EV’s are becoming mainstream

[David G]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

LA may be different from most of the country, but Dubuque is about as ordinary midwestern as you can get.

The main barrier now is initial cost.

I think an equal barrier is the spacing and reliability of charging stations.

[Vernon]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

I think an equal barrier is the spacing and reliability of charging stations.

Yes, out here in the corn that's going to be true for some time. The cost too, for the many who don't have the luxury of calculating the cost over time.

It'll come, as the technology improves and cost come down. What, 5 years maybe?

[Gerarddm]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

The house we bought in ABQ came with 21 fully paid PV panels; our monthly electric bill is $4.50, the admin fee for the account. In a few years once our SUV gets longer in the tooth and charging stations become more prevalent, we will give serious thought to an EV since we have 220v circuits thanks to my shop and can charge up an EV practically for free.

[Paul Pless]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

^ envy

[AndanteEd]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

Many years ago when unleaded fuel first came out it was only available in a few places. The change meant first having to pay to get some black magic performed on your car's engine.

I clearly recall the first time I met someone who had made the switch to unleaded. It was 1987 and I was at Fowey Regatta (UK), chatting to the main trimmer on the boat I was racing on. He'd seemed perfectly normal, however at some point he mentioned that he'd converted his Renault 5 to unleaded because, in spite of the nearest fuel station being about 30 miles away, he believed it was the right thing to do.

From that moment on I decided that he was some form of dangerous subversive.

Scroll on two or three years and anyone still running on leaded fuel was beginning to look like the dangerous subversives.

The change from ICE to electric is a far greater step, but the early adopters have already created mainstream awareness. Just as the car makers have been scrambling to get electric cars to market in recent years, so simplified solutions for charging will quickly follow.

[Joe (SoCal)]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

Yes, out here in the corn that's going to be true for some time. The cost too, for the many who don't have the luxury of calculating the cost over time.

It'll come, as the technology improves and cost come down. What, 5 years maybe?

There are 43 Tesla Superchargers in Ohio including places like Lima and Findlay, not including the other hundreds of non Tesla charging stations all over the state. Basically you can charge anywhere you want to go and your 5 years happened last year.

Screenshot 2022-11-14 at 11.00.48 AM.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?tbs=lf...fi=hd:;si:;mv:[[41.099133385135445,-83.3815406743988],[40.6208457043275,-84.41150893611756],null,[40.86042125190595,-83.89652480525818],11]

[Joe (SoCal)]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

EVs are pretty far from mainstream here on the Maine coast (Mount Desert Island specifically). I do see a FEW EVs in the summer, but they are 100% out of state, mostly Massachusetts. None of the local car dealers carry EVs. You "might" be able to see one at a dealer in Bangor, but on any given day I would say the chance of them having one for you to look at, not test drive, is under 10%. If they have one it is because an ordered car hasn't been picked up yet.

The charging infrastructure here (Mount Desert Island, ME) is tiny. I think there is/was a single high speed charger on the island with a single charging point. I say is/was because last week when I went past that location (a gas station) it looked like it had closed (no prices posted and no one there). Other than that there are about 20-25 level 2 charging points on the island. Most are located at hotels and are restricted to their customers. Also, since those hotels are now closed for the winter, the charging points there are also likely shut down for the winter. Close to home I am aware of 8 level two charging points. Two are at a hotel that is closed for the winter and they are shut down. Two are in a boat yard and the owner says the only car at them in the winter is his (he owns one of the two EVs on this half of the island. His is a VW and there is one Tesla). Two charging points are in front of the police station in Southwest Harbor, one is at the Tremont town office (open business hours only M-F since ou have to get the office staff to turn it on) and the final one is at a local auto museum that is closed for the season. By the way, the auto museum has about 8-10 electric cars, but none built after about 1915. They also have several steam cars. I pass by most of those charging points frequently and almost never see a car charging in the summer and never see one in the winter.

You may think the lack of EV infrastructure here is surprising considering that we get about 4 million tourist visits a year and they all arrive by car (no public transportation to the island). But there is essentially zero demand for EV infrastructure in the off season because very few of the local people can afford an EV. Most of the people who could afford an EV won't consider on until there is a real 3/4-1 ton pickup with an 8 foot bed available for reasonable money - i.e., lobster fishermen who actually use their trucks to haul stuff and tow heavy trailers every day and need a real truck that can haul 4-6 full 55 gallon drums and other similar loads. Consequently, building a significant EV infrastructure doesn't make economic sense here.

So EVs are not even close to mainstream here.

Ya got 6 on Mount Desert Island, ME including 2 Tesla Superchargers
Screenshot 2022-11-14 at 11.03.43 AM.jpg

[Tom Wilkinson]

Ya got 6 on Mount Desert Island, ME including 2 Tesla Superchargers
[ATTACH=CONFIG]123421[/ATTACH]

Those are destination chargers, not superchargers, and most of the others look like level 2 charging.


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[Tom Wilkinson]

EV’s are becoming mainstream

I do think joes title for the thread is correct. They are not mainstream yet, but they most certainly are becoming mainstream. Cindy and I find ours both to be far more convenient to use than gas powered cars for the vast majority of our driving and for a long trip even with the infrastructure in its infancy all it has taken is a small amount of planning.

Of course they are not as prevalent in areas where long distance daily travel is the norm or where hauling heavy loads is required, but that is not what they are for.

Nearly every auto manufacturer has at least one in their lineup and they cannot keep them in stock. That is certainly what becoming mainstream looks like imho.


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[Too Little Time]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

This is my morning routine twice a week, I park my EV at one of the charging locations in my apartment complex in the evening. The next morning I wake up make coffee unlock the charger 90% and 342 miles of range and $9 later I drive away.

I everyone at your complex had an EV how convenient would charging there be?

Once a month I stop at the local gas station and buy gas. Takes less than 10 minutes. And I save the $40K or so cost of an EV.

On the highway I frequently see all the gas pumps busy. But getting gas does not take long. I could imagine there being a lot of EVs on the road and me being stuck someplace with an EV waiting for an hour for a charging station to free up. And then waiting for my charging to finish. Not a pleasant thought.

Batteries are dropping in cost. Charging rates are increasing. Range is improving. More charging locations are coming on line. One day I will own an EV.

[Tom Wilkinson]

EV’s are becoming mainstream

I think an equal barrier is the spacing and reliability of charging stations.

How many people drive over 250 miles daily? For most people that live in single family homes charging stations are not really a barrier at all for most of their driving.

But then again, most of those same people do not drive cars that are practical for their needs as evidenced by the numbers that commute in a full size suv or pickup.


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[Keith Wilson]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

Many, if not most folks who can afford an electric at this point will have more than one vehicle. Having an electric for around-town stuff and one powered by gas for long trips would work pretty well right now.

[John Smith]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

LA may be different from most of the country, but Dubuque is about as ordinary midwestern as you can get.

The main barrier now is initial cost.

AAA can bring you a can of gas if you run out. Charge your battery?

Someone, please, explain how one who has to park on the local street, which is a LOT OF DRIVERS, gets this to work out well. The more popular EVs become, the more charging facilities will be needed. A station that needs 6 pumps to meet needs of iCEs, will need more chargers for the same number of cars, as charging takes longer.

My present car will probably last til I'm done driving, so all of this is up to those younger than I. That said, it is important to look at this not just from your situation and how you can handle charging, but to look at the obstacle charging is apt to create for others.

[John Smith]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

Many years ago when unleaded fuel first came out it was only available in a few places. The change meant first having to pay to get some black magic performed on your car's engine.

I clearly recall the first time I met someone who had made the switch to unleaded. It was 1987 and I was at Fowey Regatta (UK), chatting to the main trimmer on the boat I was racing on. He'd seemed perfectly normal, however at some point he mentioned that he'd converted his Renault 5 to unleaded because, in spite of the nearest fuel station being about 30 miles away, he believed it was the right thing to do.

From that moment on I decided that he was some form of dangerous subversive.

Scroll on two or three years and anyone still running on leaded fuel was beginning to look like the dangerous subversives.

The change from ICE to electric is a far greater step, but the early adopters have already created mainstream awareness. Just as the car makers have been scrambling to get electric cars to market in recent years, so simplified solutions for charging will quickly follow.

I found my '66 Dodge thrived on unleaded.

Imagine if it took three or four, or five, times as long to fill the tank with unleaded gas?

[John Smith]

Re: EV’s are becoming mainstream

I everyone at your complex had an EV how convenient would charging there be?

Once a month I stop at the local gas station and buy gas. Takes less than 10 minutes. And I save the $40K or so cost of an EV.

On the highway I frequently see all the gas pumps busy. But getting gas does not take long. I could imagine there being a lot of EVs on the road and me being stuck someplace with an EV waiting for an hour for a charging station to free up. And then waiting for my charging to finish. Not a pleasant thought.

Batteries are dropping in cost. Charging rates are increasing. Range is improving. More charging locations are coming on line. One day I will own an EV.

That's the point I made a while back.