Personal minutia…on the way back from breakfast this morning with my wonderful wife my Z06 passed 10,000 miles under my stewardship. Today is 35 months I have owned the car, so that’s an average of about 3,400 miles a year.
Of course, since the move to Arizona I have been driving the Z06 more, just like I had hoped/expected. In the almost 16 months we’ve been here, I have driven the Z06 about 6,100 miles, which would be about 4,600 miles a year.
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In the comments for this post, JS/photobyjohnbo asked what the market share was for hybrids among new cars sold in the US. Does anyone want to hazard a guess before I reveal the answer, assuming you don’t know?
According to Motor Trend, in 2021 hybrids accounted for five percent of sales of new vehicles in the US. How about “pure” EVs? What do you think? The answer is just three percent.
That latter figure is actually even less impressive, in my opinion, when one notes that about two-thirds of all EV sales in the US are Teslas. That means that non-Tesla EVs accounted for ONE PERCENT of new vehicle sales in the US in 2021.
We are being brainwashed by government and big car companies to think we all have to drive electric vehicles. This change is being forced from the top down and is NOT an organic change. For example, General Motors’ new ad slogan–everybody in–is particularly offensive to me.
Recent events should wake us up about the need to be more independent from other countries. What makes you think that the Chinese government wouldn’t use its de facto control over the supply of lithium, which is essential in making batteries, to coerce the West to stop supporting Taiwan, for example?
Yes, in Scandinavia adoption of pure EVs has happened rather quickly. Let’s see: Norway, which “leads” the world in EV adoption, has an area of about 149,000 square miles, much of which can never be paved with roads. That’s about the size of the state of Montana. Let’s also not forget that Norway, which has a population of about five million, has gas, oil and hydroelectric power resources that could support a country of five hundred million. Wisely, Norway has invested its huge revenues from gas and oil and its sovereign wealth fund owns more than one percent of the shares of the world’s equity markets. It can spend whatever money it needs to change its relatively small energy infrastructure. Also, don’t get me started on the difference between countries that have homogeneous cultures and populations like Norway and those that are far more heterogeneous like the US. (March, 2022 update: Not that anyone will read this, but Norway also heavily subsidizes purchases of electric vehicles and levies huge taxes on gasoline-powered ones. Uh, what do you think “rational” consumers will do?)
If half the money invested in EV development had been invested in synthetic fuels, or eFuels, we would be well on our way to a seamless transition that would not require billions in additional investment and would not leave us dependent on other countries to keep our transportation infrastructure operational. Sorry, but no one will ever be able to convince me I’m wrong about that.
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In yesterday’s post I mentioned our visit to the local Streetside Classics dealership. I think businesses like Streetside Classics and Gateway Classic Cars sell most or all of their vehicles on consignment. As “promised” yesterday, here are some photos:
1968 is my favorite design of the first generation Camaro (1967-69). I don’t like the outdated front vent window on the ’67 and I don’t like the fake gills in front of the rear wheels or the reduced haunch of the rear quarters on the ’69. Different strokes for different folks, DSFDF. If you prefer, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
On close inspection, this 2004 Cadillac XLR had many flaws, particularly in the paint. While I have excluded the XLR from all of my Ultimate Garages because of quality concerns, particularly for 2004 and 2005, I could be tempted to buy one from 2006 to 2009 if it didn’t have too many miles and “passed” a third-party inspection of sorts. I wouldn’t even have to have a V-spec. Another convertible in Arizona could hardly be considered overkill.
Hope you have enjoyed the photos and this post. As always, I welcome thoughtful comments and hope that you will pass along the blog URL to friends. Thanks.
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Disaffected Musings 
“we all have to drive electric vehicles.”
I have an electric vehicle. 1968 vintage Cushman trike. It was made for use in industrial facilities. I got it about 8 years ago, went thru it, painted it and use it as a pit vehicle at the drag strip. That will be the extent of my electric vehicle use.
My SIL has a Chevy Bolt (I think that’s what it is). For her it’s fine. She has a 16 mile commute to her work. For me, it’s that far to town.
The economics, range, and towing ability make electric a non starter for my needs. Maybe if some day I end up in an “old folks home” (shudder), it will make sense. Until then, pour out some more of them dinosaur bones..
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Thanks, DDM. The notion that one size fits all–a favorite of one part of the political spectrum–is a totally unacceptable infringement on individual rights.
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