Anyone else taking a more serious look at electric cars? .04 cents a mile IF you have to pay for the electricity. Free if you have solar (I do) or if you can get free charging while parked at work. .25 cents a mile on average for an average gasoline powered sedan in a state with average current gas prices. I calculated .43 cents per mile for my 6.0 liter diesel with CA prices, and diesel has gone up since then.
I've been talking about it and watching videos lately. All the problems that made people not want one have been getting eliminated.
Previous reasons people gave for not wanting an EV (Electric vehicle):
1. Short range. Many of them are getting 270 or better miles per charge now. That's more than my compact cargo van. Expected to hit 500 miles per charge or more within a couple of years.
2. Lack of charging stations for long road trips. Not anymore. They are everywhere. There are apps to chart your course form charging station to charging station across the entire country now. This isn't an issue at all for daily driving since you charge at home. While at home under normal daily circumstances, you start every day with a full charge. No more gas station stops ever. Have you seen the lines at Costco or Sam's Club lately?
3. Long charging times. Some of the super chargers now give you an 85% charge in 20 minutes. It takes longer than that for me to potty the dogs, eat, buy fuel and potty myself on long road trips. Again, not an issue anyway for normal daily driving.
4. Battery longevity. Tesla model Y has a battery that is expected to last 300,000-500,000 miles. 500,000-800-000 is expected soon. I know that it exists in rare cases, but I've never had ANY vehicle come close to lasting 300,000 miles.
5. Initial cost. Some EVs are selling in the $30K-$40K range now. Same as any other car.
When I factor in that I never have to stop for fuel in some seedy area, never have to plan a fuel stop into my day since it charges every night at home, never have to do an oil change again, I get free electricity from a solar system that I put in 12 years ago, minimal maintenance time and costs since there is no engine to service, vehicle longevity (I buy cars and use them until they die...)... Someone tell me the down side? I'm aware of the environmental impact of mining the battery components, but is that worse than the environmental impact of oil drilling, refinement, transportation and use as we burn gasoline and diesel by the billions of gallons a day?
People have said: "What if the power grid goes down? Then how will you charge it?" I have solar, and I have four generators. I then ask them: "If the power grid goes down, how will you pump gas at the station. Those are electric gas pumps. Will the gas stations even be open if the power grid goes down?"
Shoot me down if I'm wrong about any of this. Educate me. Why should I not get an EV? Why should anyone not get one?
I've been talking about it and watching videos lately. All the problems that made people not want one have been getting eliminated.
Previous reasons people gave for not wanting an EV (Electric vehicle):
1. Short range. Many of them are getting 270 or better miles per charge now. That's more than my compact cargo van. Expected to hit 500 miles per charge or more within a couple of years.
2. Lack of charging stations for long road trips. Not anymore. They are everywhere. There are apps to chart your course form charging station to charging station across the entire country now. This isn't an issue at all for daily driving since you charge at home. While at home under normal daily circumstances, you start every day with a full charge. No more gas station stops ever. Have you seen the lines at Costco or Sam's Club lately?
3. Long charging times. Some of the super chargers now give you an 85% charge in 20 minutes. It takes longer than that for me to potty the dogs, eat, buy fuel and potty myself on long road trips. Again, not an issue anyway for normal daily driving.
4. Battery longevity. Tesla model Y has a battery that is expected to last 300,000-500,000 miles. 500,000-800-000 is expected soon. I know that it exists in rare cases, but I've never had ANY vehicle come close to lasting 300,000 miles.
5. Initial cost. Some EVs are selling in the $30K-$40K range now. Same as any other car.
When I factor in that I never have to stop for fuel in some seedy area, never have to plan a fuel stop into my day since it charges every night at home, never have to do an oil change again, I get free electricity from a solar system that I put in 12 years ago, minimal maintenance time and costs since there is no engine to service, vehicle longevity (I buy cars and use them until they die...)... Someone tell me the down side? I'm aware of the environmental impact of mining the battery components, but is that worse than the environmental impact of oil drilling, refinement, transportation and use as we burn gasoline and diesel by the billions of gallons a day?
People have said: "What if the power grid goes down? Then how will you charge it?" I have solar, and I have four generators. I then ask them: "If the power grid goes down, how will you pump gas at the station. Those are electric gas pumps. Will the gas stations even be open if the power grid goes down?"
Shoot me down if I'm wrong about any of this. Educate me. Why should I not get an EV? Why should anyone not get one?