Would You Like an Electric Car?

dilettante said:
Unlikely.

Sales have already tanked as the market reached oversaturation. Aside from China most countries are backing down on their aggressive mandate schedules. EVs simply aren't for for purpose and the product lifecycle is anti-green, coal-burners are not the answer.

It gets more ridiculous by the day:

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I think you must be reading propaganda by the oil industry. I read a couple days ago, that new ICE car registrations peaked in 2017 and gas sales peaked the following year. And what so many ignore, is that development continues every year and EV's will just get better and better.

And according to YOUR Dept. of Energy, interest and sales continues to grow.

Correcting The Record About Electric Vehicle Sales
From the link:

Myth #3: Consumer interest is waning.​

Reality: Consumer interest in electric vehicles has been steadily increasing, driven by various factors such as environmental consciousness, government incentives, advancements in battery technology that improve range, and a growing charging infrastructure. According to a survey done by JD Power, of June 2023, 63% of consumers are considering an EV, compared to 57% in 2021. Major automobile manufacturers have recognized this shift and are investing heavily in electric vehicles to meet the surge in demand.
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While the demand may be cooling slightly, it's primarily the cost at this point and the state of our economies globally. With inflation still higher than we're used to, and the cost of food in people's minds, it's natural that people become more cautious as far as big expensive buys are concerned. What doesn't help is that there is a higher up front cost but also a lack of awareness that the cost to drive these things is lower than for your ICE vehicle. Over the life of my car, I'll spend less money on maintenance, repairs and 'fuel'.

A couple years ago in a discussion, I read one woman's comment and she said, that before she switched from whatever she was driving to her new EV, she was spending $300 a month for her commute costs and day to day driving. After she switched, her power bill only went up $25. All those offset the initial purchase price and you still get to work on time.
 

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That simply is not true at all.

Dealers are frustrated by the piling unsold inventory of EVs. Manufacturers have slowed or stopped production, idled entire plants, and halted plans to build new ones.

Once the subsidies dry up and electricity rates increase to support this frivolous load sales will zero out and the public will be furious. When minor traffic damage can lead to a bill of $60,000 even fanatics won't want to buy another one.
 
dilettante said:
Dealers are frustrated by the piling unsold inventory of EVs.
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I read an article that said the dealers themselves are causing the problem, because they don't want to sell EV cars. Dealerships make a significant portion of their money from servicing cars, and they lose that future income when they sell EV cars.
 

Debrah N. said:
I think you must be reading propaganda by the oil industry. I read a couple days ago, that new ICE car registrations peaked in 2017 and gas sales peaked the following year. And what so many ignore, is that development continues every year and EV's will just get better and better.

And according to YOUR Dept. of Energy, interest and sales continues to grow.

Correcting The Record About Electric Vehicle Sales
From the link:

Myth #3: Consumer interest is waning.​

Reality: Consumer interest in electric vehicles has been steadily increasing, driven by various factors such as environmental consciousness, government incentives, advancements in battery technology that improve range, and a growing charging infrastructure. According to a survey done by JD Power, of June 2023, 63% of consumers are considering an EV, compared to 57% in 2021. Major automobile manufacturers have recognized this shift and are investing heavily in electric vehicles to meet the surge in demand.
***************

While the demand may be cooling slightly, it's primarily the cost at this point and the state of our economies globally. With inflation still higher than we're used to, and the cost of food in people's minds, it's natural that people become more cautious as far as big expensive buys are concerned. What doesn't help is that there is a higher up front cost but also a lack of awareness that the cost to drive these things is lower than for your ICE vehicle. Over the life of my car, I'll spend less money on maintenance, repairs and 'fuel'.

A couple years ago in a discussion, I read one woman's comment and she said, that before she switched from whatever she was driving to her new EV, she was spending $300 a month for her commute costs and day to day driving. After she switched, her power bill only went up $25. All those offset the initial purchase price and you still get to work on time.
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I do not know where these people are getting those numbers from. If you keep up with the stock market news, monthly reports of deliveries and sales from EV manufacturers paint a different picture.
 
Michael Z said:
In doing a little searching around, I found a video by respected car expert Scotty Kilmer addressing this. The EV and Hybrid vehicles at very high risk are those that experienced saltwater flooding (hurricanes). He described such vehicles as “ticking time bombs”, and explained why.
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I'm a car enthusiast and I love Scotty Kilmer. He comes off like an idiot but he really knows his stuff!
 
Happyflowerlady said:
Two of my children have hybrid vehicles and they love theirs. My oldest son has had a Prius for quite a few years now, both he and his wife, and I am pretty sure that my oldest grandson also has a Prius , too.
My daughter has a MiniCooper and it is also a hybrid, but can be plugged in and charged. Before she got her job overseas (where she is now), her job required almost constant travel, and she often stayed at hotels, and was able to charge her car there at night.

My son does most of his own maintenance on his Prisus’es, although they have not needed much from what he has said to me. He lived in northern Idaho, so had very cold winters and had no problems with the battery not charging.

Since I do not drive very far, I would probably be fine with an electric vehicle, or a hybrid, and would not mind having one if I were going to get another vehicle.
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I have owned a Prius since about 2018. A hybrid is not much like an EV. An EV only has one source of engery generation and that's batteries. A Hybrid has three sources of energy, the 4-cylinder gas engine, the electric motor and the big hybrid batteries. All three work together to create the energy that makes the car go.

The old-fashioned gas car is powered by one energy source alone, the internal combustion gas engine.

The only big problem I've ever had with a hybrid is when the catalytic converter failed. That is a big, expensive problem I could not afford to fix. Plus, the car had many miles on it so was fixing it worth the price? I sold the car to a big chain auto dealer, paid off my loan balance, then bought another used Prius. Once you get used to 40+ MPG it's pretty tough to go back to 25 MPG, the average city MPG for gas-only cars.

If you choose to get a hyrbrid, look into the plug-in ones. Again, as a renter, I doubt there's even an outlet outside where I could plug-in my plug-in hybrid. The way the plug-ins work, I have read, is that the car is designed to let you drive the first 40-60 miles on battery power alone before the 3-part system kicks in. If someone has a commute to work that's less than 40 miles and can plug-in at work, they can actually run it all day on battery power alone. No gas needed. Pretty sweet.
 
Debrah N. said:
Batteries have a life expectancy of 150,000 to 200,000 miles and once they aren't holding a charge good enough to drive, the old ones can be repurposed to storing power for home/business solar systems. As well, I believe they're well on their way to being able to recycle the materials from EV batteries. As for safety, I read that out of 15,000 cars, only 1.5% have had to be replaced early and according to the Berkley California University, a combustion engine is more likely to explode.

We traveled from Calgary to Vancouver last summer, through the Rockies and the chargers we found were mostly off the beaten track in parking lots near parks or small business facilities. Not in the commonly noticed areas where gas stations locate. So maybe they are there, you just aren't noticing them. Especially as they might be only two units standing in an obscure corner somewhere. Also, we were just learning how to use them, didn't understand the process and they have support numbers to call and those folks are EXCELLENT at walking you through it.
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Best EV charging station apps: ChargeHub, PlugShare, and more | Digital Trends. EV drivers use apps to find the charging stations.
 
I just found a new "AI advisor" that actually will do some deep research. I am not sure if it is political or not, just something else that is coming to a theater near you. :) I asked it..."are they dangerous? I have seen pictures of them exploding"


Electric cars are generally safe and can offer a more environmentally friendly driving experience. However, like any other form of technology, there may be risks associated with electric vehicles, including the potential for battery malfunctions or fires in extreme cases. It's important to stay informed about the safety features and maintenance recommendations specific to electric car models to make an informed decision. Ultimately, choosing an electric car is a personal choice that involves considering various factors such as environmental impact, cost savings, and safety considerations.
4:59:02 AM

First, I will evaluate the general safety of electric cars and investigate any known risks associated with battery malfunctions or fires. Then, I'll search for information on the safety features and maintenance recommendations specific to electric car models. Lastly, I'll provide a comprehensive view to explain potential safety concerns based on my research findings.
4:59:20 AM

After extensively researching about the overall safety of electric cars and investigating any known risks of battery malfunctions or fires, it has been determined that while all vehicles have inherent risks, modern electric cars generally have rigorous manufacturing standards to ensure their safe operation. Regarding photographs of exploding electric cars, these instances are extremely rare but can be caused by thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.

However, manufacturers have developed numerous strategies to mitigate this issue including advanced battery management systems as well as thermal monitoring technology built into the batteries themselves. As part of vehicle maintenance guidelines laid out by most manufacturers and mandated by government entities, regular inspections play a big role in preventing such events from occurring.

It's important for owners to follow recommended service schedules set forth in their owner's manual which typically include tasks like visual inspections for wear or damage among other items. Overall conclusion: While there is always an element of risk when dealing with high-energy storage devices like those found in modern EVs (electric vehicles), major automotive associations stand behind their commitment towards innovation ensuring safe road usage through extensive testing results surrounding crashworthiness & fire prevention technology used particularly involving large scale energy storage
 
seadoug said:
I'm a car enthusiast and I love Scotty Kilmer. He comes off like an idiot but he really knows his stuff!
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Yeah I'm subscribed to his YouTube Channel too. He does know his stuff and if I have an auto problem I'll listen to him. But I wish he would keep his hands in his pockets. :ROFLMAO: If you don't know what I mean by that, watch his videos and you will see. Believe me, it will only take 1 video to see. :ROFLMAO:
 
seadoug said:
I'm a car enthusiast and I love Scotty Kilmer. He comes off like an idiot but he really knows his stuff!
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Yes, he does know what he is talking about, even though he is a bit goofy. My wife is his biggest fan - sometimes I will do an impersonation of him for my wife, which she enjoys, ranting in a high pitched voice and waving my arms about.
 
My friends have two Teslas... the big sedan and the hatchback. They took us to dinner in the sedan. The pano glass roof panel made the view outside incredible. However, I found the car pretty sparse inside and I'm not one to like a huge tablet in front of me that controls everything. My friend did floor the Tesla and it was so fast I think I "lost my stomach".
 
Most of them aside from the early underpowered minicars do have high torque and acceleration. I'm not sure that's always a good thing though, young drivers get in a lot of trouble already.
 
HoneyNut said:
I read an article that said the dealers themselves are causing the problem, because they don't want to sell EV cars. Dealerships make a significant portion of their money from servicing cars, and they lose that future income when they sell EV cars.
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the source of this article was??????????????
 
Half of Ford dealers sit out the EV revolution

People who sell cars to real-world customers seem less confident than manufacturers that the electric vehicle is the way of the future.

The Detroit News reported last week that 47% of Buick dealers took a buyout rather than embrace the heavily subsidized but modestly selling vehicles. Now the Free Press reports that half of Ford dealers have yet to opt in on 2024 electric vehicles.
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EVangelists try to spin the reality... a lot.
 
dilettante said:
try to spin the reality... a lot.
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Said the king of youtube spin.

Associating the burning of trees to create energy to fuel EV's is the height of hypocrisy as in the whacked out video above.

And your frequent target of subsidies........have you ever given consideration the burning of ethanol in ICEs that have enjoyed BILLIONS USD of subsidies forced on the American public by farmers FOR DECADES and they're hired hands in Congress......looking at you Chuck Grassley and many others.

Right now we're subsidizing the burning of corn while the worlds food costs are rising and available supply is falling (war in UKr.) And all the while depleting the water resources of our country for some crappy additive that's completely unnecessary.
 
Debrah N. said:
We've had -37 C weather and our little Bolt EUV is doing just fine. Sure we lose about 40% of our range through the winter, but we don't go on road trips in winter anyway. So with that much less range, our indicator is showing us that we can still drive 219 kilometres and Calgary (the only place we go in winter) is only 45 kilometres away. It's started every time we've gone anywhere and just hums along. We love it.
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Do you charge in a climate controlled garage? One of the things I read that's stranding Chicago EV owners is that the outside charging stations charge much slower in extreme cold which has left drivers waiting in lines. On one report, a newscaster interviewed a guy who normally didn't have to wait at his nearest charging station and that day there was a five hour line. He had enough charge to wait but others who didn't expect such long wait times ran out of charge waiting and had to be towed. An EV expert on the newscast said people that charged at home in a climate controlled garage obviously wouldn't have the slower charging issues experienced by people who use outside stations.
 
againstthegrain said:
^^^Charging at home in the garage avoids sitting in the car w the heater running full blast and having to heat the batteries so they'll accept a charge.
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Certainly. The problem is stranded EV owners in Chicago this past week don't have garages. That's why I wondered if @Debrah N. who has an EV in a cold climate charges in a home garage.
 

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