You guys with your gas-powered vehicles are so out of touch. It’s a dead technology and we should abandon it altogether. I’m going to stick to my horse and buggy.
(EV deniers, this is what you sound like.)
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This thread after gas creeping up to $4.5 a gallon with no end in sight.
My plug-in hybrid still getting 60 mpg, even at 12 years old, when I do have to use gas.
But it’s a fad, like the hula hoop.
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“For approximately $51,456, the average price of a new car in the U.S. as of March 2026, consumers can purchase five new, small Chinese electric vehicles. Due to intense competition and state-directed efficiency, top-selling Chinese EV models from brands like BYD and Geely start under $12,000, while offering 300+ mile ranges based on local testing standards”
The US no longer leads the world. Kinda sad really.
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Also, I really love my hybrid Escape lately. And did eventually go over 650 miles on a single tank. 663.1 with 10 miles left (maybe)!
It may have been discussed previously, but I hadn’t really thought about it until yesterday. I saw a commercial for Honda battery operated lawn mowers and such. Then of course walked past landscapers this morning using the gas powered equipment still. I wonder just how popular the conversion to battery powered equipment for that is.
I own a gas mower but used an electric recently. My next will definitely be electric. The pricing is fairly close.
You can get a cheap gas self-propelled for 300 bucks and I’m eyeing an electric that is just under 400.
Way less noise and not having to deal with gas and oil, I’ll pay extra for that. I wouldn’t be surprised if by the time I do buy the electric is less for the same price as gas. It’s down from three or four years ago and I think that trend will continue.
As for lawn services though I can see why they would use gas. The batteries are basically size so you can do one lawn on a charge. That’s not going to work for commercial mowers. Sure they can have a bunch of batteries stocked and ready but it’s going to take more I think for them to transition to electric. Maybe HOAs requiring it? I know I would like that in my neighborhood. Every freaking Thursday those guys start before 8:00 a.m. and the noise is ridiculous. I think the loudest thing is the blowers.
Yea, the not having to deal with gas and oil really is what I was thinking would be a major selling point. You’re right on the HOA likely going to be the driver of that switch. I have no idea if electric commercial mowers are feasible yet.
https://www.autoblog.com/news/hybrids-are-now-the-fastest-selling-cars-in-the-u-s
I imagine Ford might be reconsidering cancelling the Hybrid Escape.
A hybrid isn’t really an EV particularly non plug-in types. They’re still ICEs (with a little extra MPG) with all due maintenance.
Granted that PHEVs can theoretically never need gas but that’s if it’s hardly ever driven or for very short distances.
Don’t see such a grand future for hybrids. EVs are the future.
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Yep, hybrids are just the bridge to Ev’s.
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It’s so sad to see the US going in reverse on new car technology. The people
that think it’s a hula hoop fad got is into this mess.
Global EV sales in early 2026 show continued, albeit moderated, growth, with forecasts reaching 22.7 million units for the year. While Q1 saw a notable dip in China (-26%) and North America (-36%), Europe saw strong growth (+21%), with over 224,000 new EVs registered in March alone, achieving a 22% market share.[1, 2, 3]
Key Regional 2026 Sales Data (Q1 Highlights)
- China: Despite a slow start to the year, China remains the largest market, holding a ~50% market share in early 2026.
- Europe: EV sales grew by 33.5% in Q1 compared to 2025, with major markets (Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland) recording growth over 40%.
- North America: Experienced a slow start in 2026, with an estimated ~6% market share in Q1.
- Growth Markets: Other regions (rest of the world) showed significant growth, with a 79% to 84% increase in sales in the first few months. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
This is the byproduct of having a privatized energy industry.
It’s shareholders that are essentially making the decisions, and because Big Oil has such an enormous grip on policy with bribery, nothing can truly get done.
The positive news is that this Iran War could potentially be the catalyst that speeds up EV adaptation.
I’ve been reading about the BYD hybrid pickup, pretty interesting
I’ve been holding on to my F-150 with over 260,000 miles just because I need a pickup every now and then.
Was very tempted to get a Ford Maverick hybrid last year.