San Antonio has installed 120 electric-car charging stations with tax-dollars to subsidize the “fueling” needs of… 100 electric cars in the city. A new investigative report from KENS-5 investigative journalist Brian New finds — not surprisingly — many of the stations have never been used.
In fact, at one-third of the locations the chargers are only gathering cobwebs.
By the way, the chargers cost taxpayers $5,000 apiece!
While electric cars might someday be a viable means of transportation, that day isn’t today — no matter how much wasteful spending the federal and local governments might try. The current crop is at best a fad.
GM halted production of the Chevy Volt because of lagging sales. That hasn't stopped San Antonio charging taxpayers for car chargers.
General Motors announced in March that they were suspending production of their Chevy-branded Volt. Why? The Washington Post says it was “disappointing sales.” (Those Volts catching on fire probably didn’t help.)
Electric cars are very expensive, even with subsidies. And some are just downright crazy.
The KENS-5 story includes an interview with the owner of an electric Porsche. Yes, you read that right, an electric Porsche. If someone can afford an electric Porsche, taxpayers shouldn’t be buying them charging stations.
Proponents of the wasteful spending told journalists that the money was spent installing the unused chargers so government could study the electric car market.
The idea government is going to do market research is just plain silly. Let the marketplace do market research, and keep the government’s nose out of it. And out of our pockets.
