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I maintain that's a dumb way to do anything. The incentives are so far removed from the goal that an alien visiting earth would have to conclude that there was special interests benefiting certain powerful people in certain tribes to explain why EVs are being pushed.
First step is to identify the problem. Let's assume the problem being addressed with EVs is CO2.
Is it clear that EVs substantially reduce fossil fuel consumption? If so, by how much?
What was the cost/benefit analysis on enacting subsidies for EVs? In other words, how much would it defund supposed necessary government services compared to the calculated benefits of the reduced climate change? Is the loss of government services or extra tax burden on citizens worth the delayed impacts of climate change? Did the government disclose how many days (if not hours considering how small the country is) this subsidy would delay climate change?
Is it clear that EVs are the superior technology to replace ICE vehicles? If so, why do they need subsidy? If not, why back a losing technology? Is it possible there are other technologies put at a competitive disadvantage that potentially could be superior to EVs due to special interest subsidies?
Is it good for government to open the door to corruption by supporting special interests above other businesses or industries?
If the problem is CO2 accumulation due to burning fossil fuels, would it not make more sense to simply reduce burning fossil fuels by way of slowly increasing taxation on it? This gives all technologies an equal chance to prove their usefulness to us and eliminates the possibility of bribery and corrupt politics.
... so, at best, EV subsidies are feel-good but practically useless exercises brought about by ignorance, and at worst, a hardship for citizens to endure while a few politicians and business people make back alley deals to make each other wealthy.
Politics is a slimy business on all sides, and people deserve the stupid people/policies they grant power to due to their simplistic and tribalistic nature (geez, I sound like Alldarc now).
BTW- I'm a huge fan of EVs, built one in high school, and am constantly reading about and scheming to buy one. My belief is it will turn out to be a superior technology and replace ICE vehicles. That said, my hunch is no reason to disadvantage lesser known technologies that could potentially be superior. I have no delusions that I'm (or any other person or group) is the all-knowing wise king that makes perfect decisions despite their imperfect understanding of an infinitely complex market and rapidly developing technology.
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