It's been a while since my last rant about automotive industry, but here we go again.
As a premise, i must say that this will probably be more valid for EU than for the rest of the world. Also expect a LONG post. So.
Hybrids and EVs are surely more efficient and "clean" than the average ICE car. But, as a car enthusiast, i'm very aware that technology end efficiency are expensive, definitely not for everyone. Here where i live we get bonuses for changing old cars with brand new "eco-friendly" ones, but only if they are old enough. Bonuses that, anyway, even in best cases will cover less than a quarter of the price of a new vehicle.
Most importantly, and that's something i learned the hard way, no institution will give you a single cent for the running costs - and they're high running costs. And about (stupidly heavy) EVs, electricity now is so expensive that the cost-per-km is the same of regular gasoline, so no real advantage. I remember when the seller told us that the simplicity of the powertrain meant less service costs, it was quite the opposite. Moreover, we were forced to service the car at their shop, at their prices, because they were the only ones who knew how to work on those components. Oh, and it was the only way to keep the warranty valid on expensive parts, too.
I had a (second hand) hybrid, like my parents. But i went from precarious worker to student and i'm unable to find a proper job while i'm studying due to some issues with my mental health, so my income suddenly dropped to zero. Keeping the car is expensive and in three years, when the warranty expires, the value will decrease drastically (a new battery could cost until 8k euros, nobody would buy a car with that risk). So i planned ahead and sold the hybrid car to get a cheaper one with decent quality and safety, reasonable running costs, free from the blackmail of our official dealer and easily fixable by any mechanic.
The problem: the most reliable and most fuel-saving version of that model on the second-hand car market (and well, basically the only one i found nearby) was a Diesel one. And Diesels are EU's scapegoat for the increasing air pollution, so Countries are forced to make laws to stay within certain limits - that's not bad itself. The problem is that private cars, depending on the sources, are only between 10% and 20% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
But it's easier to wage war against citizens than corporations who are truly responsible for that 80-90%. And i'm not talking about those wealthy citizens who already got their fancy Tesla, but those who literally can't afford a new car (for any reason). This is a class problem.
There are "old" Diesel cars which still require less fuel than modern, high-end Diesels that satisfy the new requirements for mass production. A 10 years old 1.4 Diesel will always require less fuel and pollute less than a 2-tonne mild-hybrid "environmentally friendly" 3.0 Diesel BMW or Audi. Oh wait, it gets better: ironically an Euro 5 Diesel could be stopped from traffic while a brand new 1500 hp quad-turbo W16 Bugatti Chiron can roam around in the city centre on the very same day. But hey, the Chiron is not an evil Diesel. Once again, this. Is. A. Class. Problem.
Forcing people to go hybrid/electric with restrictions is repression against low-income classes. There could be so much more that can be done if private transport really is the root of all evil. Like a bonus that covers 100% the price of a new car (oh btw, an Euro 5 Diesel is old enough to get stopped on certain conditions, but not old enough to receive a bonus). Or investing in bio/synthetic fuels so people can run their older cars with carbon neutral emissions - but that'd make the poor automakers angry as they couldn't sell their new hypertechnological cars. Or provide new catalysts for free to install on older cars - but also that would make automakers quite angry. Or governments could also consider doing something about intensive farming (y'know, that thing that sends methane into atmosphere which is 84 times worse for global warming than CO2), or better public transport, or heavy industry, or invest in nuclear so we can stop burning fossil fuels for energy (i know this is gonna cause a shitstorm lmao, i believe safely stocking radioactive material under layers of rocks in sterile zones is better than keeping on produce greenhouse gases), or anything that doesn't involve the private life of people already struggling with ever-increasing prices of goods.
"B-but there are exceptions to traffic restrictions" sure, but it's hard to satisfy all of the requirements. One of them is quite easy to get anyway: it's a certificate that you're on the route from home to work or viceversa - you can pollute if you produce. Using an old car for free-time? Nope. Getting groceries? Nope. Sounds dystopic as hell, innit?
Don't get me wrong, technology and research are good, hybrids and EVs are fascinating and surely relatively more efficient. But not affordable by everyone, nor a permanent solution for environmental problems: not only for batteries, but also for the energy required to charge them, and the fossil fuels still needed for hybrids. A lot of research is still needed but, while we wait, we should stop pointing the finger at who can't afford to buy and sustain a new car.
Now, i know what you're thinking: "but you could've got another non-Diesel model and save even more money" maybe you're right, but for me the choice of the car is very personal and important, there are many criteria i have, picking any cheap shitbox is not an option for me if i have a decent budget. Laws can change, safety and reliability don't. There are good cars out there which only problem is bad laws made against them. Cars that can perfectly run and could end up in a junkyard only because of these laws, that's the opposite of sustainability, that's forced consumerism. Plus, it's not only about me, but also and most importantly about the millions of people that get screwed everyday and have no fucking choice.
