"For anyone who has kids, the idea of a "car-free lifestyle" seems insane."

That is not remotely true

There are millions, maybe billions of parents who don't need a car to raise their kids

Some imports are allowed if you get them speed-limited at 25 mph

In an urban area, you can reach a lot at 25 mph. So if cities get speed limits down on enough streets, that could be a workaround. Less viable in suburbia with longer distances to cover, and more freeways to handle the capacity

k. In terms of why I still haven't bought an $8k compact EV, like a BYD Dolphin for example, it's because that $8k compact EV cannot be legally sold/driven here in the US.

So sure, that $35k SUV might be one of the less bad options available, doesn't mean I like it

You do realize that this is not at all true, right?

That's another constrained choice. Cheap, compact EVs on the market around the rest of the globe are illegal here

Everybody is picking from their constrained options, so they must sure like em! 🙄

If you take the battery off, does that make it permissible? But then that battery still exists, just in a different room