A largely pro-EV article at ARS Technica answers its own question of “Why Americans aren’t buying more EVs.” The article suggests it’s mainly about the costs of EVs, and while that’s clearly an important factor, it’s far from the only one. The others are revealed in the lengthy text, but only in the form of what are effectively sidebar comments and omissions.
Let’s not forget that a new battery for an EV is in the ballpark of $30,000. That right there says all a consumer needs to know. Once the recharge limit on the battery has been reached, it’s shot. Very doubtful that anyone in the middle class has $30,000 just lying around.
Both New York and California have effectively outlawed the gasoline powered (ICE) cars. The phase out will begin next year when manufacturers will be forced to reduce the sale of ICE cars by 20%. This limitation will increase by 20% every two years until the sale of ICE cars will be completely banned by 2035. Many other states generally follow California’s lead on such matters so it seems probable that such bans will spread.
EVs are a niche item for city dwellers with short commutes who have a detached garage for safety from spontaneous fire and security from theft and can leave their car on a charging cord every night and have a backup gas car for days when the grid is down or for trips and can afford to pay more for a car to let their friends know they really, really care about stopping global warming, as if it would.
You also don't mention whether EVs are actually green. They require vastly more emissions while being built and run on electricity which is only 50%ish emissions free so are they really such a godsend now?
The problem with EVsis not so much the electric powertrain itself, but the battery.🪫 Batteries suffer from low energy density. This is the genesis of all the problems listed in the article. Hydrocarbon fuels have an energy density that is over 40 times greater than the lithium ion battery.
Low energy density=High resource and material intensity. One should remember this simple relationship because it holds true everywhere, not only for electric vehicles.
I still find it incredible that the automotive industry was willing to build passenger cars with what amounts to gas tank that weighs over a thousand pounds and is constructed with over 4000 little battery cells all welded together... Not to mention those that even went beyond and built pickup trucks or even heavy duty semi trucks where the battery pack is between 10 and 20,000 lbs. A high school education is sufficient to figure out that this sort of thing is absolutely nonsense. Perhaps we should send our titans of industry and our political class back to get their GED.
Let’s not forget that a new battery for an EV is in the ballpark of $30,000. That right there says all a consumer needs to know. Once the recharge limit on the battery has been reached, it’s shot. Very doubtful that anyone in the middle class has $30,000 just lying around.
Really enjoyed this one, Mr. Shepstone.
Both New York and California have effectively outlawed the gasoline powered (ICE) cars. The phase out will begin next year when manufacturers will be forced to reduce the sale of ICE cars by 20%. This limitation will increase by 20% every two years until the sale of ICE cars will be completely banned by 2035. Many other states generally follow California’s lead on such matters so it seems probable that such bans will spread.
California is the trend-setter on everything awful but Virginia just gave them the Heisman
EVs are a niche item for city dwellers with short commutes who have a detached garage for safety from spontaneous fire and security from theft and can leave their car on a charging cord every night and have a backup gas car for days when the grid is down or for trips and can afford to pay more for a car to let their friends know they really, really care about stopping global warming, as if it would.
EVs are the ultimate generational " I told you so"🤦🤷
You also don't mention whether EVs are actually green. They require vastly more emissions while being built and run on electricity which is only 50%ish emissions free so are they really such a godsend now?
The problem with EVsis not so much the electric powertrain itself, but the battery.🪫 Batteries suffer from low energy density. This is the genesis of all the problems listed in the article. Hydrocarbon fuels have an energy density that is over 40 times greater than the lithium ion battery.
Low energy density=High resource and material intensity. One should remember this simple relationship because it holds true everywhere, not only for electric vehicles.
I still find it incredible that the automotive industry was willing to build passenger cars with what amounts to gas tank that weighs over a thousand pounds and is constructed with over 4000 little battery cells all welded together... Not to mention those that even went beyond and built pickup trucks or even heavy duty semi trucks where the battery pack is between 10 and 20,000 lbs. A high school education is sufficient to figure out that this sort of thing is absolutely nonsense. Perhaps we should send our titans of industry and our political class back to get their GED.