They also don’t think they could possibly use the bus, the train, or even walk in their own neighborhood regularly. Instead they buy trucks and jeeps, not out of need but basically as toys, and we continue sliding into a world of everyone driving bigger and bigger things everywhere all the time

:((

This is right next door to me… do you know where one can find more details? Traffic lights timing on that stretch of 15th is just bad, and I’m wondering if that played a role.

I’m not optimistic. The US wants to sell more trucks abroad and will push hard to make it happen. Without regulatory barriers, and with enough ads, people in the suburbs will buy them just like they do in the US.

I find it so hard to talk to folks about these things. I say “more density” and they need to suspend disbelief, then “fewer cars” and I lose them. Add “local shops” and I might as well be talking about settling on Mars. Like considering one non-conventional thought is an effort, more is impossible.

Next time you’re in Paris you gotta try Gonflé! (both the regular and the black croissant, ideally)

That 200kg figure is wrong. Even in a Leaf it’s 300kg or about 20% of the total weight. A Kia soul gets 450kg.

Besides, many EVs are SUVs so it’s not mutually exclusive. An Audi etron gets 700kg of batteries.

Furthermore EVs can accelerate faster which grinds up the tyres faster.

Or Yukon

I don’t think an invasion is super likely or necessary. I’m thinking something along the lines of: Alberta secedes and joins the US as a territory. Brexit-style agitation for a few years, social media election blitz… We know the playbook by now and unfortunately it can work surprisingly well.