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Anyone seriously thinking of or already have a EV or a Hybrid car?
ChrissyRyan:
Anyone seriously thinking of or already have a EV (electric vehicle) or a Hybrid electric/ICE car?
Batteries have issues in cold climates, ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles are still generally cheaper all things considered, and the availability of a variety and styles of RVs are not as great as for the ICE vehicles. Disposal of EV batteries is problematic, and there are a lot of fossil fuels that are used for electricity manufacturing. Minerals needed for battery production are getting more expensive. Charging stations are not widespread as they need to before mass deployment of EVs and EV driving range is just starting to become more reasonable than in the past. EVs are not a panacea.
On the other hand, fossil fuels are getting more expensive, car manufacturers will phase of ICE vehicle mass production, EV technology will improve, and charging infrastructure will become more widely available - a lot faster than widespread deployment of hydrogen vehicle fueling stations.
Not all pros and cons of EVs are listed above.
With that said, I am leaning on buying an EV as my next vehicle. What about you?
Chrissy
Devlyn:
We had an E-Golf for two years on a lease. The government incentive made it cheaper than a petrol Golf. We had a 7kw charger installed on the house. 130 miles worth of charging cost about £4. We turned it back in when the lease expired and are currently just using our Skoda Yeti (petrol). Our next car will be electric.
Jessica_Rose:
I'm still not personally sold on an EV, especially if it will be your only vehicle. For me the greatest challenge is long-distance driving. Some areas I drive through are quite remote. If you run out of propulsion, it's quite a bit easier to have someone bring a gallon or two of gas than it is to have them bring you a few KW of electricity. If you never take cross-country drives and live in an area with plenty of charging stations, or can have one installed at your residence, then an EV may be a good option for you.
Right now I think hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) make good sense for many of us. They substantially increase fuel mileage and retain the long-range capabilities of ICE vehicles. Right now I'm considering a PHEV. I have one in mind which has enough range to take care of most of our daily needs as an EV, and it can be recharged overnight at home. If we need it for a long trip, it functions as a standard hybrid with increased fuel efficiency over an ICE-only vehicle. Yes, it would be carrying a heavier battery pack than a non-PHEV hybrid, but it's a compromise which allows the best of both worlds.
Love always -- Jessica Rose
Northern Star Girl:
Here are some of the snippets of a conversation that I had recently
with a car dealer mechanic regarding Electric Vehicles....
Bitter cold below zero temperatures affect batteries greatly.... and
at temperatures of minus -30(f) or even colder, batteries lose up to 50% or more of their capacity.
In interior and Northern Alaska (and also in Canada) it is not uncommon to have had several days
to a week of minus -30 to -40 deg(f) below zero in the winter season.
..... and if on a road trip and the battery runs out of juice, your car has to be towed.... you just can't
have someone bring you a gas can with a couple gallons of gas to get you going again.
Warmer climates are more friendly toward battery capacity but going the other direction in the extreme
searing heat of the Southwestern USA (think Mojave Desert, Central Valley in California and also Arizona and New Mexico) High heat can deteriorate and cause early failure of the battery...
....as well as the range and charge capacity, especially with Air Conditioning on full blast.
Is a Cold Climate a Deterrent to EV Ownership?
https://blinkcharging.com/is-a-cold-climate-a-deterrent-to-ev-ownership/
Excerpts from Link above:
What happens to electric cars in cold weather? How Much Range is Lost?
Cold temperatures do affect electric vehicles and steal some of their range. The amount of range lost depends on many factors such as the car itself, its potential range in normal weather, and whether the heat is on. According to AAA’s “Cold Weather Can Cut Electric Car Range by Over 40%”, EVs often lose 12% of their range in cold weather, but the loss leaps to 41% with the heater on full blast.
41%Potential Cold-Weather Range Loss
Danielle
Devlyn:
--- Quote from: Jessica_Rose on March 27, 2022, 01:43:23 pm ---I'm still not personally sold on an EV, especially if it will be your only vehicle. For me the greatest challenge is long-distance driving. Some areas I drive through are quite remote. If you run out of propulsion, it's quite a bit easier to have someone bring a gallon or two of gas than it is to have them bring you a few KW of electricity. If you never take cross-country drives and live in an area with plenty of charging stations, or can have one installed at your residence, then an EV may be a good option for you.
Right now I think hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) make good sense for many of us. They substantially increase fuel mileage and retain the long-range capabilities of ICE vehicles. Right now I'm considering a PHEV. I have one in mind which has enough range to take care of most of our daily needs as an EV, and it can be recharged overnight at home. If we need it for a long trip, it functions as a standard hybrid with increased fuel efficiency over an ICE-only vehicle. Yes, it would be carrying a heavier battery pack than a non-PHEV hybrid, but it's a compromise which allows the best of both worlds.
Love always -- Jessica Rose
--- End quote ---
We were using the E-Golf for short trips and using the Yeti for longer hauls.
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