My wife has a PHEV Ford Fusion Energi and sees the same range for “driving on Electric only” but you are comparing a Hybrid vs an EV. They are not the same type of vehicle. Her next car will be full EV. My next truck will hopefully be a Hybrid Ford Maverick. My driving needs are far different than hers. I am positive your driving needs are not the same as mine.
Going on a 100 mile trip requires some level of “prior planing” and I think that is what some people don’t grasp. The cold snap that left some EVs stranded was not a common issue. It was an inconvenience that allowed some people to play the “what if” game.
I’m not trying to start a fight… sorry if it comes across that way.
Indeed, this is one of several reasons I was not interested in it.
I want to be clear that I’m not, in principle, opposed to EVs. As I said in my earlier post, they may be a good idea. But in practice and for most people, I do not believe the infrastructure is yet in place to make EVs a wise purchase as one’s primary or only vehicle. There are always exceptions. I believe the same about making a Vision Pro one’s primary or only computing device. In time, perhaps, but not yet.
@SpivR, by buying used, didn’t you assume the cost of replacing or scrapping the vehicle/battery? … unless you can turn around and sell it used to someone else? Was the depreciation of the battery a consideration in the used car purchase price?
I think the TCO for my ICE car is going pretty well. Yes, the maintenance is more than an EV, but let me know how your Tesla is doing at age 17.
The comparisons between EV and ICE on these kinds of metrics are like the comparisons of two different national economies based purely on wages. It matters a lot on how you use it.
I live in Norway and electric cars dominate. Everyone who drove one does not want to switch back. They are more reliable and if you don’t drive much outa town they are always full since you load them at home and at work. Oslo is full of loading points. I know of no one who plans on buying a car with a combustion engine.
The distances involved traveling in Norway are very different than in USA so it is understandable why EVs may be much more popular in Norway.
As for reliability, for the most part people have not owned EVs long enough to know how reliable they are. Newish internal combustion engine cars tend to be very reliable also.
Hertz probably has more experience than anyone on overall cost of ownership of EVs. They have sold many of their EVs for reasons including (1) Repair costs are higher - especially body work after collisions; (2) Maintenance costs are higher in unexpected ways, especially tires; (3) Depreciation is higher than expected
I am very happy that Apple finally has cancelled their car project. I am amazed that it took so long to pull the plunge on this project… I am aware of the fact that the car project never has been official, but I think it is more than a rumor… I really do not see Apple being a car company.
Regarding the question EV or no EV for me: about 2 years ago I was sure about the fact that my next car will be an EV here in Germany. Today I am sure that my next car will not be an EV. Maybe, a Plug-In Hybrid (their range improvements make them a good EV for the every day use while still delivering the freedom I know). And yes, there are others who see it differently. Im am seeing EVs being the future, but it is not there yet for me (it is personal, others have a different opinion and that is fine).
Tesla charging is the same in the UK. I can’t speak for elsewhere.
I never had a problem getting a charge in my Tesla. Also many “destinations” I.e. places you would spend a couple of hours at, have chargers. Hotels, supermarkets, shopping centres, municiple buildings… they’re usually not supercharger fast, but if you’re going to be there a while there’s no rush and slower charging is better for the battery.
I also had a home charger, so I always left the house in a morning with a full battery. (Actually 80% most of the time, but 100% if I needed it)
Most people don’t need to that. EVs are everywhere on the west coast US because people typically don’t drive those distances. You still can, just takes some planning.
The thing was crazy from the start. I cannot help lamenting what they could have accomplished with those billions of dollars in pursuit of their own core business.
Incredibly stupid. I am glad they finally pulled the plug.
I buy 2 - 3 year old cars for cash and drive them as long as they are reliable and reasonable to maintain. I’ve currently driving a 16 year old Chevy that gets 30 mpg, looks respectable, and has cost an average of around $400 a year to maintain.
Isn’t it still early days? Will we be able to replace and recycle the ever increasing number of batteries appearing on the roads? Will difficult-to-suppress battery fires and destroyed garages (and even houses) become a thing? What about the increasing scramble for rare and raw materials? Will safe fuel cells ever come on-line? Other issues loom. We’re in the early optimistic phase of an all-electric world. I hope we come to our senses before it is too late to turn back.
Honestly, I’m glad. It would have had a perfect User Interface and key features would have been hard to find. It would have been tested in California and failed in snow/ice. etc. etc.
Let’s imagine a few things:
We would need the wiping gesture to get the wipers to turn on
Siri would tell you the fuel gauge app wasn’t installed when you looked at fuel level
Battery Health would report 100% even though the car didn’t as far as when you first bought it
…
Fun fact - “rare earth metals” is a misnomer. They are abundant on earth, but not in the countries that want them and extraction has costs. But they are not truly rare, c.f. helium and the “scare” that high-end disk drive manufacturers were running out of helium to keep their production lines going.
(I probably should explain - high end drives are sealed with helium inside for lower friction.)
You want to vote a guy that hired private detectives to fabricate evidence to get an innocent man prosecuted as a paedophile into public office?
I despair at American politics.
Even the suggestion that Elon Musk is fit for public office in jest is too appalling to be funny.
Guy’s an idiot that fails to understand the basics of his own products, with a huge and fragile ego, that uses his power to lash out at anyone weaker than him, with no consistent moral compass, who built his businesses on the blood of black Africans, and has largely claimed credit for ideas he purchased and is incapable of producing himself.
Oh yeah, and he’s a serial drug abuser who’s closest friends have tried and failed to dry out.
I see this got reported but I’ve read over it and nothing here is untrue so whatever.
