|
James,
Just because something becomes more expensive doesn't mean people will always use less of it. If I have to drive to work. . .I have to drive to work. If its going to cost me more, well then its just going to cost me more.
Unless someone drives more than 100 miles a day every day changing vehicles in light of fuel expenses is never an economical decision. The difference in fuel savings per year between the worst gas guzzler and a 1 gen insight is only about 2000 dollars on a ridiculously high gas price. It takes a long time to pay off even buying a 10K insight in gas. Also, the 10K insight is going to have miles on it and is likely getting near the point something expensive goes bad(Its a Honda and I'm a Honda fan but after about 180K miles you do get random pieces that wear out abnormal from the pack).
A gas tax MIGHT decrease fuel consumption in the US over 10 years as people replace their old vehicles with new ones and at that point switching up in the mileage doesn't cost extra. . .but in that time span you have cost them thousands of dollars.
Do not make the mistake of saying its going to a good cause. Refer back to bureacratic waste and the fact that private sector firms put down more money for research on alt fuels and power than the firm with the most money(government before anyone makes any incorrect assumptions).
So yes you could over a decade consume slightly less fuel per person(but there will be slightly more people total) at the cost of thousands of dollars per person in fuel and at the cost of extra prices at the car lot because dealers know how to scalp cars.
|