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Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse
You sound like you're responding to a point I didn't make. I agree that there has been a long circulating myth that EVs aren't better for the environment because of their embedded carbon footprint and that the myth has been dispelled. But part of how the myth got started is that people compared different classes of vehicles such as large, luxury EVs like the model S with small efficient ICE vehicles in order to support the efficiency of ice vehicles. While the takeaway that they were pushing - that EVs aren't really better in general - was wrong, what I think it correctly points out is that vehicle size does matter and is something to be considered when forming policies related to the environment.
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This is still pushing the same argument though. A Hummer EV running on 100% clean power in Quebec will still have better lifecycle emissions than a Prius. It won't even be close.
Moreover, worrying about vehicle size largely seems like a pointless distraction when the public is already massively upsizing with gas vehicles. A gas F150 is a much bigger threat than an electric F150. If anything, the public seems to tolerate smaller vehicles on the EV side far more. There's more sedans and compacts sold (proportionally) in the EV world than than ICEV world. Putting the burden for reducing vehicle sizes on EVs, will simply see more large gas vehicles sold.
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Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse
If we're pressed for time, we need to use the limited funds as efficiently as possible. My whole argument is to question whether subsidizing large, environmentally damaging vehicles is the best way to do it. For example, for many years the US has something called a "gas guzzler" tax which discouraged people from buying vehicles with poor fuel economy. There's a variety of policy options available so there's no reason not to think carefully and tailor our approach in the way that's most effective.
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The gas guzzler tax was about emissions. Not about vehicle size per se. This isn't a problem with EVs. Especially in a country where most of the power generated has little to no emissions. Also, we have a gas guzzler tax: the carbon tax. Doesn't seem to have stopped people buying Silverados to get groceries from Walmart.