Nate, Great article. It's nice to peek behind the Blackwing Manual curtain. I have a Bolt and love it. Not thrilled about the software recall that Chevy put in limited charging to 80% . That takes trips to Indy/Columbus off the table without recharging. Chevy says I will be able to charge to 100% after 6000 miles of no issues. What is your opinion of GM new baterry platforn and the EV Equinox? What about hydrogen powered vehicles? Thanks again for the article
New battery technology is called Ultium and the design is like an egg carton. 4 modules up to 12 depending on chassis size and vehicle type. The new Silverado EV gets 440 miles of range but it’s heavy as a brick. Just added more modules.
They had one fire on a Bolt and had to do a recall and CYA with the software update you got. The Equinox is supposed to replace the Bolt and have a low cost trim at $30k up to a performance trim at $55k. I’m partial to the Cadillac Lyriq but it’s around $60k.
Works great if you actually use the electric range every time you drive. The fuel economy is outstanding if so. Jeep had to launch them with Wranglers and Grand Cherokee’s to get their corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) in check to offset Challenger Hellcats that guzzle fuel.
The only potential issue is you have two powertrains to maintain and/or repair. Not an issue with a new car but as they age, could become expensive.
Thanks, Nate. Learned a lot. I’m on my third Camry lease. All 2025 Camrys will be hybrids. Wanted one for this lease but not available. Inventory for early 2022 was pitiful. My car is made 20 miles from my home. A Kentucky car! They are changing the hybrid battery, but my lease ends around April so there shouldn’t be surprises. I know Kentucky is getting big into battery manufacturing, but my needs are simple and my mileage use very low.
We use propane for heat and have a septic system. Not super rural, but at the tail end of a small substation for power. That affects things like WiFi strength and some streaming.
Simply finding a balance. This next Camry may be the one I buy at lease end.
As the technology catches up to the workable concepts, the economics of renewables should get better and better. So far that is proving true. Love the details and actual numbers you provided on your Ford 150. Payback period has always been a useful benchmark for how well something works nd how well it will sell.
I agree, this area of technological development should transcend politics, but truthfully one party has definitely been so much farther out in front on this movement, it's not even funny, while the other, far more beholden to older well-established companies and their older ways, has been dragging feet and making all sorts of erroneous claims about the new technologies. Energy efficiency and safe renewable usage are the wave of the future, necessary for survival of this country. There's zero sense to the fact that both parties aren't pulling together.
Every transition from an old system to new system will have bugs. Over time , either these get worked out or the new system gets abandoned. Showing how the economics of scale here are becoming affordable should continue to change minds going forward. Reducing oil dependencies on the tinderbox called the Middle East is always a good thing. Here's hoping we as a nation continue to invest and develop many more workable solutions in various energy efficient fields. Blocking this kind of progressive thinking is foolhardy.
Appreciate you, Greg. Yes, unfortunately it has become a political issue. The reality is we need both EVs and ICE now and hopefully we can salvage ICE with renewable fuels that are super low-emission. EVs have a place, but it's not 100% by 2035. Hydrogen fuel cell is popular for bigger trucks like box and semi, but the infrastructure is way behind charging stations.
Don't buy a Lucid unless you want to be LIV Golf. 100% funded by the Saudi's.
Really enjoyed this Nate...thanks for making the effort! Appreciate being educated with facts! Bad decisions aren't limited to only one political party. One beef on the EV Industry...have got my backside handed to me when I bought ChargePoint! Looked like a solid play given most of your commentary but has write-off fodder for most of my holding period. Enjoy the weekend!
My EV experience. I rented a Ford Mustang Mach E in San Antonio and drove South 140 miles to Corpus Christi. I left with 87% charge drove the 140 miles and arrived home with 20% charge. Having to drive back to San Antonio a few nights later, I was worried about access to a supercharger in Corpus, Christi, that fine, ocean side city is bit of a Shangri La and has only 5 superchargers, three of which are at an Autonation dealer complex. Anxiety drove me to set an alarm for first thing the next morning and I started my day with a drive to the chargers. It took an hour and forty five minutes at a supercharger to charge from twenty percent up into the high eighties. While waiting, i sampled the various coffee services at the string of Autonation dealer waiting rooms and discovered that the Hyundai dealer had the better coffee.
The Mach E was a sweet ride. Overall though, a poor fit for long distance travel unless you're in the heart of superchargers per EV.
I was a Navy pilot. The charger anxiety was the same as flying a fuel thirsty jet. Don't touch the afterburner unless you're about to die and always know where the tanker is.
First of all, thank you for your service. Being a Navy pilot is f***ing bada**!! My father was on a Destroyer as a sonar man during Vietnam.
Great analogy between "range anxiety" and a jet with low fuel. It happens. Driving long distances requires planning or not using an EV at all. I love both ICE and EV.
Battery technology is still in its infancy. Im sure you're aware of all the R&D going on in so many areas of EVs. Supercharging stations have lagged behind car production numbers, but an explosion of new stations are scheduled for installation. Catching up to demand should happen within 3-5 years. I agree with you and Nate that shorter jaunts are the best way to go at least for now, using solar panels and home charging; but that should change within 5-10 years. The big question is how will each state charge for use of the chargers, since KwH prices vary so much across the country. Here in Ohio, near coal and barges and a big river, electric costs are incredibly low.
Black Crowes- saw them in Dallas a few months back. Definitely worth you fun money. Solid show. A very fine new album. Worth a night out to see what may be the last rock band ever!
You're welcome. I should have said ...."TML makes great choices for his back-up crew of mobsters". It's always good to know what mobsters are really thinking and they share well here. We can learn from each other, for sure.
Just wrapped up family plans for rest of summer and I will have to give up my plans to see Marc in Cincy. Might be my favorite. Very bummed. I have 2 good tickets if a mobster is interested. DM me.
Nate. Nice job. Taught Sustainability at Xavier for 6 years. Big fan of EVs. In class we would talk about the challenges in the industry and car makers transition. Parts mfgers, service/repair shops. A fast conversion (which won’t happen) would be traumatic. I drive to Chicago every 6 weeks. I have a 13 yr old Audi. When it finally packs it in I will buy and EV. Just holding out for a solid 350 mile range. That’s affordable. Some cars are around there now.
350 mile range is available now from multiple vehicle manufacturers but not in the affordable category. If you like Audi, look at the eTron SUV. 250 mile range.
Thank you for an entertaining and well written Hemingway, Nate! I had several questions on this critical subject answered in full and that is quite an accomplishment on such a complex subject. Due to my manufacturing background and appreciation for quality management systems, I have driven nothing but Toyotas for decades and all but one from Georgetown. And I’m sure you know their approach to this dilemma is the hybrid engine of the future. Any thoughts on that strategy?
My other concern for us as Americans with this EV revolution is the increasing trend towards a command economy. Most of us don’t think about it but if you have any background in economic history, you pretty much know the Soviets crashed their world by using a dictated business strategy.
Last year, President Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, gave a speech at the Brookings Institute that laid out the administration’s view on how business should be conducted to meet their goals for America. It went way beyond any “free market” approach and given it was the NSA talking instead of the administration’s business advisers, you must wonder if the President even understands the risks his strategy creates. If I learned anything in manufacturing over the years, it’s that what worked successfully today is not in any sense guaranteed to work tomorrow.
So, I see significant risks going forward for the EV revolution. I am an optimist, so I’ll hope and pray this all works out, but the clouds on the horizon are real in my opinion and not going away anytime soon. Thanks again for being today's Hemingway!
Appreciate you, Gary. I am not in favor of mandates like CARB in Cali is doing. The business case is similar to a farmer: do the same or more with less. Works for daily drivers, Uber, last mile, and short haul routes.
Vehicle manufacturers, if adoption is high, have a far lower cost to build EV than ICE. Thousands of parts vs hundreds. Let the invisible hand work its magic.
Hang on, Gary....the sun is right over the clouds that keep the rain coming and the trees growing so we can breath! Never give up your optimism. It's what keeps me going for sure.
EVs are only friendly in metropolitan areas. I drive 9 hours to reach my home in northern Michigan. I don’t drive the expressway except for portion of I-69. There are no charging stations north of Winchester, Indiana. There are no charging stations where I live. I’m retired and don’t have $25-$30 K to put in solar panels. My new vehicle is an ICE, so I can drive the distance and refuel anywhere. EVs are “feel good about yourself” vehicles.
I'm going to buck the trend here. I have been driving an EV for over 4.5 years. I currently drive a Hyundai Ioniq 5 after more than 4 years owning a Tesla Model 3. I will say that I never had any problems with the Tesla and so far the same with the Hyundai. I installed a 240V outlet in my garage for about $200. If your car didn't come with one, you can buy a good charging station for about $300. The math works out that it costs me here in KY about $3.15 to drive 100 miles. That's an average of Hwy/City. EVs are just the opposite of ICE cars. They actually do better mileage-wise in the city. I am not a long-distance driver. We take a couple of trips each year of around 400 miles each way. Supercharging was never a problem in the Tesla. I've yet to go on a long trip in the Ioniq 5, but in about a week I will do it. I don't expect to have any issues.
There is a myth about the batteries. The batteries in these cars are pretty much designed to last the life of a car. Figure 300K miles. Go do some research on how well Tesla batteries have held up. They've done quite well and the technology is improving rapidly. In fact, a firm recently found a way to change out cobalt with iron. That will be a huge game changer. I also have to wonder if politics come into play with the batteries. How many conservatives give a thought to dumping their old alkaline batteries in the trash? What about all of our phone batteries? No, there is only concern about the environment with regards to EVs, because for some reason conservatives have fallen in love with fossil fuels. Weren't the oil companies the bad guys just a few years back? A Sunoco station by me run by a mom and pop used to have a huge banner proclaiming, "We aren't big oil!"
So why the love for ICE cars? Nostalgia? Hmm, how many of you readers have shifted entirely to LED light bulbs? How many of you would rather have old incandescent halogen headlights? A few years back everyone was screaming about the Government outlawing 100W bulbs. Who is complaining these days?
Here's the deal. You can love fossil fuels if you are part of that industry. For everyone else, they suck. They've been a necessary evil. And we'll probably have them for years to come as we transition. But I challenge you to go to a dealership and just test drive an EV and see if the experience doesn't change your mind. You'll get supercar performance at a cost less than a 3-cylinder Geo Metro. Think about that.
The other thing is, an EV doesn't care where the electrons came from. They can come from any power source, be it nuclear, wind, solar, hydro, or fossil fuels. Your actually future-proofed driving an EV. I can only think of 2 reasons to drive an ICE vehicle--range and towing ability. For the average driver, neither of those are that big of a deal. If they are for you, fine. Drive an ICE vehicle.
Now, don't come to me and complain about the mining damage to the environment (it pales in comparison to fossil fuels) and what to do about the batteries (do you worry about all the tires as well).
My personal experience is worth more than 100 opinions of people who haven't even gotten behind the wheel of an EV. If anyone lives near me and wants to check out my car, come over and I'll probably let you even drive it around a bit. I'm in Villa Hills.
I really appreciate your informed article regarding useful information regarding EV's. I'm in total support of pursuing new EV technology and reducing carbon emissions, but agree with others that government subsidies and controls are premature. Hybrids make a lot more sense for most people currently, and our inflation would be substantially lower had this administration not forced EV conversion. I also don't think taxpayers should pay for public charging stations. $7.5 billion has already been wasted with little to show for it. https://www.americanenergyalliance.org/2024/06/biden-spends-7-5-billion-for-7-ev-charging-stations/. If there is demand for this technology, the private sector should be able to find a way to make money from chargers. EV's may make sense in CA and desert locations where solar power investment is more justified, but not here in the Midwest.
A timeshare owner colleague of mine works for a renewable energy company in Indianapolis. He told me that 70% of wind and solar materials are currently produced in China, which also controls the battery market. If these are being produced in a country that currently emits the highest level of carbon emissions and is still building old technology coal power plants, wouldn't it be better to use electricity provided by natural gas and cleaner burning coal power plants in the US? I would prefer to utilize our own plentiful natural resources than relying on our enemies. Kamala has already indicated she plans to ban fracking and double down on 'renewable' energy so we should expect high inflation and energy prices if she is elected.
The NEVI funds for public charging stations are out there, but it takes 12-24 months from award to operational chargers. Utility has to have enough grid capacity to said location, which can require an extra service line.
Second, the infrastructure bills require these components to be manufactured domestically to get tax credits, grants, and incentives. Chips act manifested itself with Intel building a gigantic microchip factory in Westerville. Kasich is involved. Because there's money in it even though he resisted as Guv. It was hell not having them during Covid and China may attack Taiwan in 2027 where most are manufactured today.
500k charging stations by 2030 and half the vehicles on the road to be EV by the same target date? Just where did Biden get the data for his goals? 🥴
At the rate they’re going (7 stations built at time of linked article) America will be lucky to have 50 charging stations by then. Perhaps he should have made Elon the charging station Czar!
It makes sense to make longer term plans for EV's, but it is premature to waste taxpayer dollars to fund charging stations and subsidize our automakers to make EV's. This type of wasteful taxpayer funded spending is what has driven up inflation. Tax incentives for hybrids would have been much more productive and less costly.
Thanks for the low-down on EVs. This was very informative.
Nate, Great article. It's nice to peek behind the Blackwing Manual curtain. I have a Bolt and love it. Not thrilled about the software recall that Chevy put in limited charging to 80% . That takes trips to Indy/Columbus off the table without recharging. Chevy says I will be able to charge to 100% after 6000 miles of no issues. What is your opinion of GM new baterry platforn and the EV Equinox? What about hydrogen powered vehicles? Thanks again for the article
New battery technology is called Ultium and the design is like an egg carton. 4 modules up to 12 depending on chassis size and vehicle type. The new Silverado EV gets 440 miles of range but it’s heavy as a brick. Just added more modules.
https://www.gm.com/innovation/electrification?ppc=GOOGLE_700000001980004_71700000090550494_58700007661457492_p69382669543&d_src=313715&d_adsrc=4137267&d_campaign=71700000090550494&d_site=GOOGLE&d_adgroup=58700007661457492&d_keyword=gm%20ultium&gclick=Cj0KCQjwtZK1BhDuARIsAAy2VzvU6mvUSecGuUEWpNQ1keirT4csMeOQwi5QGFy04eTq1dFZg3bItP8aAgBEEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACpE8bsEf2oFjq4ebKzns6hv71WOW&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtZK1BhDuARIsAAy2VzvU6mvUSecGuUEWpNQ1keirT4csMeOQwi5QGFy04eTq1dFZg3bItP8aAgBEEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
They had one fire on a Bolt and had to do a recall and CYA with the software update you got. The Equinox is supposed to replace the Bolt and have a low cost trim at $30k up to a performance trim at $55k. I’m partial to the Cadillac Lyriq but it’s around $60k.
Hi Nate. What do you think plug-in hybrids? Seems like a good compromise but is the limited range on the EV side make it not worth it? Thanks
Works great if you actually use the electric range every time you drive. The fuel economy is outstanding if so. Jeep had to launch them with Wranglers and Grand Cherokee’s to get their corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) in check to offset Challenger Hellcats that guzzle fuel.
The only potential issue is you have two powertrains to maintain and/or repair. Not an issue with a new car but as they age, could become expensive.
Thanks, Nate. Learned a lot. I’m on my third Camry lease. All 2025 Camrys will be hybrids. Wanted one for this lease but not available. Inventory for early 2022 was pitiful. My car is made 20 miles from my home. A Kentucky car! They are changing the hybrid battery, but my lease ends around April so there shouldn’t be surprises. I know Kentucky is getting big into battery manufacturing, but my needs are simple and my mileage use very low.
We use propane for heat and have a septic system. Not super rural, but at the tail end of a small substation for power. That affects things like WiFi strength and some streaming.
Simply finding a balance. This next Camry may be the one I buy at lease end.
Exceptional piece, Nate. Thanks.
As the technology catches up to the workable concepts, the economics of renewables should get better and better. So far that is proving true. Love the details and actual numbers you provided on your Ford 150. Payback period has always been a useful benchmark for how well something works nd how well it will sell.
I agree, this area of technological development should transcend politics, but truthfully one party has definitely been so much farther out in front on this movement, it's not even funny, while the other, far more beholden to older well-established companies and their older ways, has been dragging feet and making all sorts of erroneous claims about the new technologies. Energy efficiency and safe renewable usage are the wave of the future, necessary for survival of this country. There's zero sense to the fact that both parties aren't pulling together.
Every transition from an old system to new system will have bugs. Over time , either these get worked out or the new system gets abandoned. Showing how the economics of scale here are becoming affordable should continue to change minds going forward. Reducing oil dependencies on the tinderbox called the Middle East is always a good thing. Here's hoping we as a nation continue to invest and develop many more workable solutions in various energy efficient fields. Blocking this kind of progressive thinking is foolhardy.
Appreciate you, Greg. Yes, unfortunately it has become a political issue. The reality is we need both EVs and ICE now and hopefully we can salvage ICE with renewable fuels that are super low-emission. EVs have a place, but it's not 100% by 2035. Hydrogen fuel cell is popular for bigger trucks like box and semi, but the infrastructure is way behind charging stations.
Don't buy a Lucid unless you want to be LIV Golf. 100% funded by the Saudi's.
Thanks for the in depth resonse, Nate. Who names a car "Lucid", btw? Almost sounds like a bad punchline, lol.
Really enjoyed this Nate...thanks for making the effort! Appreciate being educated with facts! Bad decisions aren't limited to only one political party. One beef on the EV Industry...have got my backside handed to me when I bought ChargePoint! Looked like a solid play given most of your commentary but has write-off fodder for most of my holding period. Enjoy the weekend!
My EV experience. I rented a Ford Mustang Mach E in San Antonio and drove South 140 miles to Corpus Christi. I left with 87% charge drove the 140 miles and arrived home with 20% charge. Having to drive back to San Antonio a few nights later, I was worried about access to a supercharger in Corpus, Christi, that fine, ocean side city is bit of a Shangri La and has only 5 superchargers, three of which are at an Autonation dealer complex. Anxiety drove me to set an alarm for first thing the next morning and I started my day with a drive to the chargers. It took an hour and forty five minutes at a supercharger to charge from twenty percent up into the high eighties. While waiting, i sampled the various coffee services at the string of Autonation dealer waiting rooms and discovered that the Hyundai dealer had the better coffee.
The Mach E was a sweet ride. Overall though, a poor fit for long distance travel unless you're in the heart of superchargers per EV.
I was a Navy pilot. The charger anxiety was the same as flying a fuel thirsty jet. Don't touch the afterburner unless you're about to die and always know where the tanker is.
First of all, thank you for your service. Being a Navy pilot is f***ing bada**!! My father was on a Destroyer as a sonar man during Vietnam.
Great analogy between "range anxiety" and a jet with low fuel. It happens. Driving long distances requires planning or not using an EV at all. I love both ICE and EV.
Sage advice in that last paragraph. 😬
Battery technology is still in its infancy. Im sure you're aware of all the R&D going on in so many areas of EVs. Supercharging stations have lagged behind car production numbers, but an explosion of new stations are scheduled for installation. Catching up to demand should happen within 3-5 years. I agree with you and Nate that shorter jaunts are the best way to go at least for now, using solar panels and home charging; but that should change within 5-10 years. The big question is how will each state charge for use of the chargers, since KwH prices vary so much across the country. Here in Ohio, near coal and barges and a big river, electric costs are incredibly low.
Black Crowes- saw them in Dallas a few months back. Definitely worth you fun money. Solid show. A very fine new album. Worth a night out to see what may be the last rock band ever!
I was happy to read such an informative article about EVs. Thank you!
Music also good, great sound!! Got my day going.
Nice read. Welcome to the Hemmingway Peanut Gallery! The Captain of the TML makes great choices for his back-up cast!
Thank you Kate!
You're welcome. I should have said ...."TML makes great choices for his back-up crew of mobsters". It's always good to know what mobsters are really thinking and they share well here. We can learn from each other, for sure.
Marc Cohn 8/24 Ludlow
Just wrapped up family plans for rest of summer and I will have to give up my plans to see Marc in Cincy. Might be my favorite. Very bummed. I have 2 good tickets if a mobster is interested. DM me.
Nate. Nice job. Taught Sustainability at Xavier for 6 years. Big fan of EVs. In class we would talk about the challenges in the industry and car makers transition. Parts mfgers, service/repair shops. A fast conversion (which won’t happen) would be traumatic. I drive to Chicago every 6 weeks. I have a 13 yr old Audi. When it finally packs it in I will buy and EV. Just holding out for a solid 350 mile range. That’s affordable. Some cars are around there now.
350 mile range is available now from multiple vehicle manufacturers but not in the affordable category. If you like Audi, look at the eTron SUV. 250 mile range.
Thank you for an entertaining and well written Hemingway, Nate! I had several questions on this critical subject answered in full and that is quite an accomplishment on such a complex subject. Due to my manufacturing background and appreciation for quality management systems, I have driven nothing but Toyotas for decades and all but one from Georgetown. And I’m sure you know their approach to this dilemma is the hybrid engine of the future. Any thoughts on that strategy?
My other concern for us as Americans with this EV revolution is the increasing trend towards a command economy. Most of us don’t think about it but if you have any background in economic history, you pretty much know the Soviets crashed their world by using a dictated business strategy.
Last year, President Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, gave a speech at the Brookings Institute that laid out the administration’s view on how business should be conducted to meet their goals for America. It went way beyond any “free market” approach and given it was the NSA talking instead of the administration’s business advisers, you must wonder if the President even understands the risks his strategy creates. If I learned anything in manufacturing over the years, it’s that what worked successfully today is not in any sense guaranteed to work tomorrow.
So, I see significant risks going forward for the EV revolution. I am an optimist, so I’ll hope and pray this all works out, but the clouds on the horizon are real in my opinion and not going away anytime soon. Thanks again for being today's Hemingway!
Appreciate you, Gary. I am not in favor of mandates like CARB in Cali is doing. The business case is similar to a farmer: do the same or more with less. Works for daily drivers, Uber, last mile, and short haul routes.
Vehicle manufacturers, if adoption is high, have a far lower cost to build EV than ICE. Thousands of parts vs hundreds. Let the invisible hand work its magic.
Hang on, Gary....the sun is right over the clouds that keep the rain coming and the trees growing so we can breath! Never give up your optimism. It's what keeps me going for sure.
EVs are only friendly in metropolitan areas. I drive 9 hours to reach my home in northern Michigan. I don’t drive the expressway except for portion of I-69. There are no charging stations north of Winchester, Indiana. There are no charging stations where I live. I’m retired and don’t have $25-$30 K to put in solar panels. My new vehicle is an ICE, so I can drive the distance and refuel anywhere. EVs are “feel good about yourself” vehicles.
Have not and will not drive my truck to Petoskey, especially in the winter.
I'm going to buck the trend here. I have been driving an EV for over 4.5 years. I currently drive a Hyundai Ioniq 5 after more than 4 years owning a Tesla Model 3. I will say that I never had any problems with the Tesla and so far the same with the Hyundai. I installed a 240V outlet in my garage for about $200. If your car didn't come with one, you can buy a good charging station for about $300. The math works out that it costs me here in KY about $3.15 to drive 100 miles. That's an average of Hwy/City. EVs are just the opposite of ICE cars. They actually do better mileage-wise in the city. I am not a long-distance driver. We take a couple of trips each year of around 400 miles each way. Supercharging was never a problem in the Tesla. I've yet to go on a long trip in the Ioniq 5, but in about a week I will do it. I don't expect to have any issues.
There is a myth about the batteries. The batteries in these cars are pretty much designed to last the life of a car. Figure 300K miles. Go do some research on how well Tesla batteries have held up. They've done quite well and the technology is improving rapidly. In fact, a firm recently found a way to change out cobalt with iron. That will be a huge game changer. I also have to wonder if politics come into play with the batteries. How many conservatives give a thought to dumping their old alkaline batteries in the trash? What about all of our phone batteries? No, there is only concern about the environment with regards to EVs, because for some reason conservatives have fallen in love with fossil fuels. Weren't the oil companies the bad guys just a few years back? A Sunoco station by me run by a mom and pop used to have a huge banner proclaiming, "We aren't big oil!"
So why the love for ICE cars? Nostalgia? Hmm, how many of you readers have shifted entirely to LED light bulbs? How many of you would rather have old incandescent halogen headlights? A few years back everyone was screaming about the Government outlawing 100W bulbs. Who is complaining these days?
Here's the deal. You can love fossil fuels if you are part of that industry. For everyone else, they suck. They've been a necessary evil. And we'll probably have them for years to come as we transition. But I challenge you to go to a dealership and just test drive an EV and see if the experience doesn't change your mind. You'll get supercar performance at a cost less than a 3-cylinder Geo Metro. Think about that.
The other thing is, an EV doesn't care where the electrons came from. They can come from any power source, be it nuclear, wind, solar, hydro, or fossil fuels. Your actually future-proofed driving an EV. I can only think of 2 reasons to drive an ICE vehicle--range and towing ability. For the average driver, neither of those are that big of a deal. If they are for you, fine. Drive an ICE vehicle.
Now, don't come to me and complain about the mining damage to the environment (it pales in comparison to fossil fuels) and what to do about the batteries (do you worry about all the tires as well).
My personal experience is worth more than 100 opinions of people who haven't even gotten behind the wheel of an EV. If anyone lives near me and wants to check out my car, come over and I'll probably let you even drive it around a bit. I'm in Villa Hills.
EVs are good close to home and useless for range and towing. That sums up the need for ICE vehicles.
Thanks for repeating what I said. Although useless is not true. It's just that you'll have to make more stops.
I really appreciate your informed article regarding useful information regarding EV's. I'm in total support of pursuing new EV technology and reducing carbon emissions, but agree with others that government subsidies and controls are premature. Hybrids make a lot more sense for most people currently, and our inflation would be substantially lower had this administration not forced EV conversion. I also don't think taxpayers should pay for public charging stations. $7.5 billion has already been wasted with little to show for it. https://www.americanenergyalliance.org/2024/06/biden-spends-7-5-billion-for-7-ev-charging-stations/. If there is demand for this technology, the private sector should be able to find a way to make money from chargers. EV's may make sense in CA and desert locations where solar power investment is more justified, but not here in the Midwest.
A timeshare owner colleague of mine works for a renewable energy company in Indianapolis. He told me that 70% of wind and solar materials are currently produced in China, which also controls the battery market. If these are being produced in a country that currently emits the highest level of carbon emissions and is still building old technology coal power plants, wouldn't it be better to use electricity provided by natural gas and cleaner burning coal power plants in the US? I would prefer to utilize our own plentiful natural resources than relying on our enemies. Kamala has already indicated she plans to ban fracking and double down on 'renewable' energy so we should expect high inflation and energy prices if she is elected.
Two things....
The NEVI funds for public charging stations are out there, but it takes 12-24 months from award to operational chargers. Utility has to have enough grid capacity to said location, which can require an extra service line.
Second, the infrastructure bills require these components to be manufactured domestically to get tax credits, grants, and incentives. Chips act manifested itself with Intel building a gigantic microchip factory in Westerville. Kasich is involved. Because there's money in it even though he resisted as Guv. It was hell not having them during Covid and China may attack Taiwan in 2027 where most are manufactured today.
500k charging stations by 2030 and half the vehicles on the road to be EV by the same target date? Just where did Biden get the data for his goals? 🥴
At the rate they’re going (7 stations built at time of linked article) America will be lucky to have 50 charging stations by then. Perhaps he should have made Elon the charging station Czar!
It makes sense to make longer term plans for EV's, but it is premature to waste taxpayer dollars to fund charging stations and subsidize our automakers to make EV's. This type of wasteful taxpayer funded spending is what has driven up inflation. Tax incentives for hybrids would have been much more productive and less costly.
Tip of the MC cap today.. good job Nate!
Thought “and you’re spending other people’s money, which we’ll get to soon” would be a clever lead-in to STS. Well played!