Road to By Matthew Mejia By the year 2035, California will order the end of the marketing of gasoline-powered cars and passenger trucks. This state executive order was passed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020, and it states that all new cars sold within the state will be zeroemission vehicles. Questions emerge about the impact it will have on the automotive industries, local mechanics and car enthusiasts. Concerns also rise for low-income families who fear the financial capability to buy electric vehicles. Slowly but surely, car manufacturers are gearing up ideas to help them adjust to the new world of electric-powered vehicles. With the rise of Tesla and the high anticipations of new electric vehicle companies such as Lucid Motors, long-time car manufacturers are trying their best to perfect their own takes on electric cars. Nissan has their line of fully electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, and coming out later this year, the Nissan Ariya, a fully electric SUV. The two biggest Japanese manufacturers, Toyota and Honda, have their cars coming soon with Toyota announcing their two new electric cars later this year, and Honda preparing their electric SUV to be available to consumers by 2024.
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For those who live to drive fast, luxurious vehicles that aren’t so efficient on gas mileage as opposed to the daily commuters who make their gas efficiency the focal point of their cars, higher-end vehicle manufacturers are developing their own take on individual electric cars. The luxury car manufacturers are on the same page as commuter car companies.
The Porsche Taycan for example is a luxury sports sedan electric vehicle with a horsepower of 616 for the Turbo S model. The mile range on this specific vehicle is up to 200 miles which is not too far in comparison to their gas-powered sports sedans. With a more luxurious company like Lamborghini, they will be teaming up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to release their own supercar, the Terzo Millennio, which is Italian for “the third millennium.” As of now, the car is still a concept in development. There have often been misconceptions about electric vehicles. For some, it seems as if these cars are produced and catered to wealthier families. Although for the first couple of years of existence that may have been true, the electric vehicle scene is evolving through extensive efforts to reach out to middle and lower-class communities. For instance, the previously mentioned Nissan Leaf is starting at around $30,000, which is a start in the right direction in appealing to the middle class. The average new car price in the US was $37,851 in 2020, according the Kelly Blue Book. As for lower-income areas, it’s looking like an uphill battle that the government is working hard to solve. Many car companies have a hard time selling to low-income families due to a lack of credit, a language barrier or the vehicles being out of their price range.
