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Now that the U.S. is committing (again) to drastic emissions cuts, I thought it timely to introduce readers to one of the most important things to happen to the future climate since fossil fuels:
The 1000 horsepower, 5 ton Electric Hummer
(
thread) https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-wave-of-electric-trucks-could-create-millions-of-accidental-environmentalists-11619236828
The 1000 horsepower, 5 ton Electric Hummer
(
thread) https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-wave-of-electric-trucks-could-create-millions-of-accidental-environmentalists-11619236828
"But wait!" you're probably saying, why should anyone be happy that what began life as a demilitarized urban assault vehicle is about to become the $113,000 plaything of people who probably don't even think about climate change?
The answer: "accidental environmentalists"
The answer: "accidental environmentalists"
"Accidental environmentalists" are people who make the "green" choice only once it's by all measures that matter to them better than the "brown" one.
As in: the hundreds of thousands of people who have already pre-ordered an electric truck of some kind. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-wave-of-electric-trucks-could-create-millions-of-accidental-environmentalists-11619236828
As in: the hundreds of thousands of people who have already pre-ordered an electric truck of some kind. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-wave-of-electric-trucks-could-create-millions-of-accidental-environmentalists-11619236828
Meet Bob Dyke. He's 69, grew up in Wyoming, owns an oil and gas company, is agnostic about global warming.
And he's about to buy his first electric vehicle.
Like it or not, the Bob Dykes of the world are the future of real action on climate. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-wave-of-electric-trucks-could-create-millions-of-accidental-environmentalists-11619236828
And he's about to buy his first electric vehicle.
Like it or not, the Bob Dykes of the world are the future of real action on climate. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-wave-of-electric-trucks-could-create-millions-of-accidental-environmentalists-11619236828
But how is it possible that buying showboat electric trucks which might be fueled on coal-fired electricity and substitute for mass transit could be good for emissions?
Three reasons:
1. We still need to make batteries a lot cheaper for them to be the default for all transport.
Three reasons:
1. We still need to make batteries a lot cheaper for them to be the default for all transport.
The battery pack in the Hummer EV is 200kwh. That's enough juice to power the average American home for a *week* -- two in good weather.
The more batteries GM and Tesla and everyone else sells, the more their price drops. Look at this chart:
The more batteries GM and Tesla and everyone else sells, the more their price drops. Look at this chart:
2. Making the "green" choice is contagious. There is tons of research on this.
Key to convincing the 70% of Americans who in 2020 chose an SUV, crossover, or truck to go electric:
Seeing their neighbor's electric Rivian or Ford F-150 https://environment.yale.edu/news/article/why-solar-adoption-can-be-contagious/
Key to convincing the 70% of Americans who in 2020 chose an SUV, crossover, or truck to go electric:
Seeing their neighbor's electric Rivian or Ford F-150 https://environment.yale.edu/news/article/why-solar-adoption-can-be-contagious/
3. Research from Matthew Kahn + others finds once you make one "green" choice, you're more likely to make others. (Like how iPhone converted many to the Mac.)
Today, an electric Hummer, tomorrow, solar panels on your roof to survive the apocalypse?
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2541530
Today, an electric Hummer, tomorrow, solar panels on your roof to survive the apocalypse?
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2541530
So why haven't you heard more about "accidental environmentalists", or their close cousin "convenient environmentalists" -- coined by Magali Delmas? https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/green-bundle/
As someone who has covered climate and tech for 15 years, my conclusion is that environmentalists, by nature activists, have fundamentally misunderstood how to move the needle on public opinion on things like taxing carbon.
