Программа налоговых льгот до $15 000 за электрификацию старых автомобилей

Thom Moore of Scarborough is a former NASA project scientist and fellow of the American Geophysical Union. He consults and writes as proprietor of 3rd Rock Research. Imagine a government program inspired by the “Cash for Clunkers” initiative launched by the Clinton administration in 2000. It would incentivize the conversion of traditional combustion vehicles to electric vehicles. Owners would submit proof of their vehicle’s conversion and the cost. They’d receive a tax credit of up to $15,000, double the former tax credit for new electric vehicle purchases. Converting a combustion vehicle to an EV eliminates its carbon and other pollutant emissions, and it saves the resources needed to manufacture a new vehicle, apart from the drivetrain. This contribution to achieving net-zero emissions more than doubles the impact.  This program would not promote the purchase of new electric vehicles. However, “we’ve” decided that incentives for new EV purchases are no longer necessary, given the abundance of cost-competitive EV options now available. Until recently, electric conversions of older gas cars were expensive projects, primarily undertaken to breathe new life into classic cars. Few such converted cars have the DC fast- charging capability that would make them practical as daily drivers.  As electric vehicles have gained traction and become a significant part of the new car market, component prices have dropped, and a variety of used parts have become available. This has made conversions increasingly cost-competitive with new EV purchases. Also, DC fast-charging has become available in the conversion market, though it’s not yet widely implemented.  The time is ripe for EV conversions to go more mainstream. DC fast-charging is the innovation that propelled the EV market forward over the past decade, and it will likely play a similar role in the EV conversion market.  From a conservative perspective, rehabilitating a gas car or truck offers several advantages over buying a new one.  It lets us resist the planned obsolescence economy, where everything is replaced with newer, “cooler” options. We can choose to recycle our well-used gas vehicles by restoring worn parts and decommissioning their combustion engines, transmissions, fuel tanks, exhaust systems, etc. Such actions contribute to a circular or closed-loop economy that minimizes consumption, waste and pollution, while maximizing value.  Imagine your present car equipped with a powerful electric drive unit, lacking any exhaust system, fuel tank, pump, feed lines, vapor recovery systems or exhaust pipes. Imagine using a quarter of the energy but doubling the torque, enabling sharp acceleration and regenerative braking for energy savings when descending or slowing. Imagine saying goodbye to dirty, smelly gas stations and spill-prone fuel pumps and hello to home fill-ups and fast highway charging at snack and pit stops.  Electric conversion shops are adopting features of modern EVs that appeal to everyday consumers. In addition to DC fast-charging, navigation software for managing road trips, remote control apps and downloadable software updates complete the EV.  Looking ahead, more automakers should develop, supply and support conversion kits for their most popular models. A “Credits for Conversions” program would encourage the development of such kits, leading to more standardization and modularization. This would reduce costs and attract more shops to become capable of these conversions, which would also expand the number of shops offering service for EVs in general.  We don’t have to discard our cherished classics or valuable gas vehicles. Converting older cars offers significant benefits that justify incentives. A new industry dedicated to converting our most popular combustion vehicles to electric technology is within our grasp.  It would promote recycling our existing fleet, create a thriving market for conversion kits and services and lead to reduced emissions from our entire fleet of vehicles, as well as improved EV serviceability.