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Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,629
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Electric cars

[ Edited ]

@bonnielu 

 

@teganslaw  makes some excellent points.  And I can tell you what the 22,600 electric car owners experienced in Texas during our artic storm this past winter which resulted in a 3 week power outage---ELECTRIC CAR OWNERS WERE OUT OF LUCK!!! Those with gasoline powered vehicles could fire up their engines to sit in their car or drive around to keep warm, and they could also use their cars to charge phones, laptops, and tablets---electric car owners couldnt....And while gas powered cars could drive around to find food....electric car owners couldnt....With NO electricty----many were stranded some abandoned at charging stations (dont know how many)

 

And there's also a shortage of materials needed to make the batteries for the electric cars.... sounds like a "fun time" indeed....🤔

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,629
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

@teganslaw wrote:

 There are several reasons why some people don't want them.

 

Too expensive. Maybe they save money overall since they don't need gas, but the price of most electric cars is too costly. 

 

Not enough charging stations. That depends on the area; some states have more stations than others.

 

Power outages. The power grid isn't large enough to contain all electric. For example, California wants to eventually get rid of all gas cars. Yet their power grid won't sustain it for that many. Something that looks good in theory, but is too problematic in real life to work. 

 

They don't cause gas emissions, but electric cars don't really help the planet any more than gas cars because the batteries needed for them have to be disposed of somehow. It's just something activists want people to believe. 

 

I'm not against anyone having electric cars, if that's what they like. Just pointing out some things about them. 


@teganslaw 

 

EXCELLENT POINTS!!! 👍👍👍

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Frequent Contributor
Posts: 140
Registered: ‎03-22-2010

When the government says all cars will be going electric they don't take a lot of things in consideration.  I don't have a garage, have to park on the street.   So for me there would me no place to charge a vehicle.  In my area most park on the street, very few have a garage or driveway.  Also, what about people who live in apartments where would they charge a vehicle.   

Regular Contributor
Posts: 225
Registered: ‎06-21-2021

Until we find a better source for generating electricity, which seems a painfully and expensive way off, it is a moot point about electric cars because most of what you are putting in the car is coming from conventional energy sources (fossil fuel) anyway. 

 

If you want to know anything about US energy sources and distribution, go to eia.gov.  It is fascinating!  It has all sorts of data and thought provoking information.

 

I can spend a lot of time reading every time I go to that site. 

 

Something really worth a look is a page for 

Construction cost data for electric generators installed in 2018

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,629
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

@SoonerLater wrote:

Until we find a better source for generating electricity, which seems a painfully and expensive way off, it is a moot point about electric cars because most of what you are putting in the car is coming from conventional energy sources (fossil fuel) anyway. 

 

If you want to know anything about US energy sources and distribution, go to eia.gov.  It is fascinating!  It has all sorts of data and thought provoking information.

 

I can spend a lot of time reading every time I go to that site. 

 

Something really worth a look is a page for 

Construction cost data for electric generators installed in 2018

 

 


@SoonerLater 

 

👍👍👍

Animals are reliable, full of love, true in their affections, grateful. Difficult standards for people to live up to.”
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,633
Registered: ‎10-21-2010

Re: Electric cars

[ Edited ]

I think a electric car could be really good for everyday tasks and to and from work if you don't have a long commute. But I don't think they are at a point yet where they are realistic to take on a road trip. There needs to be better technology. Longer times and quicker charging times. If your on a road trip I think it would be a pain to find charging stations or wait a 1/2 hour for a charge. From some of the videos I have watched the fast charges in some cars only Roth's up to the 50% point. After that it's not fast to finish it.  Some of them need better styling also. The Tesla is about the only one that looks like a cool car. From a video  I watched it seems like it could cost about 7 dollars depending on where you live to charge it. Also what happens with states like california that can't even keep the lights on.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,773
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Hubbs tells me the cost of the batteriey replacement is very high.

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,168
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Electric cars

[ Edited ]

DD’s brother in-law has a Tesla; he doesn’t like it so is wanting to order their version of the SUV; can’t recall what it’s called. His big issue is the amount of time it takes to charge it initially and keep it charged up. Since he is in the part of Texas hit hardest last February with the deep freeze, he and his family were in trouble with no way to charge up his phones, etc as well as the car. They also have an old Ford pickup that fortunately they could use to get heat and charge up things. Big wake up call! My concern is the rumor that those of us who drive older cars will be financially penalized since our carbon footprint will be larger than those with brand new electric ones. That just won’t work for me!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

The manufacturing of an electric vehicle is not as green as people think. Plus there's the issue of disposal of the electronics once the vehicle is done. I'm not so sure I'd buy one just yet. At this point the scales haven't tipped in the electric direction for me. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,102
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:

Hubbs tells me the cost of the batteriey replacement is very high.


Not only that, but there's talk of charging electric car owners a battery disposal fee when they go to get rid of a car. I've heard as much as $20,000 mentioned as the fee. If that ever happens a whole lot of old electric cars will end up parked in back yards and left to rot.

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