SteveInSeattle wrote:
Anyway, our small little dent in the problem, buying the Leaf, is about sending a message that R&D in clean transportation is worth spending. The last thing we need is another GM EV1 experience of the manufacturers saying that the people don't want any alternatives.
Well.. If you REALLY want to help the environment, stop trying so hard. I realize that about 30% of EV buyers are environmentally motivated. But if you want the rest of the world to buy these cars you need to stop preaching about them being environmentally friendly. Much of the population is completely turned off by that sort of thing. I know, it is crazy that people think the way they do and sometimes hard to understand.
The best example I can give is if you have two food products and one of them is labelled as "fat free" even if the cost of both products are the same, and even if both products are actually identical, most people will avoid buying the "fat free" version because they will assume it is an inferior tasting food. The only people who will buy it are the ones on a diet.
So if you really want people to buy electric cars they need to be sold on other reasons. They are fun, they are cool, they are high-tech, they are convenient, they are safe, and most importantly - they save money and thus are practical. The fact that they are good for the environment - You and I can silently smile knowing that fact, but keep it to ourselves.