Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

With more foresight, the existing houses would have been better renovated and easily converted to heat pumps. So that’s not an argument, it only shows the failure of the last decades of corrupt politics. And that, in turn, is no reason to continue like this and still equip unrenovated houses with new high-temperature heating systems, is it? The same game with cars. The earlier the number of electric cars is large, the sooner they will enter the used market in large numbers and will also be affordable for low-income earners. They will then enjoy maintenance costs that are much lower than they were with combustion engines and have more of their money left and won’t fall into the debt trap. You see – if you think it through to the end, we agree. ;-)

I agree with you in part. But the problem is that the missed years and decades are now supposed to be caught up on the backs of the less well-off people in this country. And I consider that highly socially unjust. Used electric cars have two huge disadvantages. Very expensive new batteries that are needed. And the still required rare raw materials, which are extracted under the most brutal and environmentally harmful conditions.

You, this is really not meant to be offensive, but there are things that I simply do not understand. Getting upset about not being allowed to say "Gypsy schnitzel" is one of those things. Someone can try to explain to me five times what they don't like about it, I will never be able to comprehend it. For all I care, one may find it nonsensical, maybe so, but getting upset about it? Really? And furthermore: what would it bring if I understood it? That wouldn't change my opinion that it is logical not to say "Gypsy schnitzel" anymore – we would be exactly back to the same point. So this discussion is absolutely futile. By the way, I do accept the opinion, but I don't like being called arrogant and hypocritical. "Old, white man" is not an insult, even if that is currently being turned that way here. ;)

And now this is the important point: how exactly would you feel if your opinion no longer wants to be heard in public discourse because it is too futile to deal with it? The motto: it doesn't help anyway, I stick to my opinion and the other is wrong anyway, simply excludes people. People feel unheard, let alone understood. And that is exactly where we have been heading for years. This fuels extremism and the election of fringe parties. I seriously doubt that we have nearly 5 million people in Germany who would follow Höcke in lockstep.

Are you aware that "weiß" in this context refers to hair/beard color and not to skin color???

Honestly, I wasn’t aware :D That’s like saying dead corpse...

And I consider that highly antisocial.

True. So keep doing it in a way that makes it even worse for them and everyone else? I don’t know... We are already in deep *yuck*. Fixing it now won’t be easy. But it can be done in a socially acceptable way. You’d just have to maybe vote accordingly...

Used electric cars have two huge disadvantages. Very expensive new batteries that are needed. And the still required rare raw materials, which are extracted under the most cruel and environmentally damaging conditions.

Neither is (anymore) current. The batteries last longer than the rest of the car and extracting oil is much, much, much more harmful than extracting cobalt and lithium. Both are hardly or no longer used in new batteries by the way, so the problem is already off the table.

True. So keep going in a way that makes it even worse for them and everyone else? I don’t know... We’re already stuck in the *yuck*. Straightening that out now won’t be easy. But it can be done in a socially acceptable way. However, you might have to vote accordingly then...

Both no longer current. The batteries last longer than the rest of the car and extracting oil is much, much, much more harmful than extracting cobalt and lithium. By the way, both are hardly or no longer used in new batteries, so the problem is already off the table.

Yes, it would be good if people voted that way. I have contributed a few ideas on that. To clarify: I am not against these changes, I expressly support them. But we absolutely have to be careful how and with what means it is done.

On the topic of electric cars: Just because oil is STILL worse doesn’t automatically make the extraction of those currently still important elements good. Batteries are being developed that no longer need these raw materials. The price remains questionable.
Batteries do NOT last longer than the rest of the car. The motor lasts forever because there are very few parts and rust should not be an issue depending on precaution.
Batteries lose capacity and (currently still and probably in the near future as well) have to be replaced. And these are expensive. Thus, uninteresting for the used car market.

Only innovations and research in different technologies help. The current mantra-like fixation on one technology is, in my opinion, wrong.

Batteries are being developed that no longer require these raw materials.

They are already being built and driven by many Chinese and partly by Tesla.

Batteries do NOT last longer than the rest of the car.

Batteries lose capacity and have to be replaced.

The numbers say otherwise. So does my used electric car from the first generation. There are defects – but there are defects in combustion engines too. So far, no battery lifespan problem is known for any electric car. And believe me – the media would blow that up so much, we would know about it! ;-)
The Helmholtz Institute (the ones who really know about electric cars) calculate a battery usage in cars of about 20 years. Then the weakest cells are replaced and the battery is "refreshed" and can go back into the car for a few more years. After that, the whole pack then goes into the basement for another 15 years at 80% of the original capacity. So no – batteries are not a serious source of failure in electric cars. Engines, clutches, gearboxes, alternators, starters, exhaust treatment – THOSE were sources of failure.

Only innovations and research in different technologies help.

There is extreme research going on for new and improved batteries?! That’s why range, charging time, and resource usage are no longer a problem. It just takes a few more years until everyone adopts the technology – but it will surely be faster than most petrolheads would like! ;-)