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Originally Posted by Junction65
Can you provide any links/evidence where any new policies prevent domestic manufacturers from building HEVs/EVs or prevent development of battery or other new technologies? Can you at least give some specifics to substantiate your claims?
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No, because it isn't done by statute. It's done by making it more attractive to continue making cylinder blocks and and stereo head units than electric motors and integrated infotainment systems. Just like I've said all along that there was no federal mandate to force anyone to make or buy EVs. There were programs put in place to promote the development of new technology in order to keep the US auto industry competitive. There is no mandate that says "don't make EVs or other advanced tech", just like there were no federal "mandates" that said "you must make EVs and invest in other tech".
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Originally Posted by Junction65
Previous policies rewarded "new tech" at the expense of (as opposed to in addition to) "old tech". My garage, my choice, wouldn't you agree?
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Not really. California aside, and I've been very clear on my thoughts about California's mandates, the policies promoted both technology groups but promoted EV technology more. But not at the expense of existing tech. If it did, Stellantis would have been under water a long time ago.
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Originally Posted by Junction65
Also can't domestic auto manufacturers build and sell their vehicles globally?
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Remember the part about making things people want to buy? The rest of the world doesn't want our full-size trucks. For that matter, they don't want most of what is produced in North America. That's my point about it being an island. But North American customers are very much in favor of buying vehicles that are mainstream in other countries and regions. This provides more of an advantage for foreign companies who can sell the same products they sell in their home markets here in the US. But for the most part, the domestic automakers are relegated to selling what they make in North America in North America. Then they have to invest in entirely different products in other countries. Look at GM portfolios in China and South America or Ford portfolios in China and Europe.
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Originally Posted by Junction65
Didn't the '80s bring about domestic auto manufacturers innovating new technologies such as OBD, fuel injection systems(cross fire, tuned port, multi port), turbos and smaller displacement engines as a response to the Japanese autos you mention? Innovation has always been one of America's strengths and the current situation is pretty "Pro-American".
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It absolutely did. But primarily in "catch up" mode. And how much market share was bled out by the time that happened? I was working in Flint when Buick City was built as a state of the art manufacturing campus. Positioned to beat the Japanese at their own game. Wanna know what Buick City is now? Flat land (not to be confused with flat earth
). Turned out beating the Japanese at their own game with a decade and a half late start didn't work out too well. Playing catch-up doesn't usually work out great. That's where we are headed when more companies start offering vehicles like the Xiaomi S7 at prices below the average price of vehicles sold in the US.
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Originally Posted by Junction65
Let's be honest here, the previous IRA policy had nothing to do with "inflation". That was just a Orwellian name game so that if someone questioned it, they could be shamed in media sound bites while lining the pockets and coffers of certain individuals and groups. What does automotive design and innovation have to do with inflation and the cost of groceries? Last time I checked, you can't eat semiconductors, minerals, solar panels and windmills.
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Have you actually READ the IRA? I have. The automotive related part is a very small part of the IRA. Basically, the fluffy tail of the very large dog. It was structured to provide incentives for companies to invest in the development of emerging technologies where the United States is trailing the rest of the world and also providing incentives for adding manufacturing capacity for those same technologies. Not just automotive, but several key industries. That's the inflation reduction part. Putting more tax-paying citizens to work. It was also focused on reducing costs of key medications for people with chronic illnesses. In other words, leaving more money in peoples pockets to buy things other than the drugs that save their lives.
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Originally Posted by Junction65
Also current policies provide even more incentives(reinstates 100% bonus depreciation for qualifying business assets, 100% deduction for qualified production property, etc) for building plants here to produce relevant components among other things in the US. Consider funding, stock piling, tax credits and loan programs for boosting rare earth production as well.
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If this is true that would be a good thing. What I have seen though is the government pushing for abandoning of projects where companies were already partially invested in adding manufacturing capacity and jobs. I'll be receptive to anything I see that bears this out.
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Originally Posted by Junction65
A big, beautiful future for the domestic automotive industry, all right there in front of our eyes, should we choose to open them.
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Agree to disagree.