Besides cost, what keeps you from buying an EV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wonder what will happen when the first mass evacuation of an area needs to occur, the power goes out, and all these EVs will be stranded along the way. Can someone enlighten me as to how this will work?

If you live on the Outer Banks or in the Keys, this might be a problem for you. If you live in the DMV and are planning your life around mass evacuations, you’re wasting a lot of opportunities, and not just EVs. Also, if there’s a mass evacuation because of a nuclear bomb ir something, you’ll be fried before you can get in your gas guzzler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wonder what will happen when the first mass evacuation of an area needs to occur, the power goes out, and all these EVs will be stranded along the way. Can someone enlighten me as to how this will work?

It's also not uncommon to see minimal gas available in disaster zones, so just a different version of what already happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My next car will be a plug-in hybrid or all-electric. I don't need a new car right now and prices are high. At some point the right deal will come along and I'll jump on it.

I mentioned this on my Facebook feed (I know!) and it's amazing how many of my friends instantly started feeding me lots of junk articles about how awful EVs are. It's as if there is a major industry out there paying money to sway people's opinions the other way whenever I mention heat waves in Europe or EVs or my job in the solar industry

The local lifers near our family lake house were writing in angry letters to the tiny newspaper because the village was exploring installing some public EV chargers. Mind you with state and energy company credits, installing costs the village $0. Yet these people were sending in unhinged letters on how it’s going to ruin downtown and cost local taxpayers money (somehow?). Very weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cost is pretty much it. Plus I'll need to upgrade the electrical panel at my house.

+1

I'm also waiting to see which carmakers will produce the best electric car over several generations. We keep cars forever. Not interested in being one of Elon Musk's guinea pigs or in paying him for the pleasure. We'll also need to get to full interoperability in all-things charging.

[Anonymous]

This is a funny thread. If there was a disaster an EV would be charged and have range at the time of the accident. An ICE vehicle might be full and might have an eight of a tank. Either way, the grid will come ba K online before lines at the pump disappear.

[Anonymous]

You can’t pump gas without electricity.

[Anonymous]

I also can't emphasize this enough: since I've gotten an EV i haven't had to deal with shit, gum, or other horrific substances on gas pumps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We drive our non Tesla EV up and down the east coast all the time. The naysayers saying that they would buy but for the infrastructure are ten years out of step. You can road trip in them anywhere. Two weeks ago we went DC to Naples FL. Super easy and getting better. Just don't stick to your ten year old talking points.

Nope - went from MD to Maine - f'ing disaster trying to find a charging station

then either you took every back road possible and avoided civilization at all costs or you're just an idiot. On I-95 alone, between DC and Philly, there are 3 rest areas with super chargers - Maryland House, Chesapeake House and the Delaware rest area. They are literally on I-95. If you use the Tesla navigation, it shows you the charging stations on your route.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:For those who think EV doesn’t run on coal, you better rethink that! Just what do you think still powers our electrical grid. An electric grid which could never support every American driving an EV.

+1. Only a fraction of the electricity made in the US is from renewable sources. Most US electricity is generated from natural gas, nuclear energy, coal, and petroleum. I wouldn’t spend extra money to get an electric car that essentially runs on fossil fuel and has an expensive battery that will make the car a junk heap. I don’t think this is better for the environment. It’s for rich liberals to broadcast that they “care” about the environment.

Lol 60% of the grid production in the US is fossil fuels generated and only 21% of that is coal. Natural Gas accounts for 39% of the power production and releases 50% less carbon vs coal. Nuclear 19% and renewables 20%(oh looks there is is the same as coal). Driving an EV reduces emissions by 75% vs GV but it depends on your mpg.

Now the real reason why EVs will dominate the market is they are extremely fun to drive- fast, quick and quite plus little maintenance(just tires and bakes). You are one of those foolish conservatives who has never driven an EV because of your political beliefs. Man live your life and stop worrying about owning the libs.

EVs are totally superior to GV. A friend has a Porsche GV and an EV. He and his wife fight about driving the EV because it is quicker and more fun to drive. He does not give a sh#t about the environment or emissions. He has already told me his next Porsche will be an EV. The f150 has already changed the industry. EVs are not just for the rich. Adopt or die.

Agree with some of this, but even buying a new EV or GV vehicle every few years is not necessarily earth friendly. Are EVs and GVs equally “recyclable”? Are their components obtained in an equally environmentally detrimental/friendly way? Is nickel mining better than oil drilling?

All that aside the one downside of EVs that concerns me is what happens when the battery dies while you’re on the road. Scary in GVs too but I’ve heard that you cannot coast to the side of the road. Why is there no neutral gear equivalent in EV design? Seems like this should be doable. Is there some benefit of not having that ability (to coast when the car is off) that I’m missing?

that's all part of innovation - those things will come in time. Just like the GVs, there's a breakthrough in design, concept, tech. every few years. Did the lack of relative innovation prevent you from buying a GV 15-20 years ago? Probably not.

Consider the current "fleet of EVs" as 2nd generation (Prius' and the like being 1st generation). The difference is night and day. With all the new entrants into the market, and with time, space and resources to continue to refine, the manufacturers will figure out all these things.

“…with time…”

So, those concerned about such issues will wait till the industry works them out. That’s a legit reason not to get one now, which is the OP’s Q.

perhaps. but is that how OP make decisions about cars, fretting over issues that really outside the norm? if so, then OP must have been riding the horse and buggy until only recently, since the new safety and tech didn't really become mainstream up until a few years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wonder what will happen when the first mass evacuation of an area needs to occur, the power goes out, and all these EVs will be stranded along the way. Can someone enlighten me as to how this will work?

(a) when was the last time there was a mass evacuation of the D.C. area? (People will say 9/11, but on 9/11, I stayed at work a few blocks from the White House all day because I was a reporter, so for me personally, that doesn't as a reason to prefer a gas car. Either way, it's quite rare.)
(b) if you're concerned about a mass evacuation, and you can charge your car at home, you can charge to 80 percent every night, which would be enough to get you about 200 to 220 miles away from here. If the situation is bad enough that the power is also out that far away, I'm not sure why you think buying gas is going to be any easier.
(c) Anyway, EVs don't really use much electricity idling in traffic, unlike gas cars. You won't run out of battery just sitting in a crush of other cars trying to get somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:limited range
long long lines at charging stations around the US

Which cars have unlimited range? They are all limited to some point.

We have a Bolt and do almost all of our charging at home, but I've never seen long lines, or even lines at charging stations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:For those who think EV doesn’t run on coal, you better rethink that! Just what do you think still powers our electrical grid. An electric grid which could never support every American driving an EV.

+1. Only a fraction of the electricity made in the US is from renewable sources. Most US electricity is generated from natural gas, nuclear energy, coal, and petroleum. I wouldn’t spend extra money to get an electric car that essentially runs on fossil fuel and has an expensive battery that will make the car a junk heap. I don’t think this is better for the environment. It’s for rich liberals to broadcast that they “care” about the environment.

Lol 60% of the grid production in the US is fossil fuels generated and only 21% of that is coal. Natural Gas accounts for 39% of the power production and releases 50% less carbon vs coal. Nuclear 19% and renewables 20%(oh looks there is is the same as coal). Driving an EV reduces emissions by 75% vs GV but it depends on your mpg.

Now the real reason why EVs will dominate the market is they are extremely fun to drive- fast, quick and quite plus little maintenance(just tires and bakes). You are one of those foolish conservatives who has never driven an EV because of your political beliefs. Man live your life and stop worrying about owning the libs.

EVs are totally superior to GV. A friend has a Porsche GV and an EV. He and his wife fight about driving the EV because it is quicker and more fun to drive. He does not give a sh#t about the environment or emissions. He has already told me his next Porsche will be an EV. The f150 has already changed the industry. EVs are not just for the rich. Adopt or die.

Agree with some of this, but even buying a new EV or GV vehicle every few years is not necessarily earth friendly. Are EVs and GVs equally “recyclable”? Are their components obtained in an equally environmentally detrimental/friendly way? Is nickel mining better than oil drilling?

All that aside the one downside of EVs that concerns me is what happens when the battery dies while you’re on the road. Scary in GVs too but I’ve heard that you cannot coast to the side of the road. Why is there no neutral gear equivalent in EV design? Seems like this should be doable. Is there some benefit of not having that ability (to coast when the car is off) that I’m missing?

that's all part of innovation - those things will come in time. Just like the GVs, there's a breakthrough in design, concept, tech. every few years. Did the lack of relative innovation prevent you from buying a GV 15-20 years ago? Probably not.

Consider the current "fleet of EVs" as 2nd generation (Prius' and the like being 1st generation). The difference is night and day. With all the new entrants into the market, and with time, space and resources to continue to refine, the manufacturers will figure out all these things.

“…with time…”

So, those concerned about such issues will wait till the industry works them out. That’s a legit reason not to get one now, which is the OP’s Q.

perhaps. but is that how OP make decisions about cars, fretting over issues that really outside the norm? if so, then OP must have been riding the horse and buggy until only recently, since the new safety and tech didn't really become mainstream up until a few years ago.

Perhaps. You probably “fret” over things that PP is comfortable with. Off you go now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can’t pump gas without electricity.

Or a manual gas pump.

[Anonymous]

We’ve had hybrid since 2005. Currently, my car only has 65K on it and runs fine. Both cars long paid off. I don’t replace cars unless absolutely necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me it is two things:

The lack of infrastructure as far as charging stations for someone who drives long distances

How slow it takes to charge an EV versus how quickly I can fill up my car.

This: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/electric-car-battery-replacement-costs-more-than-car/67-46243c70-124b-43e9-9a6e-fca01dc40cc4

And making and disposing of batteries isn't as environmentally friendly as well so the overall impact on nature may be a wash vis-a-vis gas powered cars.....