If you want the latest news and also opinions from EV owners go to r/electricvehicles on Reddit. It doesn’t seem slanted either way to me. They discuss both the pros and cons of EV ownership. I am not an EV owner yet because I don’t need a car right now. But if and when I need a new car, I will definitely be considering an EV so I like to stay up to date.
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Yeah, closing in on my first year with my entry-level Nissan Leaf. The purchase price was about $28,500, minus $7,500 tax credit = net cost of about $21k. Charging at home from 20% to 80% cost me around $3.50 worth of electricity. The only maintenance was to bring the car in for a free software update at the dealer. I’ve had no problem finding available chargers the few times I’ve driven outside my immediate area. My Leaf does have a somewhat limited range, but it’s fine for around town, which is 99% of my driving.
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What did that power upgrade cost?
I didn’t get a power upgrade - not needed for me. I use a regular 120V AC outlet. Since I’m retired, I don’t travel far at all to run errands. Pretty much everything I want or need is within 5 miles of my home. However much of the battery I use, I can recharge at a rate of about 3% per hour. It’s rare that I drive more than 25 miles in a day. I visit my uncle at his nursing home weekly - that’s about 23 miles roundtrip, and uses about 15% of the battery. So recharging from that takes about 5 hours. Even if I used 1/2 the battery in a day and got home around 5 pm and plugged in immediately, by 9 am the next morning, I would essentially have replaced all of the charge I used by then. And I have fast public chargers nearby that are pretty cheap to use as well (I think the most I’ve ever spent at one was about $4.50).
Yes, definitely an unbiased source on EVs:
The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF ) is a conservative think tank(Think tank - Wikipedia) based in Austin, Texas.Projects of the organization include Fueling Freedom, which seeks to “explain the forgotten moral case for fossil fuels” by rejecting the scientific consensus on climate change.[6]
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Thanks. I did not know you could do that.
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Ah Yes…the normal woody response… attack the poster or any source author instead of the data points provided.
Why this diminished forum consists of about 4 regulars now.
EV charging via a 120 volt outlet (“Level 1” charging) is possible but much slower than via a Level 2 charger. Home Level 2 charging can provide up to 12 kilowatts (50 amps at 240 volts) but a 120 volt outlet will be limited to 1.8 kilowatts. If you drive short distances infrequently it could be enough. According to Nissan, charging a leaf via a 120 volt outlet will add 2 to 5 miles of driving range every hour. At a Level 2 charger you can add 10-25 miles per hour. Public Level 3 chargers can charge the Leaf up to 80% in about 30 minutes. The charging slows down above that level of charge to prolong battery life.
I have a deposit on a Volvo EX30 so I’m trying to learn about other options and costs. One additional unplanned extra expense of EV ownership is that due to the increased weight of an EV and the instantaneous low-end torque from the motors owners tend to wear out tires more quickly.
Here is a nugget from the data:
“Adding the costs of the subsidies to the true cost of fueling an EV would equate to an EV owner paying $17.33 per gallon of gasoline.”
Do you really believe this? Am I supposed to read through 20 pages of “data” from a “Think Tank” that is clearly biased? No thanks.
I believe we are in the same place we were when we transitioned from horses to cars. The whole interstate system was built out from government subsidies and I’m sure all the saddle and buggy manufacturers were pushing the same arguments as the oil companies and their “think tanks” are today.
But you are right, billinin, it does seem that there are just a few regulars on here pushing an agenda. I think I will go elsewhere to get my information on purchasing an EV when I need a new car.
I think you’ll find that many of the positive statements concerning EVs on this forum are being done by those who actually own one. Many of the negative statements are made by those with no hands-on experience.
The best way to get valid info for most things in life is to talk with someone who’s done what you are considering doing. I don’t have any skin in the game and couldn’t care less if someone buys an EV or not. And I think the political bias concerning EVs is just plain stupid.
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I’m concerned about tire wear too, I’m keeping tabs on my XC40 because I’m a bit of a hot rodder. I checked the prices a while back and they run about $1,200 a set for the all-season 245/45 R20s all season Michelins. Atjust under 15k they’re wearing normally. Maybe the AWD makes a difference.
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Am I reading the same article? I see no bias in the reporting. The article is covering a recent Ipsos/Yahoo Finance poll on car buying. It’s just reporting the results of the survey. If you follow the link and read the survey, it appears they reported it accurately and in neutral language.
The reasons people (in the survey) gave for not buying an EV are 1) the high average price of EVs compared to ICE, 2) Lack of public charging stations, and 3) Limited range. All of these are valid concerns and also reasons why I wouldn’t buy an EV for my current needs. I’d go for a plug in hybrid, or regular hybrid. I have family members with Teslas, BMW i3, and other EV’s. They like them (for the most part) but these 3 concerns are things that they have mentioned, too.
The linked newspaper, The Washington Examiner, is not an “opinion” paper. It’s a reputable newspaper with a conservative slant on the opinion page. That conservative slant can also be seen in some of the news reporting. Just like the Washington Post has a liberal opinion page, and a liberal slant to some of it’s news reporting.
My favorite news source to get a balanced perspective is Allsides.com. On every major story they have a report from the left, right and center. I have also found that their media bias chart is pretty accurate and matches my evaluations. Media Bias Chart | AllSides
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Many thanks. I will try it
I joined this forum looking for an alternative to Slickdeals (for consumer and shopping advice). I’m surprised that Clark’s forum is so quiet.
I wouldn’t lose any sleep over the tire thing. I’ve had my Leaf close to a year, and not seeing any discernible tire wear yet. My Leaf weighs about 3,500 lbs., so about the same as a typical mid-size car. And on the positive side, the EVs don’t really have a lot of the typical maintenance you’d have to do with the typical fossil fuel car. So even if you have to change tires slightly more often, you’ll be many $ ahead in pretty much all other aspects.
I’m sure it depends on the car and how one drives it. On another forum a Tesla Plaid owner says he has to replace tires annually but admits that he uses the performance the car offers. I just sold a sporty ICE Lexus with AWD and in 5000 miles I had used about 25% of the tires’ tread life (which was good since the car could readily be sold with those tires).
I personally lived through a managed news episode in the 1980s. I was seeking employment due to a motorcycle accident forcing me to change careers. I went to the Norristown, PA unemployment office and was stunned to find it crammed to the gills and with a “feature reporter” and film crew interviewing people in the lines to get their sad stories. Often he would break off in mid interview and move on. When he came to me, he asked about my education and career-I reeled off the 3 colleges and universities (2 famous) and well-known employers when I heard the reporter say to his crew “CUT, THIS GUY DOESN’T FIT THE PIECE”.
I watched the broadcast that evening and the preordained thrust they were seeking proof to justify was that ALL these unemployed people are jobless due to lack of education and skill. Apparently, they had some difficulty finding proof. The Norristown community is a major town in Philadelphia’s northwest exurbs along the Schuylkill River between Philly & Pottstown, PA. near Valley Forge. FYI, this was a decade before NBC rigged a Chevy stepside pickup to explode when it wouldn’t do so as they claimed in accidents.
#craigweb and #pdhenry…
The first time I aired the tires on my XC40 EV I was a little bit amused at the recommended inflation specs. The placard called for 41psi for the front and 42psi for the rear. 
I can’t believe that one PSI makes a difference.
I was glad I had my fancy new electronic digital tire inflator so I could see the PSI to the nearest 1/10th of a lb.