EV - buy or wait?

All excited to be going on the B Ark :open_mouth::joy:

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Interesting article. But get ready for our EU overlords to slap more enormous tarifs on MG for the sin of being Chinese.

We will have to wait and see, they want transition so how bigger obstacle can they throw just because they havent encouraged their home matket to progress at the same rate as China, and now the consumer is expected to pay for their short sighted outlook.

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If only it was that simple. It would be difficult to argue that the European car industry hasn’t been slow out of the traps on EV development, but the government subsidies that Chinese companies receive are a major problem. EU countries subsidise EVs at the point of purchase, so MG gets subsidies at home at manufacturing and in the EU at sales time. That’s not fair.

Though even leaving that aside, China is a bloody big problem, as I have been wittering on about for nigh on thirty years. The drive for cheap (one could have said, slave) labour manufacturing to drive corporate profits (and thus share options) through the roof meant the Chinese were able to “acquire” intellectual property that kick started their now potentially world dominant industries.

The US has only recently woken up to this threat. So, much as I am against protectionism, it is what is needed at the moment. Plus, the threat from China isn’t only an economic one, it is also a militaristic one. Just look at the South China Sea.

So if the price of keeping western technology, jobs and security strong is slightly more expensive MGs, it’s a bargain. Personally I wouldn’t touch one with a barge pole anyway, especially after the reports of their dodgy driver “assist” systems . Now a nice MGB GT on the other hand :slightly_smiling_face:

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They should have subsidised their own EU industries, they are to blame as they pushed the legislation not the Chinese, they are just swift of action unlike the EU associated countries. The customer should not have to pay the penalty for their lack of leadership.

With its reports of awful handling, lack of sportscar performance, and rust! :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

Against EU rules, though I’m sure a fiddle could have been arranged at the Brussels level if the politicians had seen it coming. Which they bloody should have.

It’s always the punter that pays. :notes: It’s the rich what gets the pleasure, it’s the poor what pays the price, it’s the same the whole World over…:notes:

Yes you’re right, though it’s nevertheless a little tiring to have to listen to our leaders bleating endlessly about their green credentials, net zero targets, energy transition and all the rest of it and then see them wilfully slapping huge tarifs on the only remotely affordable EVs on the market. And didn’t I see something somewhere about EU fossil fuel subsidies which must surely amount to ‘unfair’ help for those European auto manufacturers who still produce here?

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Stupid EU rule, cannot back your own industries, how then do you actually become a force in the world when you only receive but that off the point, stupid naive legislation dreamed up by committees.

I guess the solution is for Chinese manufactures to build more cars in the EU. A win win.

Except for some laggard EU manufacturers. For example, VW, who has completely screwed up. Just like they did when their rear engined cars came to end of life. The clever people at Audi/Auto Union baled out the dunderheads at VW then with the Golf.

Now VW are back in trouble again, with a badge engineered range that would make British Leyland blush. Do they really need four ICE cars in each segment competing against one another? :face_with_hand_over_mouth: Not sure what’s going to bail them out this time, especially if the unions turn nasty. Red Robbo would be amused, but it’s bad news for the German economy.

This should be rolling out soon… I think they’re impressive. I’d like a green one.

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I think it makes sense within the EU, but not against external threats.

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I want the yellow one! With the baguette holder of course :rofl:

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Exactly, the world moved on from cheese and bagettes and pasta and bratwurst.

There is an interesting BBC podcast on tariffs More or Less: Behind the Stats - Who pays when trade wars heat up? - BBC Sounds

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The Chinese might be able to assemble cars in the EU, but they couldn’t make most of the parts in the EU as cheap as they do in China using coal fired power stations and an absolute lack of health and safety provisions for the workers.

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Rather tasty, though I don’t like the Alegro steering wheel.

Language! :face_with_hand_over_mouth:

Maybe an MG worthy of the name?

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Used car prices tumbling as the supply restrictions caused by Covid/Ukraine ease.

But EV used tumbling faster than a bat out of hell.

Sorry, that’s quite an annoying video just reeling off millions of figures with no analysis but it illustrates the point

Shmee (also a somewhat annoying presenter I’m afraid - too smug by half) has some thoughts as to why

The effect of fake news, bad journalism and ignorance. Just hope I can pick up a bargain before too long.

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