. Anyone over 18 and on state assistants should be made to work. The state could have them going and picking up garbage all over the state. Make them earn it like the rest of us.
Why do you have such a narrow view of people who are receiving state assistance? Do you just picture them sitting on their butts all day watching soap operas, gossiping and plotting their next move in order to stay destitute? Your vision is to make them all get out and pick up all of the trash that was probably discarded by people such as yourself? So let me get this right, if someone has a low income, or maybe cannot work right now due to unforseen medical /physical issues/disabilities, should be forced to go out and perform work to earn their”free money” and make sure it’s as demeaning and labor intensive as you can, because what your saying is people who receive state benefits don’t deserve to be given the chance to do any other work other than picking up trash? Jesus fuckin Christ, how frightening is it to think there people that think like you all over out there. If you were standing in front of me right now I’d stick my finger down my throat and puke all over you. Your view and ignorance are so disconnected and primitive, I’m sure you’d qualify for state assistance based on your clearly evident brain disorder. Close your mouth and stop spewing your hate whenever you go. Even if you do it cuz you think it elevates you and helps you justify your sad existence — that’s no valid excuse. Grow up and educate yourself, I guarantee you the world will be a better place.
Tara, your inappropriate rant is not helping your case. Insulting people generally reflects poorly on you. All work provides dignity and the ability to contribute to the community.
The point was not to demean but to emphasize that public assistance is there to meet a temporary need, not become a lifestyle where certain elements of society provide an entire status of living to another element of society. We all should contribute.
The idea of buying cars for people by the taxpayer is just as wrong as paying off student loans for others. Managing your life is your affair and you will need to live with the consequences and fulfill your obligations.
In this case it is another way to redistribute wealth and make a certain segment even more dependent on the state. This is more reminiscent of the old Soviet Union than our basic principles of freedom and independence here in the US.
You could take a whole column to list EVERYTHING taxpayers are paying for!
Some are obviously not very appreciative, let alone grateful.
Yes, the 300% that are so poor can but or lease a car but their kids struggle with having enough to eat on a daily basis. I live in WA & Inslee is a moron.
Low income families won’t even be able to qualify due too income status or afford the insurance based on where most live insurance is calculated by the location you live in..high areas of crime makes your insurance rate go higher. Anyway I agree he’s a Moran I’ve lived in Washington in the Seattle area 61 years and was forced too move because of the over population and high cost of living and taxes charged their. Now our fine governor gives away tax payers money to the poor that can’t even begin too afford these laughable vehicles and their prices . can’t wait too see the waste lands and car wrecking sites in a few years over flooding with wasted batteries and cheap cars and trucks placed there.. Save the whales my A Inslee..
Washington is a Global stuck on stupid state. High Gas! Over the top housing and Food! A Country that is being invaded and have Taxed there citizens into poverty. Homeless every town every city. Islee is by far the Worst Governor Washington State has ever had.
Inslee is not the governor of Washington State, he is no more than the ceo of state of washington, inc. a private corporation (dunn&bradstreet) . outside of that, u b right on
Not to mention that Washington state is eighth on list of the most dangerous states in the nation…
this is the demonrat way and always has been. Inslee is gates little toby boy and ,like his hero lyndon b johnson, is using money extorted under color of law for the buying of votes . and, without doubt, it’s another “government” money laundering scheme
More wasted tax dollars…. The end
What a socialist dirtbag. Not only is this an insult to tax paying citizen it is also very counter productive. EV’s cause more damage than good. Simple process of indoctrination. The reason that some rental car services have largely reduced the number of ev’s is because resale value sucks an upkeep is extremely expensive.
Additionally something as simple as tires cost as much as $200.00 per tire more they also cause more road damage. Lets not forget what it takes to mine for the material and disposal of that waste. The enviormental cost will be catostrophic, just like plastic bags and bottles did with paper and glass
What e/v are you going to buy for 5000.
I’m for helping, but even this has gone too far. Not sure how the low in-come families are going to pay a car payment for the next 5 years. By and by Washington state is a great state!!! Thank god for King county! Here on the east side, all they can support are felons,liars and cheaters!! 💙💙💙💙
What makes sense to me, given every other boneheaded undemocratic idealogic decision he’s thought of is, hes hoping to get an appointment as secretary of transportation at the Federal level in a regime that had to cheat to win …like last state election.
He wants an unfettered pathway to money with very little accountability. Follow the money. We’ll own nothing and be happy. Get ready for Bobby to pick up where Jay Jay left off.
The current infrastructure of electricity won’t be able to handle it all anyway. Also, what is going to happen should there be an emp? What about the mines of lithium that takes to make the batteries for those vehicles? Climate change my backside…
EMP is extremely unlikely and it it were to occur it would just a likely to disable your ICE car unless you are driving something built in the 70’s or earlier. And inability to drive would be the least of your concerns.
Are u people in Washington that dumb to buy into this climate change BS
You can’t fix stupid !!
You asked for this idiot govenor.You deserve what you voted for.
It makes no sense. The poor can’t put food on the table. Are working sometimes two jobs to pay the rent!! Lower rents in Seattle and get some of these working poor off the street, for gods sake!! 2-3,000 for a decent, livable apt. In Washington state is outrageous! How is a 20 something yr old supposed to make that!? I’d bet that the lower income don’t use those grants. They cant afford gas!! Put our money to better use, Gov Inslee. Hear your people!!
45 million dollars to help less than 10,000 people? Better to give them bus and ferry passes and spend the money on improving public transportation.
I don’t think there’s a state in this country that gets 25 percent of their power from renewable or alternative sources. Unless the brown out periods experienced regularly in California get their numbers to 25 percent. Unfortunately Kung county in Washington State is full of moroons so this State will never make it out of the never ending down hill slide. A once beautiful city that now the a..h….of the state and I’m sure there’s another Inslee waiting in the wings for them to replace the current Inslee at the end of his turn. He never did a damn thing in D. C. and it’s to bad we didn’t make him stay there.
Iowa and S. Dakota get over 50% of their electricity from wind alone, S. Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma and N. Dakota are over 30% wind. Even Texas gets nearly 24%. Statewide, Washington state gets about 68% of it’s power from hydro, 12% from natural gas, 8.5% from nuclear and 8% from wind.
“Wind power”, in terms of generating electricity, is even MORE unsustainable than fossil fuels! Like the typically innumerate and blinkered radical leftist that you are, you completely neglect to factor in not only the mining and manufacturing needed to build the wind turbine generators (LOTS of rare earth elements there), but also the massive fiberglass turbine blades, which have a relatively short lifespan and are completely UNrecycleable. You also fail to account for the necessary continuous and ongoing maintenance of those wind turbines, which is an entire industry unto itself which consumes large amounts of FOSSIL fuels in the process. I witnessed this first-hand down in Kern County, California a few years ago, where I worked directly adjacent to one of the largest wind turbine ‘farms’ in the country. There are large and permanent facilities, with MANY (fossil-fueled) vehicles and with many permanent staff, running around that ‘farm’ daily doing nothing but repairing and maintaining those wind turbines. And even then, at any given time 5 to 10% of them were off-line, due to any number of different problems.
No, there is absolutely NOTHING “green” about electricity derived from wind energy. It is little more than a fossil fuel-subsidized boondoggle, and anyone living in that area was fully aware of that glaring fact.
I appreciate you fighting the good fight, but you’ll have more success talking sense to bear scat. I rarely both to attempt discussion with the EV/green zealots. It is impossible to convince a zealot. No matter what facts you give them, they ignore it.
I know, trying to argue rationally and logically with a radical leftist extremist zealot is like trying to teach algebra to a coconut. With the difference that the radical leftist extremist zealot’s skull is even much thicker and more impenetrable than the shell of a coconut.
Instead of calling us morons!
Explain how is it that coal is what powers EV’s??
Taking into account that Washington does have a decent amount of hydroelectric power, and a very small percentage of wind power gathered from the East side, a large percentage of our power still comes from coal currently. It’s also worth noting that every year we continue to add more population to this state, and convert more and more things to electric, especially power hungry EVs, our current bandwidth of electricity will not be enough to sustain even half of our population driving an EV full-time. Transitioning is a nice idea, but currently we don’t have the funds nor the planning to account for the amount of power would be necessary to fuel all of those EVS even if it took us 10 years to get half of the population to own EV outright.
It also baffles me that no one in this comment section has mentioned that EVs drain power almost 200% faster in cold weather, we might be getting warmer every year but we still have a significant winter where our temperatures are below 50°F And our EVS would struggle to keep a charge. Not to mention how bad it is on the battery if you don’t have it constantly plugged in in the cold in order to keep the thing warm or charged up. Do you really think all those low-income people have a garage to shelter their EV in? Or the ability to constantly have it plugged in overnight when it’s parked on the street? I’ve lived in a apartment in Seattle most of my time here, there was physically no way for me to charge an electric vehicle even if I wanted to, considering parking regulations were so strict in Seattle that I constantly had to change where my car was parked sometimes up to 4 blocks away.
It’s real easy to be a rich or well-off Democrat in Washington state and think you’re really doing a service to us “poors”. I work my ass off to make as much overtime as possible, and I still only make about $70,000 a year, I don’t think I would be able to afford a d**n EV even with 9k in assisted grants, it just wouldn’t be worth it after factoring in insurance and repair/upkeep costs needed in the next couple years. Not to mention I can’t even resell the thing for a decent price, because they lose most of their value after 5 years due to their batteries having such crap lifespans. Have you ever looked at how expensive it is to replace one of those batteries? It’s five times more expensive than buying a new engine for a car.
New Gen Dem, if that is truly what you are, then my hat is off to you here, for trying to infuse some facts and common sense into the wild-eyed dreams and misplaced faith of so many of today’s woefully misled Dems. You must be a lonely person.
Wa state Supreme Court struck down the affordable tabs bill which would have resulted in poorer people being able to keep their vehicles legit. Supreme Court justices don’t ever have to spend
Last dollar on pieces of state issued paper.
Wow – Inslee is such an idiot! I can’t wait to get my new car!
It’s really funny listening to all of the pompous idiots who know nothing and were probably born with a silver spoon in their mouths and live in a nice big house or are CEO’s for some stupid idiodic company that steal all this smalls people money because they are greedy and are probably compensating for something they don’t have.
I am an environmentalist who agrees that EV cars and trucks are better for the environment.
So this is not about someone being poor I work at a dealership and there are more electric vehicles sold in one month than their is gas no one wants a gas powered vehicle anymore because gas in some places is still almost 5.00 a gallon and if you live in Washington state it will be that for a very long time because the fuel industry is fighting amongst each other for more money because the price over sea’s for oil just keeps rising.
So in the end having a job yes helps but helping someone get to a job and have a life to me makes alot of sense it’s not about 1 or 2 people it’s about the masses but right now all I hear is a bunch of whining and complaining from the discriminatory side of society but you never complain when the poor is putting money in your pocket you only do it when it is not feasible for you to get.
So for once in your little pathetic life help rather than take if you don’t like the problem then help come up with a real solution that doesn’t involve you taking from the poor to widen your pocket book even more.
Now I know someone will have something not so intelligent to say about this but that will only show the side of you that we all know and already dislike.
So to our government and Governor keep up with the hard work I am in the poor bracket but I have a job but I am not complaining about my finances like the middle class and the rich do so all I am saying is help the solution rather than complain about the people who are trying to to help create a better tomorrow.
Are these virtual signaling climate change zealots going to take the time to research how truly awful these EVs are for our environment?! Please people take a moment and look at how destructive the mining of the metals for these non-recyclable batteries! These vehicles are WAY more damaging to our environment. Hybrids are MUCH more environmentally friendly and much more attainable and most importantly their batteries are much easier to recycle. EVs are NOT the solution. They are for idiots that want to feel good about themselves, but don’t take any time to understand what they are buying.
I’ve owned my Tesla for 10 years, not one problem or not even change my brake pads. But it’s true, mileage is not quite there. I’m also working with Ford to get their trucks up to snuff and some big semi manufacturers are in full process of revolutionizing that industry with full electric vehicles. I still own my F350 to do heavy truck stuff, but I appreciate Inslee taking an out of box approach. I’m def not hard left or not hard right, but we definitely need to transition. I dont understand why people get so upset with progress? Is this the new Mac vs PC, Chevy vs Ford argument now? I just want everyone to embrace positive change and stop repeating half curated news that most people don’t know the data or have no clue what they are repeating off Fox News or CNN. There is no electric boogie man that is going to make you get rid of your gas or diesel powered vehicle. Let’s take it down a notch and respect each other as innovative Americans!
The rationalization force is strong in this thread.
The recommended optimum range for an EV is to keep the charge between 30 and 80 percent, negating about half of the usefulness of the battery. Otherwise the deterioration will accelerate.
The taxpayers that can’t afford to buy one get to buy one for someone else? Madness
INCONVENIENT EV “SUSTAINABILITY”:
TOT BBLS OF OIL SAVED TESLA MODEL S LONG-RANGE BATTERY PACK (10 years)?
~157 BBLS compared to internal combustion engine.
TOT BBLS OF OIL TO PRODUCE ONE (1) TESLA MODEL S LONG-RANGE BATTERY PACK (all costs)?
3,000,000+ BBLS
Yeah…TOTALLY carbon-neutral & sustainable, Dude! Where’s Greta, AOC, DiCaprio, Kerry, Kerry’s daughter & Gore? I can’t wait to share the good news with them. [from Clif High/ChatGPT]
3 million barrels of oil energy equivalent to produce one battery is an absurd claim. Think about it for a nano-second. 3 million barrels of oil is 15% of whet the US consumes in a day. I listened to most of the video that leads with this absurd claim and of course, it’s full of holes. First, “Clif” goes through multiple iterations of the calclations, citing several instances where Chat/gpt uses incorrect conversion factors. Two, the calculation assumes that diesel fuel is used to generate the electricity which is completely absurd. Diesel is way too expensive to use except for small scale emergency applications. Most of our electricity comes from natural gas, renewables, coal, hydro and nuclear. The biggest flaw I found, though, was the inclusion of the energy cost of a Gigafactory, which in itself is questionable, but then he seems to use only one years output when calculating the per unit energy cost of Gigafactory construction. You realy need to do a better job of selecting sources for your information than some random dude with a Youtube channel.
“Democratize”????
Inslee is like every other Marxist.
A.He lies.
B.He counts on stupidity on the part of the citizenry to get by with those lies.
C.Oh yeah… and He lies.
Has everyone forgotten. The green bunch wants the dams removed to save the fish.
So how will you replace that power lost, which works 7/24 unlike solar or wind.
Plus they also want natural gas replaced by electric. Anyone done the math on that idea. hmmmm
By the way (brown R) Ford electric F-150 is not selling at all. They don’t have the towing range.
Best keep the F-350.
Dam removal is not going to be done without the excess power generation already in existence. Wind and solar are absolutely ramping up in the state and there has been a large increase in them along with energy storage to even out the energy distribution. Natural gas is not too big here in Washington assuming you mean appliances. There was more of a push for it when there was the fracking boom but that has died down. I know a handful of people with natural gas. New construction largely just uses electric since it is easier for developers and doesn’t come with the increase in asthma rates that you get from breathing in methane.
You are absolutely on point with the electric F-150. Towing anything with that drops the range by like 60-75%. That is something that absolutely needs to be dealt with. Decent EV pickups for towing are still a couple years off. Once solid state batteries ramp up production, that will lead to lighter batteries with much higher range and faster charge times. Toyota estimates they will have theirs ready by 2027. A couple Chinese companies have already started putting solid state batteries in their vehicles.
Jon S
NG is not big in WA? Are you kidding me. Try Boeing first of all. From Seattle to Bellingham is 90% NG. How do the heat the buildings in Capitol. It’s not electric.
Wind is always so-so and we have many months of clouds.
Can someone explain to me how taking tax dollars and giving it to people probably not paying a lot of tax to begin with, so they can buy EV’s, is democratizing EV ownership?? This is NOT democracy.
Actually it is democracy. Democracy is mob rule secured by pandering.
Classic example why the Founders gave us a Republic. Pity we couldn’t keep it.
2024 numbers in WA state.
90,200 EVs (3% of all vehicles) using 309,000 MWHs of electricity. (about 3% of what WA state makes a year)
Inslee’s 2045 goal: 100% of all vehicles EVs in WA State. At current levels of production that will require 100% of all electricity produced in the state. Total energy (Gas/diesel, NG, Electric)
Even with efficiencies and increased production it is not possible. 60% of WA state’s electricity is from Hydroelectric power no new dams. he is also reducing Natural Gas (18%) usage, No more Nuke plants (8%) so even if you double solar and wind you are still missing energy for 60% of the current state usage on residential and commercial needs. He and his followers are living in a fantasy world of feel good idiocy.
A.Green.
You said it.
Plus the greens want the dams gone. Try making up for that lost…
Fools. They need a new math class.
Bottom line: not feasible
They live in fairy tale land and then call you racist white supremacist who doesnt care about anyone else because you simply point out the logical fallacies.
That is because, with radical leftist extremist zealots, EVERYTHING is about their “feelings” rather than about facts, logic and reality. If they FEEL that it is so, then in their warped and twisted minds it MUST be so!
They’re all about “transitioning” up there.
Surprised no one brought up the EV fire issue. Search YouTube for CNBC EV Fires or EV Fires. It will surprise you. They take 10x the amount of water to put out compared to an ICE vehicle. Maybe in 25 or 50 years, EVs might be affordable and feasible. However, right now they are a waste of money and dangerous to use.
The lease or cost money is not enough. Then you have to spend more money on EVs then on Gas vehicles to pay for cost per mileage as it has been found. This is due to electric costs and insurance costs. Plus EV charging stations are not great and for distance gas vehicles are better.
To all the Green Energy advocates out there, please enjoy them for the rest of the decade – after that it ends:
– The US government is over $34 Trillion in debt.
– We are adding $1 Trillion in debt every 100 days.
– Last years fiscal deficit was over $2 Trillion.
– The interest payment was over $1 Trillion and is now greater than all our military spending.
– Foreign governments are dumping US Treasuries and stocking up on gold.
Basically there will be no way to finance green energy. The saddest part is that all this money we’re spending on green energy has been a malinvestment. It should have been spent on nuclear energy including modular nuclear reactors, Thorium nuclear reactors, recycling nuclear waste, etc.
Those would do a much better job of transitioning us to a true green power future.
What makes you think the govt isn’t supporting nuclear? “U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today announced the conditional selection of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, located near Avila Beach, California, to receive the first round of funding from the Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) Program. Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the $6 billion CNC program supports the continued operations of safe and reliable nuclear energy facilities, preserving thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs while avoiding carbon emissions. As the nation’s largest source of carbon-free power, America’s current fleet of nuclear reactors is a vital resource for achieving the President’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. ” DOE Nov. 2022 release
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‘https://www.ft.com/content/f3c6f333-bc2e-4694-963a-7084e438905a
The US nuclear industry has hailed 2022 as an “inflection point”, with surging private investment and unprecedented government support breathing new life into a sector that fell from favour in recent decades.
New federal legislation enacted in the past 18 months will pump about $40bn into the sector over the coming decade, according to industry estimates, while roughly $5bn in private funds has flowed into companies designing new types of reactor in the past year alone.” Financial Times 1 Jan 2023
Its a nice start but needs billions more if not trillions. Thorium has a way to go but has a lot of potential.
If you’re so inclined, you may want to look into Helion Energy. They’re developing a novel form of fusion energy that seems to hold a lot of promise and indications are that it is much closer to fruition than many people realize. They’ve already signed a power supply agreement with Microsoft. https://www.helionenergy.com/