Yes and the U.S. was also literally like "why should we stop burning coal, the underdeveloped countries (esp China) will still be burning coal decades after we stop, it's not going to make a difference if we stop".

Turns out the real driving force was actually bribery ("lobbying") all along.

What's fucked up is that might still be true and that just speaks volumes about how absurd we are. :(

This would be really hilarious if China developed the renewables to the point they would really be outright cheaper than fossils.

Burger land with screaming eagles.

It's almost as if democrats are mid right or something!

Much wow! 😂

Subsidized fossil fuels you say? Well ok, coming right up.

But that would literally be communism!!

Outside of the US, you can get a 10k or less electric mini-van, mini-truck, or mini-car which would serve 90% of most peoples' needs. Most US trips are under 3 miles after all and giant fast luxurious vehicles for those bike-range trips is just totally silly.

Meanwhile the cheapest new car in the US is what, a Mitsubishi hatchback for $18k? It's ridiculous. The US Automakers are in a tacit conspiracy to squeeze us as hard as they can by refusing to sell anything affordable -- by inflating sizes and bloating features to justify way higher MSRPs. Meanwhile the French have access to cheap ICEs like the Skoda Citygo and even ultralight city EVs like the Citroen Ami for half that price while still being easily 90% as capable for most people.

Or for roughly the same price as that bottom-of-the-market US ICE car you can get a totally workable EV like the Dacia Spring.

The US subsidizes huge vehicles in a million pointless ways. I absolutely refuse to believe that vehicle inflation is just caused by some cultural woo. It's mostly just that we create giant roads, giant parking spots, giant highways, and have automakers that intentionally go as big as the market can bear because bigger means more money. And sprinkle on some bullshit tax loopholes and state agencies/NHSTA being ultra-conservative and you have a disaster. Smaller cars thrive in the old world because the old world doesn't make it as convenient as possible to have a goddamn road yacht. They'd go big too, but it would just be a nightmare dealing with those huge cars because their governments don't prioritize making way for them in every way possible.

And that's not even getting into the frankly fine $2-3k EVs you can get in China. This is all just Europe.

"No, not like that!"

They power our cars