The constant “you’re killing the planet” moniker doesn’t help either. And with an Administration bent on making the US drive electric cars it will get worse. They are more expensive, the environmental cost to produce them is astronomical. Why would an Administration push to electrify a nation with less dense energy, requiring raw materia…
The constant “you’re killing the planet” moniker doesn’t help either. And with an Administration bent on making the US drive electric cars it will get worse. They are more expensive, the environmental cost to produce them is astronomical. Why would an Administration push to electrify a nation with less dense energy, requiring raw materials that rape the Congo. All in contrast to the facts and worse, common sense. Why must we change over to vehicles powered by batteries? I live in a cold environment where a battery will not perform when it is cold outside and in ten years will still not perform. The answer is simple; Government doesn’t want citizens mobile anymore.
We already have lived through the best the US could provide. We are watching the slow demise.
I grew up in a rural area. We had old cars that often did not run. It sucks to be stuck. I would choose a hybrid maybe but not likely. I prefer cold climates. I want a car to start.
The other thing that bothers me about EV batteries is the environmental degradation that will happen to create the batteries, the mining necessary to get the materials necessary. Does that matter to environmental activists?
Your last comment is very sad. I was a veteran of the War on Drugs (on the Drug side.), survived the Sexual Revolution and experienced an era of unprecedented creativity in music. The economy roared along for the most part and then came computers and the Internet.
And yes, NOTHING was better than making a beer run to Evanston on the weekend (Salt Lake City only had 3.2 beer), through the mountains full of HP who just KNEW there were kids picking up kegs, waiting on the 100 mile run. Cranking the rock, making out in the back seat, daring...just daring...and these kids have "correct attitudes and mindful speech" to compensate for not doing any of that stuff? God, no wonder they have depression and anxiety and respond with hateful savagery if anyone asks them to prove any of their beliefs.
Like I said, sad. I almost feel guilty for how much better my youth was, even despite the near absence of free porn.
I keep wondering what will happen when CA gets one of their many annual wild fires, and people whose cars aren't charged because charging takes hours, are stuck unable to get away because Newsom gave an edict they must all drive electric cars.
And yeah, these climate change trenders don't have a clue or don't care their push for electric cars are killing children and people in Congo and destroying their world wholesale.
California's Gavin Newsome has done exactly NOTHING to improve an antiquated electrical grid that has trouble providing day to day service. Yet he is travelling to "red" states to tell them why they are wrong and how they should emulate California!
Good comment though - I was beginning to think I was the only one that couldn’t figure out why anyone would buy an electric car other than to virtue signal. Totally impractical if you live in a cold climate or need a car to drive long distances to visit family once or twice a year.
I own an electric car and could not be happier with it. It seems a lot of the animosity is political in nature and if we're throwing stones at companies/industries that have received bailouts/kickbacks/subsidies, we're going to run out of rocks (incidentally, the tax rebate is quite literally the one instance I have received a special largess from the gov't and was not the determining factor in my purchase).
Obviously individual circumstances change the analysis (I live in a house and installed a charger, we still own an ICE vehicle, and I plan to install solar to mitigate the vagaries of asinine energy policies and pricing...and claim back some more of my misspent tax $'s). YMMV
Why I like the car (relative to an ICE vehicle):
I'm not listing a number of areas where BEV manufacturers have raised the bar but that are also feasible and starting find their way into ICE (for example touch screen interfaces, sensors and self driving capabilities), or that are unique to my particular BEV.
- Handling has proven superior to ICE equivalent, mostly due to lower center of gravity & torque vectoring enabled by individual/multiple drive motors.
- (Much) Higher HP and torque. Translates to power when I need it and superior towing capacity/experience (if not tow range).
- More storage space (no engine/no gas tank) relative to ICE equivalent (battery space is recouped by the elimination of exhaust system and driveshaft)
- Regenerative braking (one pedal driving) means I hardly need to use brakes and allows me to modulate my speed much more efficiently (generally results in a much more relaxed driving experience).
- Ability to charge (fill up) at home and for (substantially) less $/mile
Cons:
- Range: This was my biggest concern prior to purchase. In reality the driving/charging experience is better for 99% of my daily driving and incidentally (and surprisingly to me) for most of my road trips (<350 miles one way - varying weather/temp conditions); in my experience it's added an incremental 15mins to these trips without changing my driving style. Have not yet tried, but likely inferior for longer trips. Generally, range is a concern on road trips.
- Charge times: Daily is not an issue (car charges while I sleep). For road trips as mentioned above, it adds ~15 mins for most of my normal trips (expect that spread to increase on longer trips requiring more charges). I'll be more comfortable as the infrastructure continues to build out.
- Battery is warrantied for 8yrs; roughly as long as I typically own my car (but replacing batteries would be concern).
On a policy note, it's unfortunate that both sides have gone into their camps. I personally like that BEVs introduce optionality and allows us to diversify our energy consumption mix. That the pols inevitably find a way to politicize it, is a shame.
Most families have more than one car. I can completely see having an electric car for day-to-day use such as going to the store, running errands, etc. and then a gas powered car for the longer drives.
But that is not the vision…it’s total electric, with no gas powered autos…why not mandate hybrids, why such a draconian vision, especially since there is no way to have China, India, et al comply
Agreed, an EV is fine if you can also have a real car. In fact any piece of junk is fine as long as you can also have a good version. The problem is that the government is mandating a date when you will no longer be able to buy the food version. That’s how you know EVs are inferior. No one had to mandate the transition away from horses, because people actually wanted it. No one set a sunset date for film cameras, digital just got too good and easy to pass up. No one wants EVs because they are worse in 9 out of 10 ways so they have to force us.
The constant “you’re killing the planet” moniker doesn’t help either. And with an Administration bent on making the US drive electric cars it will get worse. They are more expensive, the environmental cost to produce them is astronomical. Why would an Administration push to electrify a nation with less dense energy, requiring raw materials that rape the Congo. All in contrast to the facts and worse, common sense. Why must we change over to vehicles powered by batteries? I live in a cold environment where a battery will not perform when it is cold outside and in ten years will still not perform. The answer is simple; Government doesn’t want citizens mobile anymore.
We already have lived through the best the US could provide. We are watching the slow demise.
The demise is our doing. Pessimism is the victory they seek over us. You give them what they want by making comments like this
I grew up in a rural area. We had old cars that often did not run. It sucks to be stuck. I would choose a hybrid maybe but not likely. I prefer cold climates. I want a car to start.
The other thing that bothers me about EV batteries is the environmental degradation that will happen to create the batteries, the mining necessary to get the materials necessary. Does that matter to environmental activists?
sad but true
Your last comment is very sad. I was a veteran of the War on Drugs (on the Drug side.), survived the Sexual Revolution and experienced an era of unprecedented creativity in music. The economy roared along for the most part and then came computers and the Internet.
And yes, NOTHING was better than making a beer run to Evanston on the weekend (Salt Lake City only had 3.2 beer), through the mountains full of HP who just KNEW there were kids picking up kegs, waiting on the 100 mile run. Cranking the rock, making out in the back seat, daring...just daring...and these kids have "correct attitudes and mindful speech" to compensate for not doing any of that stuff? God, no wonder they have depression and anxiety and respond with hateful savagery if anyone asks them to prove any of their beliefs.
Like I said, sad. I almost feel guilty for how much better my youth was, even despite the near absence of free porn.
I agree. With the current mining & processing conditions, it is much more environmentally degrading & polluting to drive an EV.
I will not buy an EV until all mining & processing is done in an environmentally responsible way & by a well-paid labor force.
Wow brilliant post.
My sister has a Tesla. It is silent when moving, and she lives in the countryside, so she is hitting lots of birds.
thats just horrible!!
Slow demise? Feels pretty darn fast to me!
The environmental cost to dispose of them will be even worse.
That’s true the batteries aren’t biodegradable and stay with us forever.
There is no plan for recycling batteries, and there is no plan for recycling solar panels that have a 15 year life span.
15 years?? more like 5 to 7
Good questions, "What's the plan?"
I keep wondering what will happen when CA gets one of their many annual wild fires, and people whose cars aren't charged because charging takes hours, are stuck unable to get away because Newsom gave an edict they must all drive electric cars.
And yeah, these climate change trenders don't have a clue or don't care their push for electric cars are killing children and people in Congo and destroying their world wholesale.
California's Gavin Newsome has done exactly NOTHING to improve an antiquated electrical grid that has trouble providing day to day service. Yet he is travelling to "red" states to tell them why they are wrong and how they should emulate California!
One more month and I am OUT OF HERE!
Just don’t do what every other Californian does - move to Colorado and immediately set about changing it to be more like California.
God bless, travel safely and wish luck in your new home!
Even worse. These EVs catch on fire and are almost impossible to put out. The EVs might CAUSE the major forest fire.
It’s already happening. They have rolling blackouts that prevent charging their mandates electric cars. But the Sheeple bleat on...
The elites will be mobile.
Good comment though - I was beginning to think I was the only one that couldn’t figure out why anyone would buy an electric car other than to virtue signal. Totally impractical if you live in a cold climate or need a car to drive long distances to visit family once or twice a year.
I have to respectfully disagree.
I own an electric car and could not be happier with it. It seems a lot of the animosity is political in nature and if we're throwing stones at companies/industries that have received bailouts/kickbacks/subsidies, we're going to run out of rocks (incidentally, the tax rebate is quite literally the one instance I have received a special largess from the gov't and was not the determining factor in my purchase).
Obviously individual circumstances change the analysis (I live in a house and installed a charger, we still own an ICE vehicle, and I plan to install solar to mitigate the vagaries of asinine energy policies and pricing...and claim back some more of my misspent tax $'s). YMMV
Why I like the car (relative to an ICE vehicle):
I'm not listing a number of areas where BEV manufacturers have raised the bar but that are also feasible and starting find their way into ICE (for example touch screen interfaces, sensors and self driving capabilities), or that are unique to my particular BEV.
- Handling has proven superior to ICE equivalent, mostly due to lower center of gravity & torque vectoring enabled by individual/multiple drive motors.
- (Much) Higher HP and torque. Translates to power when I need it and superior towing capacity/experience (if not tow range).
- More storage space (no engine/no gas tank) relative to ICE equivalent (battery space is recouped by the elimination of exhaust system and driveshaft)
- Regenerative braking (one pedal driving) means I hardly need to use brakes and allows me to modulate my speed much more efficiently (generally results in a much more relaxed driving experience).
- Ability to charge (fill up) at home and for (substantially) less $/mile
Cons:
- Range: This was my biggest concern prior to purchase. In reality the driving/charging experience is better for 99% of my daily driving and incidentally (and surprisingly to me) for most of my road trips (<350 miles one way - varying weather/temp conditions); in my experience it's added an incremental 15mins to these trips without changing my driving style. Have not yet tried, but likely inferior for longer trips. Generally, range is a concern on road trips.
- Charge times: Daily is not an issue (car charges while I sleep). For road trips as mentioned above, it adds ~15 mins for most of my normal trips (expect that spread to increase on longer trips requiring more charges). I'll be more comfortable as the infrastructure continues to build out.
- Battery is warrantied for 8yrs; roughly as long as I typically own my car (but replacing batteries would be concern).
On a policy note, it's unfortunate that both sides have gone into their camps. I personally like that BEVs introduce optionality and allows us to diversify our energy consumption mix. That the pols inevitably find a way to politicize it, is a shame.
Most families have more than one car. I can completely see having an electric car for day-to-day use such as going to the store, running errands, etc. and then a gas powered car for the longer drives.
But that is not the vision…it’s total electric, with no gas powered autos…why not mandate hybrids, why such a draconian vision, especially since there is no way to have China, India, et al comply
With the current mining & processing conditions, it is much more environmentally degrading & polluting to drive an EV.
I will not buy an EV until all mining & processing is done in an environmentally responsible way & by a well-paid labor force.
Agreed, an EV is fine if you can also have a real car. In fact any piece of junk is fine as long as you can also have a good version. The problem is that the government is mandating a date when you will no longer be able to buy the food version. That’s how you know EVs are inferior. No one had to mandate the transition away from horses, because people actually wanted it. No one set a sunset date for film cameras, digital just got too good and easy to pass up. No one wants EVs because they are worse in 9 out of 10 ways so they have to force us.
The current administration won’t let you have a gas car. That’s the point they want us in a 3 miles radius hope you’re a good Walker!
Yes, it is so relaxing lying in bed each night, wondering if your car charger is going to catch fire...but hey, climate change...
No not CC rather human control!
Unfortunately, many families will have to keep food on the table & heat in the house before they can spend $30K on a Prius.
They aren't comfortable either.
I was thinking the same thing while reading this article.