7 Myths of EV Ownership
1. Electric Vehicles range is not sufficient. While many older EV’s and hybrids did have limited range, today’s modern EV’s have made significant gains. The 2023 Lucid Air projects a range north of 400 miles. The new Ford F-150 Lightning truck, and the Rivian R1T boast an estimated 230 to 320 miles of range on a single charge. And then you have industry leader Tesla whose entry level Model 3 starts with a range of 263 miles and go all the way up to the Model S Plaid which claims to have a range of over 500 miles. To add a little perspective, a tank of fuel in a Chevy Tahoe will go around 380 miles on a tank of fuel depending on driving conditions. A Honda Accord will go around 480 miles. However, comparing a full charge to a full tank of fuel is a little bit of an apples and oranges comparison as you can’t refuel your gas vehicle at home every night while it’s parked. The average American commutes about 41 miles round trip per day, which equates to about 7 days of round trips to work on a single charge for a 300 mile range EV. Again, that’s assuming you weren’t even charging each night while parked at home.
2. Electric Vehicles are slow and lack power. Not only is this a huge myth, but many of today’s EV’s which appear to be regular everyday drivers, have Super Car like performance. But I’ll be the first to admit that there can be a stereotype associated with EV’s. Let’s face it, the early day EV Hybrids such as the Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf, and Chevy Volt weren’t exactly muscular in stature, performance, or image. However, today’s modern fully Electric Vehicles have an amazing amount of get up and go due to the instant torque associated with an electric motor. If you’ve ever driven an electric golf cart, take that sensation and multiply it by about 1000 and that’s what it feels like to launch in a Tesla Plaid. I had the privilege of driving one recently and it was downright scary how fast it was. Granted that’s the high end of EV’s, but the 0-60 speeds for the majority of modern EV’s are significantly faster than their ICE (internal combustion engine) counter parts. For example, the F-150 the number one selling vehicle in the U.S. is about 290 horsepower and does 0-60 in about 7.9 seconds, whereas the Ford Lightning F-150 EV does 0-60 in about 4.5 seconds and has 580 horsepower. A 2022 Corvette C-8 Super Car ICE engine has about 490 to 670 HP compared to basic looking sedan like the Lucid Air which has 480 HP to 1050 HP. Today’s modern EV’s absolutely haul A$$ and their tech is super trick too. These are not like your Aunt Sally’s 2012 Prius.
3. Electric Vehicles are too expensive. In the early days of EV’s they were pricey, however, advancements in technology and increases in demand have led to more streamlined production which has created affordable options very much in line with Internal Combustion Engine vehicles. But it’s the total cost of ownership over the lifetime of a vehicle where EV’s really shine. Imagine no more oil changes or trips to the gas station, EVER. Additionally, features like regenerative braking prevent the wear and tear on brake pads and rotors like traditional ICE vehicles. Even with concerns over expensive battery replacement costs studies have proven that EV’s are now competitive with ICE vehicles over the lifetime ownership cycle.
4. Charging EV’s is to much of a hassle. Actually, installing a charger in your home is no more complex of an install than having a washer and dryer outlet. And while most people think about the charging infrastructure outside of their home, in most cases drivers charge at home each night and don’t need to use public chargers. Additionally charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly as the North American Charging Standard (NACS) has just been announced. Originally Ford was the first to jump on with the Tesla charging network, and sinch GM, Nissan, Rivian, Polestar, Mercedes, Honda, Fiscar and more expected to join.
5. Electric Vehicles are great for road trips. With the above statement being accurate and true, so is this one. If you have a regular commute and/or weekly schedule of driving less than 100 miles daily and then park back in your garage EV’s are going to be hard to beat. If you’re a sales rep whose territory is in the Midwest and you regularly drive 500 mile road trips then an EV is just not the right choice for you. Even a family vacation that’s a long trip could go very bad in an EV based on the current range capabilities and charging networks. A common household strategy is to have one ICE vehicle used for road trips and one EV zipping around town.
6. Electric Vehicles will save the planet. EV’s carbon foot print is significantly lower than that of gasoline powered cars over their lifetime and that’s a good thing. However additional advancements in battery productions and recycling will need to continue to evolve for EV’s to have a smaller environmental impact. Additionally, our power infrastructure, which is still predominantly backed by fossil fuels will need significant and costly enhancements to handle the amount of power that is needed as EV adoption continues.
7. Electric Vehicles are not safe. EV’s undergo rigorous safety testing and in some cases have added safety features due to their lower center of gravity which can enhance stability in cornering. They also have added technology in the way of cameras and sensors helping with safety during lane changes and other common traffic related accidents.
