As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to collapse into a smoking pile of melted metal and plastic politicians, and EV makers, are finally, belatedly, taking notice.  How could they do otherwise? Government hasn’t yet taken upon itself the power to force Americans to buy EVs or to destroy their internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, but whenever the election is decided after November 5—if Trump’s ahead, there will be many votes to “find”—that might change.

Political reality is forcing even some Democrats/socialists/communists to change sides:

Eight Democrats voted with the House GOP to overturn a Biden administration rule that forces automakers to make a significant portion of their fleet electric.

The Democrats who voted in favor of overturning the rule were Reps. Yadira Caraveo (Colo.), Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (N.C.), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.), Jared Golden (Maine), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), and Mary Sattler Peltola (Alaska).

Are they doing that because they recognize the reality of physics and the realities of Americans who can’t afford and don’t want EVs that can’t meet their needs? Of course not! Each and every one is in a tight race for reelection. One Republican understands what’s really happening:

The EPA’s latest tailpipe emissions rule is not really about reducing air pollution. It’s about forcing Americans to drive electric vehicles,’’ said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

She called the rule “unreasonable” and “just another example of how the Biden-Harris administration’s rush-to-green agenda is handing China the key to America’s energy future, jeopardizing our auto industry and forcing people to buy unaffordable EVs they don’t want.’’

Graphic: X Screenshot

They don’t want them in part because when EV batteries get wet, particularly from saltwater, they burst into flames, and even explode, as unfortunate EV owners inundated by Hurricane Helene have discovered. Cars, trucks and scooters have melted down. Firefighters haven’t been able to get to many of them, which is a lesson we’ll shortly revisit.

In the meantime, Ford has dramatically scaled back its EV production plans. Ford is making only two EVs, the F-150 Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E, and has tried to sell them by dropping prices. That hasn’t worked, not only because few Americans want to buy them, but in 2023, Ford lost a reported $4.5 billion on its EVs. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, Ford lost $1.3 billion, which is twice what it lost in the first quarter of 2023. That’s a loss of about $132,000 for each EV sold in the first quarter of 2024 alone, above and beyond the cost to make them.

Even a company with a woke CEO like Jim Farley can’t long endure those kinds of losses. Publicly traded companies, at some point, have to answer to shareholders so Ford has come up with a brilliant new plan to lose even more money: they’re going to give away home chargers to anyone who buys a new EV:

Buy a new Ford EV and get a free home charger as part of its new “Ford Power Promise.” The program is designed to finally put the EV misperceptions to rest while making it even easier to go electric.

It’s “not range anxiety, but change anxiety,” Martin Delonis, Ford’s senior manager of business innovation and E-Marketing, explained.

After some digging, Ford found that buyers on the fence about driving an EV are mostly worried about how far it will drive, its costs, and its quality.

Considering buying and installing a fast charging station in a home can cost as much as $11,000, this would seem to be a good idea, except Ford apparently isn’t saying what sort of charger it’s supplying, nor have I been able to find any information on that elsewhere.  Ford lists only one charger that might qualify, the Ford Connected Charge Station for $799.00.  Ford’s site tells us it will produce 27 miles per hour of charging for a Mach-E and from 19-20 miles per hour for a F-150 Lightning.  That’s 10 hours for 270 miles of possible range for the Mustang and about 16 hours to get about 300 miles for the F-150. Which means this is a middling charger, not a fast charger. That’s not going to sell many EVs.

The aftermath of Helene offers additional realities. If your EV doesn’t burn down due to saltwater immersion, from where is the power going to come to charge it? Supposedly, with the right gear, an F-150 can run your home—until it drains the battery, and what’s going to recharge it then?

It looks like Ford wants to lose even more money in 2024. I wonder when they’ll recognize the reality that has been persistently whacking them alongside the head?

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.