(17 Mar 2021, 9:21 am)streetdeckfan wrote Why would that be the case regarding electric cars. The only reason electric cars are still so expensive is because people think they need ~300 miles range, when a battery half the size with half the range would be more than sufficient. Even still, price of batteries is still coming down, I'd estimate in 5 years the price of electric vehicles will be lower than that of an ICE car since the rest of the parts are so much cheaper.

As for ENCTS, I personally think it should be means tested, and treated as the 'benefit' that it is. I don't think that people who can afford to travel by bus should have free bus travel, in the same way I think it should be open to all ages, based on their need rather than age. 

I've never been keen on doing that. Apart from any administrative costs behind the scenes, you're actually putting barriers in place. When the opposite should be done imo. You want people on buses. 
My parents are both retired and both still have their driving licences. They use the bus to Newcastle because (for them) it is cheaper than parking. Not because it is easy, convenient or because it has WiFi.
Assuming others are the same, then introducing a token fare impacts on how cheap the bus actually is and suddenly makes using it less attractive. Regardless of any associated behind the scenes impact or admin costs.