So, You Want to Buy an Electric Car?
The quick and easy answer is sure – go for it! You do you babe.
But there are legitimate questions that many people ask in the decision process. Can I save money? Will it help the environment? Can I charge it? Will the range be sufficient for my needs?
I remember when hybrid cars, the ones that use both gas and electric motors, first became available about 20 years ago. They cost about $2-3,000 more than their regular gas-only brothers. The debate then was, is the gas savings worth the additional cost?
As the debate roared on, I remembered my parents and others I knew. In the mid-1960s my mom and dad bought a Ford station wagon. Ours was a middle of the road car. It carried my sister and me just fine. But it didn’t have air conditioning or a roof rack. It had roll up windows. Fine car, but not luxurious. One of my friends had the same station wagon. Except his had the wood paneling, power windows and all the goodies. His parents paid extra for things that didn’t affect the basic operation of the car, but it made them more comfortable and probably made them feel good about themselves.
It was the same then with hybrid cars and now with electric cars. There’s more to consider in the purchase decision than just dollars and cents.
They Say That They’re Zero Emissions Vehicles
In a world of climate change hysteria, the term “zero emissions” is touted like it’s a magic bullet that will solve all our problems. The fact is that there is no such thing. With the exception of the energy you feel when the sun shines on your face, deriving energy from solar, wind, etc. each generate CO2. The CO2 emissions from renewables don’t come from the generation of the energy itself but from the manufacture of the device that generates the energy.
Electric cars (EVs) are no different and, in some ways, can generate large amounts of greenhouse gasses. In fact, it’s estimated that EVs generate more greenhouse gasses in their manufacture than gasoline-powered cars. Much of those emissions are from mining the raw materials for the battery and the assembly of the vehicle. According to Harvard Magazine “building a clean-burning EV battery is twice as greenhouse-gas-intensive as making a conventional internal combustion engine.” A 2021 New York Times article noted. “Production of raw materials like lithium, cobalt and nickel that are essential to these technologies are often ruinous to land, water, wildlife and people.”
Operating the car doesn’t produce the CO2 that a gas-powered car does. Still, there’s CO2 that’s produced by the typical electric company (in fact in many places you could be driving a nuclear- or coal-powered car based on the electricity you buy). According to Harvard, it takes 28,000 miles and almost three years to reach the CO2 breakeven.
So, if you’re buying an EV as a second car that doesn’t get a lot of use, you may be harming the environment more than you realize.
Price
In general, EVs aren’t cheap. In fact, the government felt it needed to pay incentives (currently a $7,500 tax credit for most EVs) to lower the prices to make them more affordable. In practice, the tax credit allowed manufacturers to raise the prices of their EVs.
The average price of an electric vehicle in the United States for August 2022 was $66,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, the leading price advisor in the country.
Of course, that’s the average. If you can make a small car work for you, the Nissan Leaf, the Mini Electric Hardtop and the Chevy Bolt prices start under $32,000. Need a roomier car? You’re talking much more money. Need an SUV? Mid-sized electric SUVs run in the $40,000 plus range.
Of course, most Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Mercedes Benz, Porsche, and Tesla EVs cost a lot more.
All that said, if you’re in the market for a new car, you can probably make an EV fit your budget. If your budget is less than the lower end of the price ranges, used EVs are pretty pricey and you’ll probably do better with a gas-powered car.
Range
Boy is this confusing. The EPA provides range estimates, but with any standard there are assumptions. And, the range will depend on many factors:
Are you driving in city or on the highway? An EV’s range will drop as speeds increase.
Where do you live? Cold weather can be a battery killer. Remember starting your car last winter?
What accessories will you use? Climate control and seat warmers can really reduce range.
Whatever you do, don’t let the battery drain completely. According to msn.com, “With an electric car, there will be no friendly good Samaritan with a can of kilowatts to pour into your tank. Or indeed to give you a quick jump-start. The likelihood is your EV will need to be lifted onto a flat-bed trailer and towed to a charging point.”
Performance
In general, EVs can blow the doors off of any similar car. In fact, the Tesla Model S Plaid is the fastest car you can buy and drive legally on our roads. My friend John has one and it’s a total blast.
Let’s just say that if you like “get up and go”, you won’t be disappointed.
* * *
I’ll end the way I started. There is so much to look at with any large purchase. An EV is no different. Different people buy different cars for different reasons. Vive la difference!
You do you, babe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful, but we have many friends, determined to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves!”
- Dr. Joseph Warren, March 6, 1775
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m Reminded of The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in Ghostbusters
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Concise & informative
Crazy video, lol