Re: I Don't Want An Electric Car, Do You?

ThinkingOutLoud · ‎05-01-2020

@juanitalinda wrote:
Admittedly I have not read all the posts, so maybe I shouldn't throw in my 2 cents worth.

There is a lot of research going on with both battery technology and charging technology. Things have improved so much in the past 10 years, I can't even imagine how much progress we will have made in another 10 years.

In the meantime, not all electric cars are exhorbinantly expensive. My 2017 Chevy Volt was $33,000. That was not an outrageous cost for a car. After rebates (no sales tax for me in Washington state on electric cars), I think it cost me the equivalent of a $28,000 car.

In 5 years I have changed oil once ... my only maintenance has been tires and spark plugs. Not bad. The battery is guaranteed for 8 years, ... who knows, it might fail at 8 years and 1 month. But then ....

The Volt is not strictly an electric car. I can go 45 miles in winter, or 70 miles in summer on a single charge. After that, I can drive about 350 on gasoline ... for a total of close to 400 miles.

I feel like I have the best of both worlds.

Glad you're happy with your choice but I have never spent $28,000 for any of my cars and don't ever plan to so the idea of an affordable EV is laughable to me.

Marceil · ‎02-06-2018

Forcing technology that we are not ready for is financial suicide. Wake up folks.

juanitalinda · ‎03-11-2010

@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:

Glad you're happy with your choice but I have never spent $28,000 for any of my cars and don't ever plan to so the idea of an affordable EV is laughable to me.

Geez .... I am sorry I offended you. But yes, it is my choice to drive an electric car.

ThinkingOutLoud · ‎05-01-2020

@juanitalinda wrote:
@ThinkingOutLoud wrote:
Glad you're happy with your choice but I have never spent $28,000 for any of my cars and don't ever plan to so the idea of an affordable EV is laughable to me.

Geez .... I am sorry I offended you. But yes, it is my choice to drive an electric car.

I didn't mean it that way at all. The jist of the thread is that all this non-green energy is being forced on people instead of people able to make the choice that is best for them.

Graydoxiechick · ‎08-12-2014

In the late 1980 s my mother got suckered into buying solar power roof plates to generate the hot water heater, since we had well water,,it’s a good thing we lived in Florida because I had a lot of cold showers, she was out 4 grand , dint work then, probably don’t work well now!

juanitalinda · ‎03-11-2010

@Graydoxiechick wrote:
In the late 1980 s my mother got suckered into buying solar power roof plates to generate the hot water heater, since we had well water,,it’s a good thing we lived in Florida because I had a lot of cold showers, she was out 4 grand , dint work then, probably don’t work well now!

That reminds me of my father. He always had a subscription to Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.

In the 1980s, he built solar panels to heat water in the summer, and ran hot water pipes behind the fireplace to heat hot water in the winter.

Some days we washed clothes just to use up the hot water so we wouldn't scald ourselves when we took a shower.

Sounds like his panels worked better than the ones you ended up with.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Graydoxiechick wrote:
In the late 1980 s my mother got suckered into buying solar power roof plates to generate the hot water heater, since we had well water,,it’s a good thing we lived in Florida because I had a lot of cold showers, she was out 4 grand , dint work then, probably don’t work well now!

@Graydoxiechick

Not to get OT, but I live in Southern CA and for at least 5 years now I have noticed large areas of road have street lights with little solar plates on the top.

As it gets dark, the solar power kicks in and the street lights go on. It was a shock the first time I saw them, but not sure why. Time marches on.

Jersey Born · ‎03-10-2010

In answer to the question: No!

While I have not taken the time to read every single post, from what I have seen, many of you are against EVs. My best advice to you, then, and I will take this advice, myself, is to find out who your elected state officials are, gather together as many like-minded people you know, and write, email, and even visit your elected officials to speak your mind to them about this technology that is being rolled out recklessly without any way to power these cars.

The batteries in these cars catch fire and the fires cannot be put out through conventional means. The fires take days to put out, too. How are these batteries safe for a conventional garage that is attached to a home? How to dispose of the used batteries safely? I have read that the entire world supply of lithium (an element needed for EV batteries) is not enough to power the EVs for the entire population of Britain, never mind the rest of the people of the world who drive cars. This demand that only EVs be sold in 2035 is preposterous as things stand right now. This is the cart before the horse, and it is nonsensical if the raw supplies are not even available to accomplish this dictate.

songbird · ‎03-21-2010

I've had an EV since 2014. Now that was really early. In those days the range was only 100 miles. I have no desire to go back to a gas driven car. We finally got our I4 BMW. Love it. Range is 301 miles. We share the car as I only live 2 miles away from work and my husband still works from home. I usually take the shuttle to work. Cost very little to our electricity. If we lose power, it has the ability to power parts of our home. I'm indifferent to the hostile reactions to electric cars. Believe me, I'm used to it. But car manufacturers are committed to it. You'll see them in showrooms (any brand) along with the gas driven cars. I still have never had a Tesla. I don't like them. If you don't like them, don't drive them.

CalminHeart · ‎03-09-2010

@ScarletDove wrote:
@CalminHeart wrote:
@ninjawife wrote:
@CalminHeart There are alternative to gas that are not EVs including hydrogen and synthetic fuel (which by the way can be used in existing gas powered cars). Pushing EVs is politically motivated and not enough thought is going into the repercussions of EVs and not enough research is going into making the alternatives I mentioned more affordable.

No, it's not political. It's a good option to help save our planet from products the pollute land, air, water.
@CalminHeart Disagree! The whole world has to cooperate to help "save the planet"...do not expect that will happen...

The world is just beginning to act. It doesn't change overnight. It takes time.

There are always people who will make political points or make money by bashing the plans to save the planet.

Just look at the senator blocked so much this year - he owns a big coal company and money is more important to him than the future of the planet and generations to come.

And there are always naysayers because people refuse to look ahead further than their own noses. The "it's all about me" attitude is what's ruining our country in many ways.