The EV Naysayers

[jgcom]

Collecting a few thought that perhaps some from both sides can agree on:

1. Nobody likes to be told what they must do. In my view, a rule that there will be no ICE sales starting on such-and-such date makes enemies rather than friends.
2. An EV-based automotive ecosystem has the advantage of being agnostic to the source of the electric energy—burning things, the Sun, hydroelectricity, etc.
3. Many (but not all) people can enjoy doing most charging at home or work, avoiding gas stations that are both inconvenient and suffer inherent (literal) environmental leakage. (OTOH, charging while traveling probably must cost much more than at home, since the stations won't get profit from routine commuting usage.)
4. It is to everyone's advantage to have a wide variety of EV price points, which means a robust used and import market. This makes tariffs and subsidies awkward to plan, as they disturb the free market. They are still probably necessary to bring about a timely EV transition.
5. Setting aside the transient environmental effects as the market sources relevant battery materials, electric propulsion (i.e., generation, distribution and use) is more efficient than ICE propulsion. Big generation stations are efficient, more so than the small, lightweight heat engines in cars. Electric distribution and EV motors are extremely efficient compared with ICE motors and always will be, thanks the their not being heat engines.
6. The current battery situation confuses and irritates everyone, since we are all unused to stored energy being a function of temperature.
7. EVs at the moment damp the spontaneity enjoyed in the past: "we have a full tank of gas, half a packet of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses."
8. Much of the trouble inherent in the last two bullets can/will be offset once there are far more fast chargers on the roads. This will allow smaller, cheaper, batteries and less range anxiety. Everyone but Tesla has to invest more in maintenance and the expert staff that does it.
9. IMHO, Ford has done a fine job on the Mach-E, notwithstanding all of the things that irk me and others. I enjoy driving it every day.
10. IMHO, Ford dealers have to devote more time and resources to this endeavor, largely in the form of good salaries and training for EV techs. I have no idea why sales staff are the way they are...

Nobody will probably agree with me on all of these, but I did try to cover most opinions.

Joe

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[jgcom]

I think a well designed heat engine generating on-board electricity is the best option. Take the ICE out of the mechanical drivetrain and it can be designed to be much more efficient. It's a pure serial hybrid.

We then keep the 5-minute recharge tech that suits everyone and get the efficiency of EV. We don't break the petrochemical industry and we don't need to spend trillions on electric/charger infrastructure.

Too bad the California laws let hybrids be only 20% of the solution.

Along these lines, the requirement that EV range enhancers that use ICEs cannot turn on until the battery is largely exhausted just seems mean.

 

[areacode413]

Could we reach net zero carbon emissions with gas electric hybrids?

 

[ArthurDOB]

That sounds like a well written post from somebody that is out of touch with the lower paid working class people, who are struggling with making ends meet thanks to a dollar that is worth half of what it was 5 years ago.

If you're saying today's dollar buys what 50 cents would buy 5 years ago, that is factually incorrect. The dollar is worth half of what it was in 1995. Thats hardly 5 years ago. Inflation has had an impact, to be sure, but not that large an impact.

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