EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol • Hacker News Board

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#21

Post by wao0uuno » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 7:40 PM UTC

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #17

zug_zug wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've watched plenty of youtube videos, I'm not gonna watch a 10 minute video from somebody I've never heard of and treat is as a good source. It's bad form to post that here multiple times instead of just citing whatever actual published sources. Especially when EV vehicles are already working and taking over the market.

The man in the video has a history of questionable claims, for some fairly obvious reasons: https://www.desmog.com/mark-p-mills/ > Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and a Strategic Partner at Cottonwood Venture Partners, an investment firm focused on technological advancements in oil and gas production

Edit: Just checked the guidelines so: Man, what a terrible person. I hope he steps on a lego block.

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#22

Post by peterlada » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 7:50 PM UTC

barbazoo wrote: post #19

jesterson wrote: post #6

I wonder what way of thinking these people exercise. They think electricity prices are somehow shielded from price going up?

ICE cars use energy from close to 100% oil. As long as your electrical grid is more diverse than that, you're already better off.

What? Where? In face that statement is not true pretty much everywhere. 50% of electricity in Hungary is nuclear. 80% in France. 50% coal in Poland, 30 % solar in Spain.

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#23

Post by peterlada » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 7:54 PM UTC

measurablefunc wrote: post #2

These are just flashes in a pan. The material math for EVs is not viable.

Geez, Hillsdale College. Worldwide authority on all economics from the theological perspective. Congrats on picking information sources.

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#24

Post by whatevaa » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 7:58 PM UTC

jqpabc123 wrote: post #3

The big winner from the Iran war thus far --- China. Whether Israel is a real winner is yet to be determined. There is no significant, strategic benefit to the USA despite spending at least $50 billion thus far --- not counting the cost of inflated fuel prices.

China has been winning since Trump took office second time. They are winning by doing... nothing :)

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#25

Post by a_shovel » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC

The next administration needs to mandate the big American auto companies produce more EVs in more models in order to save them from the irrelevance they seemingly desire and arguably deserve.

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#26

Post by whatevaa » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 8:00 PM UTC

jesterson wrote: post #6

I wonder what way of thinking these people exercise. They think electricity prices are somehow shielded from price going up?

No. But there is more control than with petrol. An if you have more charger, could balance charginf during off-peak cheaper hours.

Can't do anything about petrol. Pay or gtfo.

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#27

Post by onraglanroad » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 8:03 PM UTC

measurablefunc wrote: post #8

zug_zug wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think "material math" applies to things that are huge luxury/status symbol purchases. Otherwise we'd all be driving 2005 corollas. And as status-symbol or identity statement, being anti-oil (or anti beholden on America, Russia, Iran, etc) seems like a pretty good one.

I am not making any political statements, it's all basic physics & material science: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEkIh2PcSYE

There was no physics in that. It was 10 minutes of incoherent rambling.

How do people find this convincing? Is it a new fashion?

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#28

Post by codeduck » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 8:04 PM UTC

jesterson wrote: post #6

I wonder what way of thinking these people exercise. They think electricity prices are somehow shielded from price going up?

It's not about price; it's hedging against the very real risk of petrol rationing and shortages. An EV can charge from any source, and in Europe a lot of power is sourced from non-oil sources

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#29

Post by 0cf8612b2e1e » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 8:09 PM UTC

barbazoo wrote: post #19

jesterson wrote: post #6

I wonder what way of thinking these people exercise. They think electricity prices are somehow shielded from price going up?

ICE cars use energy from close to 100% oil. As long as your electrical grid is more diverse than that, you're already better off.

Exactly, electricity generation is already diversified, so it naturally gets somewhat shielded from shocks. Energy companies can burn wood if they get truly desperate, but I can only fill up my car with gasoline.

Re: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

#30

Post by supercheetah » Mon, Apr 20, 2026, 8:14 PM UTC

peterlada wrote: post #22

barbazoo wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ICE cars use energy from close to 100% oil. As long as your electrical grid is more diverse than that, you're already better off.

What? Where? In face that statement is not true pretty much everywhere. 50% of electricity in Hungary is nuclear. 80% in France. 50% coal in Poland, 30 % solar in Spain.

You should reread their post. You're proving their point.