13 min
Lightning Costs More These Days, Texas Tax On EVs, Losing Faith In Ed The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
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- Business
FRRRIIIIDDDAAAY CLLLLOOOOSSSEEE! As everyone gets their running shoes on to close the month, we’re talking about another price increase for the F150 Lightning, Texas’ newly proposed tax on EVs, and Americans losing faith in higher education.
Show Notes with links:
Ford increased prices yet again for its F-150 Lightning electric pickup due to high costs, material prices, and supply chain constraints with the base price of $61,869, including shipping being 50% higher than the base price when the truck launched just a year agoThe Lariat Standard now starts at $75,974, while the Platinum range begins at $98,074The company cites strong demand as the model is sold-out for retail customers as commercial order banks prepare to open in mid-April.Ford just got the F150 Lightning factory back online earlier this month after recalling 18 electric trucks due to a battery-cell manufacturing defectThe company is aiming for an 8% pretax margin by late 2026 despite an anticipated $3 billion loss in its electric-vehicle business unit this year.In a bid to recoup lost gas tax revenues, Texas is considering a $200 annual fee for EV owners to contribute to the state's road repair budget. Critics argue the fee is unfair, as fuel-efficient vehicles pay less in gasoline excise tax. Texas funds a significant portion of its roadworks through a gasoline excise tax, prompting legislators to find alternative revenue sources as fossil fuel usage declines.Critics argue that the proposed $200 fee for EV owners is excessive, with some suggesting a fairer amount of $100, similar to California's fee.Some researchers and states are considering introducing an annual fee based on mileage to address privacy concerns and provide a fairer charge for EV drivers.
Americans' faith in higher education is dropping quickly as a new WSJ-NORC poll reveals that a majority, 56%, now believe earning a four-year college degree is a bad bet, while 42% still have faith in its value.As recent as 2013, the numbers were basically flipped as 53% of Americans advocated for college and only 40% showed skepticismSkepticism is strongest among people aged 18-34 and those with college degrees, indicating a potential shift in higher education's future.Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, said, “These findings are indeed sobering for all of us in higher education, and in some ways, a wake-up call. We need to do a better job at storytelling, but we need to improve our practice, that seems to me to be the only recipe I know of regaining public confidence.”Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
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Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email
FRRRIIIIDDDAAAY CLLLLOOOOSSSEEE! As everyone gets their running shoes on to close the month, we’re talking about another price increase for the F150 Lightning, Texas’ newly proposed tax on EVs, and Americans losing faith in higher education.
Show Notes with links:
Ford increased prices yet again for its F-150 Lightning electric pickup due to high costs, material prices, and supply chain constraints with the base price of $61,869, including shipping being 50% higher than the base price when the truck launched just a year agoThe Lariat Standard now starts at $75,974, while the Platinum range begins at $98,074The company cites strong demand as the model is sold-out for retail customers as commercial order banks prepare to open in mid-April.Ford just got the F150 Lightning factory back online earlier this month after recalling 18 electric trucks due to a battery-cell manufacturing defectThe company is aiming for an 8% pretax margin by late 2026 despite an anticipated $3 billion loss in its electric-vehicle business unit this year.In a bid to recoup lost gas tax revenues, Texas is considering a $200 annual fee for EV owners to contribute to the state's road repair budget. Critics argue the fee is unfair, as fuel-efficient vehicles pay less in gasoline excise tax. Texas funds a significant portion of its roadworks through a gasoline excise tax, prompting legislators to find alternative revenue sources as fossil fuel usage declines.Critics argue that the proposed $200 fee for EV owners is excessive, with some suggesting a fairer amount of $100, similar to California's fee.Some researchers and states are considering introducing an annual fee based on mileage to address privacy concerns and provide a fairer charge for EV drivers.
Americans' faith in higher education is dropping quickly as a new WSJ-NORC poll reveals that a majority, 56%, now believe earning a four-year college degree is a bad bet, while 42% still have faith in its value.As recent as 2013, the numbers were basically flipped as 53% of Americans advocated for college and only 40% showed skepticismSkepticism is strongest among people aged 18-34 and those with college degrees, indicating a potential shift in higher education's future.Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, said, “These findings are indeed sobering for all of us in higher education, and in some ways, a wake-up call. We need to do a better job at storytelling, but we need to improve our practice, that seems to me to be the only recipe I know of regaining public confidence.”Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/
JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email
13 min