why so much hate towards electric cars?

[raggie33]

i understand how cars work ive rebuilt engines ive dont it all .and trust me eletric is better now .and in 10 years it wont even be close.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I don't necessarily think anyone hates electric cars. What we don't like is all other affordable options stripped away when we can't afford them, they don't work for our needs (not enough range, not enough hauling capacity, can't carry enough people), and for their battery lifespan (around 60,000 miles) they are extremely cost prohibitive and not as environmentally friendly as advertised. Then you have the multiple battery explosions that have been reported. The technology has a ways to go to make the vehicles affordable, safer, and more environmentally friendly (batteries have to last way longer, range has to be way farther, and batteries need to be made safer and not of toxic components that frequently explode.) Personally, I live in a high fire area. Every time there is a fire, the first thing that happens is the power gets shut off. If I had an electric car and had to charge it anywhere locally, including home, I'd be stranded and unable to evacuate. With a gas powered car, I could go to fill up at a gas station with a backup generator and evacuate in time. Electric doesn't work for me. If it works for you, great. Just don't expect everyone in different circumstances to all agree.

 

[kaichu dento]

No hate for any new technology allowed to stand on its own merits, but a lot of problem with getting told what we're going to buy because it's already been decided by others who think they know best.

I never, ever want to own an electric-only vehicle unless they can make them completely self-sufficient, recharging off the sun or whatever, but I've always liked the gas/electric hybrids that save you energy, but still are ready to go with the gas driven backup.

 

[Dave D]

Change! People are resistant to change, look at what was done in the past to try and stop the introduction of cars!

People are currently focussing on the negative aspects of EV's, they choose not to take into account that far more petrol cars burst into flames on a far more regular basis, the batteries have a far greater lifespan than 60,000 miles and the technology is improving all the time etc, etc.

Petrol/diesel powered vehicles will still be about for a long time to come.

What lets them down at the moment, in may countries, is the charging infrastructure, there simply are not enough chargers!

 

[desert.snake]

I don't necessarily think anyone hates electric cars. What we don't like is all other affordable options stripped away when we can't afford them, they don't work for our needs (not enough range, not enough hauling capacity, can't carry enough people), and for their battery lifespan (around 60,000 miles) they are extremely cost prohibitive and not as environmentally friendly as advertised. Then you have the multiple battery explosions that have been reported. The technology has a ways to go to make the vehicles affordable, safer, and more environmentally friendly (batteries have to last way longer, range has to be way farther, and batteries need to be made safer and not of toxic components that frequently explode.) Personally, I live in a high fire area. Every time there is a fire, the first thing that happens is the power gets shut off. If I had an electric car and had to charge it anywhere locally, including home, I'd be stranded and unable to evacuate. With a gas powered car, I could go to fill up at a gas station with a backup generator and evacuate in time. Electric doesn't work for me. If it works for you, great. Just don't expect everyone in different circumstances to all agree.

no problem

 

[kaichu dento]

Change! People are resistant to change

Not really, when you think about it the way a lot of people flock to new products just because they're the newest thing on the block. People are resistant to being force fed, no matter what it is, and when the technology starts to seem too good to pass up, people will buy out of their own volition.

Start making some electric vehicles that can travel 1,000 miles without having to stop for recharges and have enough power to go over mountain passes and they'll see some massive interest generated.

 

[3_gun]

If 1/10th of the cars & trucks on the road today ran on electric power the entire power grid would fail from the demand that couldn't be met today using fossil fuel, never mind using renewables sources. States are already having brownouts from the demand that can't be met currently & you want to incress that demand by 100s of times? And at that point (if it happens) $5 a gallon gas would be a dream come true compared to your electric bill. Unless you want to build a couple hundred nuclear power plants, the only source we have today that could even come close to making enough power, which no one talks about. It is physically not possible for the population to transition to electric cars. Develop cold fusion or build a few hundred nuke plants & we'll talk, until then it is not possible. The entire talk about electric vehicles for the general population is a farce

 

[bykfixer]

'Mericans don't like being forced to be saddled with a vehicle that has a 200 or so mile leash, or wait wait wait hours for a charge. The selection available means a loss of individualality. Again, forced to drive the same car as the neighbors. They're expensive. Americans by and large do not have $50k for a car. Lots do but most do not.

Forced to drive a car you don't like with a 200 mile leash that you cannot afford is not popular in America?
Say it aint so.

 

[raggie33]

range will beat gas models in 10 years faster if we embrace ev

 

[AstroTurf]

range will beat gas models in 10 years faster if we embrace ev

yea, well, ten years aint today...

now is it?

 

[thermal guy]

Where is the power coming from? Power plants are having to dump more oil and coal just to keep up with electricity to run it it's actually probably doing worse for the environment right now. But I like them myself.

 

[bykfixer]

I think part of the negative thoughts are because wealthy people who fly around in jet airplanes or are limo'd around in small parades of gas guzzling Chevy suburbans are telling the masses "you need to change your ways". The average yahoo says "lead by example bro".

I mean a guy on tv who makes $14 million a year "lecturing me how I'm supposed to protect the planet by driving a car like he drives?"
Seriously dude. "Show me your electric bill is less than mine and perhaps I'll take you serious" is the prevailing thought in flyover country.

Hell, I don't dig on pollution one bit. Can't say I know anybody who does. Yet the alternative is not ready for prime time. I thought about buying one of those hybrids but it was nearly 2x the price of the non hybrid. I did the math. It would not have paid for itself in fuel savings unless I kept it long past the battery life expectency. And replacing the batteries isn't like swapping out a lap top battery. Nope, it's pretty expensive too.

So like microwave ovens in the 1970's the EV will gain a foothold, no doubt. I see more and more on the road each day. But they're still a drop in the bucket of water right now.

FYI the first Porsche was electric.

 

[kerneldrop]

EV will work fantastic for some cities and some groups of people....not so much for others. It really is as simple as that.
EV might be perfect for a person in New York City living in a condo...not so much for the East Texas rodeo family.

I'd like a Tesla...who wouldn't
But it couldn't be my daily driver.
I could use it maybe 2-3 days a week.
The other days I need something with more capability.

My wife could use it as a daily driver.

So if Big Gov showed up today and told me I could only have 1 diesel engine and 1 EV in the driveway I'd say ok, no problem, because that works for me. But that would probably suck for others....kinda like what they are doing to people with EV.

 

[LRJ88]

To be completely fair 10 years of everyone going balls to the wall with EVs won't do diddly, the technology isn't mature enough for that kind of leap in development just from more popularity. If people were to all buy into it now it'd lead to a longer development time for new lucrative cell solutions instead, obviously it doesn't need to be better since every dope gets them.

Add to this the aforementioned range issues, the self-combustion issues, power requirements, further range issues if you happen to live in a country where there's cold climate a lot of the year which Li-Ion cells happen to be sensitive to, and you have a situation where EVs simply aren't yet the best solution, people can't be expected to all buy into what so far isn't really a fully working product for those living outside of very narrow parameters. They'll be great if they keep developing, but to do that they still need competition and their main competition today is fossile fuels.

 

[fulee9999]

EV will work fantastic for some cities and some groups of people....not so much for others. It really is as simple as that.
EV might be perfect for a person in New York City living in a condo...not so much for the East Texas rodeo family.

I'd like a Tesla...who wouldn't
But it couldn't be my daily driver.
I could use it maybe 2-3 days a week.
The other days I need something with more capability.

My wife could use it as a daily driver.

So if Big Gov showed up today and told me I could only have 1 diesel engine and 1 EV in the driveway I'd say ok, no problem, because that works for me. But that would probably suck for others....kinda like what they are doing to people with EV.

exactly. EVs are perfect for city traffic

 

[scalpel_ninja]

I'm ambivalent about EVs, but here's an interesting take on the current issues with EV practicality:

Video

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

exactly. EVs are perfect for city traffic

They're also a good choice for retired people that no longer commute. A full tank in my Astro van (24 gallons) lasts me about three months.

 

[Dave_H]

Internal combustion vehicles and all the industries which support them are so entrenched in the North American economy that substantial resistance to anything which threatens them is understandable.

Two documentaries although a bit dated are interesting: "Who Killed the Electric Car", and "Revenge of the Electric Car" (going back to early Tesla days, Elon and family are featured in the latter).

Dave

 

[bykfixer]

Here's a game changer, once it rolls out.

https://www.hotcars.com/tesla-truck-release-date/

 

[SCEMan]

As mentioned previously, neither the public charging station infrastructure exists (or will in the near future) nor the grid power capacity. Ironically enough, one of the states pushing EVs hardest can't power it's current demand and is trying to prolong the life of its sole aged nuclear plant for 5-10 years due to it's prematurely forced portfolio of renewable power. For years my former employer warned state bureaucrats (w/o effect) about the reckless dismissal of spinning reserve and reliance on unreliable energy. And now they want to require 100% of the vehicles sold in California to be electric by 2035.