Car culture is one of the most destructive, isolating, and resource-intensive systems we’ve normalized in modern society. It pollutes the environment, fragments communities, increases economic inequality, and turns transportation into a private burden instead of a shared right. The myth that switching to electric vehicles (EVs) will fix this problem is one of the most dangerous lies being sold by both corporations and liberal policy makers. EVs still rely on extractive supply chains, require vast energy inputs, and reinforce the same logic of car dependency that created the crisis in the first place.

Electric cars may reduce tailpipe emissions, but they do not solve congestion, road deaths, urban sprawl, or the massive infrastructure costs that car dependency imposes. Nor do they address the fact that personal vehicles remain unaffordable for millions. What we need is not just cleaner cars—we need fewer cars. The answer lies in building robust, accessible, and fully public mass transit: buses, trains, subways, light rail, and walkable urban design. These systems reduce emissions, provide equitable access, and strengthen social connection.

Any utopian or even functional society of the future will rely on excellent mass transfer systems. Public transit is the foundation of collective mobility. It allows everyone—not just those who can afford private vehicles—to access education, healthcare, work, and community. And it must be nationalized. Transportation should not be left in the hands of private companies whose goal is profit, not service. Corporate control of transit leads to underfunding, limited coverage, and high fares. Nationalized, democratically accountable transportation systems can provide comprehensive, efficient service at low or no cost to users—because mobility is a right, not a luxury.

This isn’t a fantasy. The United States already has the technical knowledge, labor, and infrastructure to begin this shift now. What holds us back is the stranglehold of capitalist corporations—auto manufacturers, oil companies, suburban developers—who profit from keeping us car-dependent. Once we remove corporate influence from public policy, we can redirect funding from endless highways and car subsidies into building a transportation system that serves people, not profits.

Public transit is not just a practical solution—it’s a moral and political imperative. A livable, just future depends on it.