The epoch times

California’s eco-irresponsibility continues with an additional $106 million for hydrogen cars.

Commentary

Back around‍ 2019 when I was then-State Sen. ⁣John Moorlach’s‌ press secretary, a guy from Toyota came over ⁣driving its Mirai hydrogen-powered ​car. It was impressive. We looked​ under the hood at‌ its high-tech engine. The senator ‍drove with the Toyota guy ‌riding shotgun, and me in the back. Nice ride. Now and then ⁤I​ see a Mirai tooling ⁣around.

Would I own one?⁣ Sure, if you ‌gave it to ‍me⁣ and paid for all the taxes, licenses, and shots. For 2023, the MSRP starts at $49,500. ‌That’s the highest price in the marque’s ⁢sedan lineup. But close to the $44,590 for ES Hybrid by Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand.

Related Stories

The Mirai really⁢ is just an experimental car, ‌burning “clean” hydrogen,‍ as a possible future alternative to electric ‍cars. The most​ valuable car company is⁣ Tesla, with a market capitalization ​ of $761 billion. But its fortunes​ depend on erratic CEO Elon Musk.⁢ Second is⁣ Toyota at​ $247 billion, by far⁣ the best of the traditional car companies.‍ So it⁤ has money ​to throw around on experiments. Its hybrid Prius experiment, ⁣introduced in 1997, certainly has ‍paid off big time by giving ‍it a ⁣leap on other companies.

The Mirai ​also depends on an erratic ⁤source, money from the California taxpayers. For now, the gravy train is ​continuing. On Sept. ‌14, the‌ Legislature passed Assembly⁤ Bill 126, by ​Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino). It funded the Clean‍ Transportation Program. A ⁢deal⁣ was ⁤worked out with ⁤Gov. Gavin Newsom, who​ is expected⁢ to sign it.

Among other things, the‍ bill’s language says it would spend “no less‍ than 15 percent of the moneys appropriated ⁢by the Legislature from the​ Alternative and ⁤Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Fund … only until July 1, 2030.” The estimated​ total ‌cost ⁣would be $106 million. It would go ⁤to fund the scarce⁢ hydrogen-fuel filling stations. That’s on top of the $202 million already spent on the fueling stations. Total: $308 ⁤million.

Calmatters noted ‌only about 12,000 ‍hydrogen vehicles run⁢ around California, “about 1% ‌of the 1.1 million zero-emission vehicles on the road today.” And, I would‍ add, just ⁣0.034 percent of⁢ the ​DMV’s ⁣ tally for 2023 of ⁢the 35 million fee-paid vehicles registered here.

They’re rich people’s toys.

Public Private Partnerships

That‍ $308 million, grabbed from all ⁣the DMV fees ​paid by the rest of us, certainly‍ could fill a lot of potholes. But the Green Dream must remain⁣ alive!

This program ⁤was one of⁣ the environmental projects I’ve ‌been writing‌ about in the Epoch Times that were⁢ started by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. All⁤ have been expensive ​and disastrous for the ‌state—although providing plenty of opportunities for posturing ​by him.

In 2004 at U.C. Davis, ⁤he unveiled ‍his California ⁣Hydrogen Highways Network. According to Renewable Energy World at the‍ time,⁢ he signed “an executive ⁤order creating a public and private partnership to build a​ Hydrogen Highway in California by 2010. The governor drove a⁢ hydrogen-powered fuel cell car to ‍the event and refueled it at UC Davis’ new hydrogen fueling⁣ station—the​ first publicly ‍accessible station on California’s Hydrogen Highway. He is the first member of the general ​public to⁤ use it.” And ‌still one of ⁤the few.

Actor and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger poses with the 2016 Toyota Mirai ⁣pace car, a hydrogen fuel-cell ‍electric vehicle, on ⁣pit road‍ prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway in​ Sonoma, Calif., ‌on June 28, 2015. (Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

At the time he ‍enthused, “This is the future of⁤ California and the future of‌ our environmental protection. This starts a new era for clean ‌California transportation.”

Legislative Unreality

The real problem, according to State Sen. ⁣Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), is not the ⁣lack⁤ of enthusiasm by the driving public, but, “The ‍reason it’s behind is because‌ we haven’t made the appropriate investments.”

That is, we need‌ more of the “public-private partnerships” Schwarzenegger⁤ always was prattling about.‍ In⁤ 2009 he published a⁤ column co-written with then-New York Gov. David ‌A. ⁢Paterson ⁢urging: “If we are​ to ‌finance and build a world-class infrastructure for America, we must seek new solutions. And a promising solution is at hand:⁢ public-private partnerships.”

Not coincidentally, it is those two states which ​have lost the ⁤most⁢ population since their‌ column⁣ appeared. The ‍ 2023 ⁤edition of ‌the Laffer-ALEC “Rich States, Poor States” report tallied Cumulative⁣ Domestic Migration (those leaving​ for other states, minus those coming in) between the years 2012 and 2021. For​ California, it was an exodus ‌of‌ 1,551,510; but for New‌ York it was worse,⁤ with 1,778,252 ⁤leaving.

The problem is these projects easily devolve into crony capitalism—the ‌politically connected businesses get the contracts, the rest of us get the bill. The efficiencies of the private sector supposedly are used ​to​ reduce the cost of a public project. But⁢ the‌ real effect is to increase ‍the size of government ‍control over our lives.

Economist Chris Brown for the Mises Institute called ​PPPs “the back door to socialism. ​…​ When ‍government is able to partner with a​ private⁤ company and grant access to land, labor,​ or capital‍ that would not ‌have occurred absent government intervention, everyone’s property ⁤is exposed to the risk ​of government takeover.‍ A private company may not be able to construct a highway through the private property of others. Government, ​through powers of eminent domain,‌ is‌ able to seize ⁤private property from individuals ⁤and construct nearly anything it desires.⁤ In other words, government is able to not only extract money from ⁤private individuals​ (taxes) but also to take away their (more tangible) ⁢private property.”

Mr. Newman, ‍by the way, was recalled in 2018 after he provided the ⁤crucial vote for‍ the unneeded 2017 gas tax increase of $5 billion a year, which‌ contributed to making the state’s gas ‌prices the ⁣highest in America. Inexplicably, in 2020 ‍voters returned him to the Senate.

A ⁤Hyundai Motor’s Nexo hydrogen car‍ is fueled at a hydrogen station in Seoul, South Korea,⁢ on Aug. 13, 2019. (Kim Hong-ji/Reuters)

Conclusion: The Irresponsibility Continues

The $106 million for the hydrogen stations shows the⁣ irresponsibility continues in the Legislature and the rest of the state government. The state⁢ this year ran⁢ up a $31.5 billion‍ budget deficit. ⁢They should ​be cutting every‍ bit of waste. Instead, they just keep wasting. It’s‌ the​ taxpayers’ money,⁤ not theirs,⁣ so why should⁢ the legislators and the governor care?

Any responsible family falling into budget problems cuts all ⁣the waste, even the seemingly little stuff: the Netflix subscription, the trip to​ McDonald’s, the new iPhone—all ‍of it goes. Not so ​the California government. Every expensive indulgence is ⁢maintained. No wonder‌ the state has become a​ global watchword ⁤for misgovernance.

Views expressed ⁢in this article are opinions of the author and⁤ do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Considering⁤ the high cost of the Mirai, what measures‌ are being taken to make it more accessible and affordable for consumers?

The Mirai, a hydrogen-powered car from Toyota, made quite an impression when it was‌ first​ introduced. As a press secretary for then-State Senator John Moorlach in ⁣2019, I had the opportunity to witness this impressive vehicle ⁢firsthand. Under the‌ hood, we marveled at its high-tech engine. I remember the‌ senator driving with the Toyota representative riding shotgun and⁢ me sitting in the back, enjoying ⁢the ride. Since then, I occasionally ⁢spot a Mirai on the road.

The question⁤ arises, would I personally own a Mirai? Certainly, if it were given⁣ to me as a gift and all the⁣ associated expenses such as taxes, licenses, and maintenance were covered. The starting price for the 2023 model ‍is $49,500, making it the most expensive vehicle‌ in Toyota’s sedan lineup, surpassing ‍even the $44,590 price tag of the ES Hybrid ‍by Lexus, Toyota’s ⁢luxury brand.

It’s worth noting that the Mirai is primarily an experimental car, running on clean hydrogen as a ⁢potential alternative to ⁣electric vehicles. In terms of market capitalization, Tesla currently holds the top spot with $761 billion, but its fortunes are closely tied to the leadership of its CEO, Elon Musk. Toyota, on the other hand,⁤ ranks⁣ second‍ with a⁣ market capitalization of $247 billion, making it the most successful traditional car company. This financial stability allows Toyota to invest in experimental ventures like the Mirai. The company’s previous hybrid experiment, the Prius, introduced in 1997, proved to be a significant success and⁣ gave Toyota an edge over ​its competitors.

The success of the Mirai, however, relies heavily‌ on financial support from⁣ California taxpayers. Currently, this support continues through the Clean Transportation Program, which was recently funded⁤ by Assembly Bill 126, introduced by Assemblywoman Eloise Gómez Reyes.⁤ This



" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

Related Articles

Sponsored Content
Back to top button
Available for Amazon Prime
Close

Adblock Detected

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker