Time to focus on price of EVs, not gas-powered vehicles

Re: “The EPA’s plan would damage working-class car buyers,” April 26 commentary

The opinion piece by Charles J. Murray is exactly on point. I have been watching the rebates for electric cars and the engineering of the current versions. I would love to own an electric car. However, despite the rebates, the cost of electric cars is still far more than I care to pay for any vehicle as I’ve commented to friends for months. As Murray mentions, raising the price of gas-powered vehicles creates a false, free-market economy for electric vehicles and places consumers at a disadvantage. Why isn’t technology for EVs a greater priority?

Mariann Storck, Wheat Ridge

Readers offer price checks on EVs, hybrids

Re: “The EPA’s plan would damage working-class car buyers Electric vehicles,” April 26 commentary

Charles J. Murray argues the EPA’s fee increase on gas cars will create a hardship for working-class car buyers. There is more to the cost of a car than the sticker price.

I have a modestly priced 2020 EV ($26,000 after rebates). I charge it at my home on a 110 outlet. My driving is local but I can drive over 200 miles if needed. I have driven this EV 33,000 miles. I have not spent a dime on gas, oil, air filters, tune-ups, belts, or fluids other than windshield washer fluid. I never need an emissions test. The power plant makes electricity more efficiently than a car burns gas, so my cost per mile is about three cents ($0.12 per KwH) or $990 total. The comparable cost using gasoline is about 12 cents per mile (30 mpg at $3.50 per gallon) or $3,850 total. I do have a larger car payment ($53 more) and an electric bill that increased $20 per month, but I am not spending $150 to $200 dollars a month on gas, oil, etc., so my car is actually less expensive to drive than a comparable gas-powered car.

All this is to say that a car buyer can break even or save a few bucks if they opt for an EV. Oh, and reduce C02 emissions by 13 lbs. (20 pounds per gallon for gas-powered vehicles minus 7 pounds EV usage) for every 30 miles they drive. Because even if the EPA didn’t say it, this is about the environment.

Scott Lessard, Aurora

Re: “Time to focus on price of EVs, not gas-powered vehicles,” April 27 letter to the editor

A letter writer states that she would love to own an electric car but they cost too much. Why does no one talk about plug-in hybrids? They are ideal for folks who don’t drive long distances and who can plan ahead.

My husband started searching for a hybrid in 2021. He was on waiting lists with various brands but there were no available all-wheel drive SUVs (a Colorado must). In November 2021, he had a Level 2 charger installed in our garage. In 2022 Hyundai notified us that a Tucson plug-in was available and we pounced. The range is much farther than advertised. We drive 60-70 miles on a charge. It takes 2 hours and 14 KW to charge. We have filled the gas tank about five times in the year and a half we’ve driven it. At $37K list, and including the $1,500 cost for the charging station, federal and state rebates reduced the net cost to well below $30K, comparing well with new AWD SUVs.

Cynthia Gallegos, Denver

Sports leagues expose hypocrisy on gambling

Re: “NFL suspends five players for violating gambling policy,” April 22 sports story

Recently, the NFL punished players for gambling — three were suspended for the 2023 season for betting on NFL games. Almost immediately, two of the players were released by their teams, and their careers may be over. This is the ultimate example of hypocrisy. These players are being punished for doing what the NFL wants its fans to do: gamble on games. There is no evidence that any games were compromised.

For as long as I can remember, MLB had considered gambling as an evil activity. The Black Sox (the 1919 Chicago White Sox) scandal resulted in the banishment of several players. Pete Rose, who merits inclusion in the Hall of Fame, has been banned from consideration because of gambling he did after his playing days were over. Now MLB wholeheartedly embraces gambling by its fans. On MLB.TV, we are inundated with ads extolling the virtue of online gambling.

Many people who gamble think they can make a quick buck. Many of these people cannot afford to lose, but losing is what gamblers spend most of their time doing. There are many examples of lives ruined by gambling. Professional sports should be ashamed of their addiction to sports gambling — and they should stop doing it immediately, but there is too much money in it. They don’t care if some of their fans’ lives are being ruined. At the least, they should get rid of their hypocrisy regarding athletes doing what they want their fans to do.

James W. Craft, Broomfield

State’s efforts on housing commendable

Seeing the state government taking up zoning and land-use reform is encouraging.

For decades, Colorado has built out into the suburbs, with detached single-family housing accounting for the vast majority of new construction. This is a bad model, for a variety of reasons. This type of sparse development is impossible to efficiently serve with public transit. It adds infrastructure costs, such as extra roads, plumbing, etc. It erodes the physical space allotted to wild plants and animals. Perhaps most importantly, government limits on the type of housing that can be built drive up the cost of this basic human need, hurting everyone, especially those without financial means.

Local governments often don’t want to allow new housing of different types, whether for fear of parking availability, noise, the false notion that new construction will adversely impact property values, prejudice towards renters, fear of change, or some other boogeyman.

The state is courageous for taking this up and can prevent a race to the bottom whereby numerous cities prevent development locally, so it ends up getting choked out across the state or relegated to the periphery of metropolitan areas. This is critically important; Many have argued convincingly that the nation’s housing shortage is at the root of many problems.

This should not be a scary prospect for Coloradans. Many highly livable global cities, such as Amsterdam and Paris, have well over double Denver’s population density. We should support Senate Bill 23-213, and build a more sustainable, affordable, and accessible Colorado.

Mitchell Vogel, Denver

Echoing plea from the White House

I hear that Joe Biden wants a second term to “finish the job.” I’m guessing every first-term president, beginning with George Washington, has made that plea. FDR was elected four times and died with the “job” undone. I’ll bet even Donald Trump used the line at some point as he tried to keep the job after losing it.

One of these days, a president may actually get ‘er done. She or he can lock the White House door and put up a sign “job’s done, gone fishing.” I’ll bet a lot of voters would applaud.

Harry Puncec, Lakewood