chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

I don't drive an electric nor a hybrid car. I would like to say that electric cars are not a new idea. WAAAM in Hood River, Oregon has an electric car from 1919.

CaptainBobBrown

I've had a 2014 Nissan Leaf for 3 years now here on Hawaii island and I routinely drive it anywhere from 60 to 80 miles roundtrip. It's quiet, I charge at home using the 240 v. Bosch charger I installed in my garage, and I put more power into the grid with a 5 kwatt roof top solar array than I take out most months of the year.

Our 'long distance' car is a Prius C which I get about 50+ mpg but I'd rather have a new Leaf with 200 mile range. Electrics are less problem prone, have many fewer parts to fail, are much quieter, and have better low end torque than gasoline powered cars.

Frayud Loc: Bethesda,MD

The mileage figures for electric cars are derived under ideal, nonrealistic conditions. Here, in the DC area we have to use heating or air conditioning at least 44 weeks a year.

Smudgey Loc: Ohio, Calif, Now Arizona

I so want one, but won't buy until I am able to drive from Mesa AZ to LasVegas on one charge and for the price to come down. My son lives in LV. The millage is getting better and better, so I will wait.

Jim70 Loc: Delaware

I read all these interesting comments, considered all the angles about electric vs. gasoline and bought a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. Couldn't find an electric car that can haul firewood, move furniture, carry topsoil for the garden, or apply 4-wheel drive to take my grandkids fishing.

Maybe sometime in the future...….

RoyLegrand Loc: Vancouver, Canada

I think it's generally very true what you are saying. I am always fascinated by endless innovations humans create!
It's just so unfortunate that the new technology always cost dozens times more that conventional things. The whole burden of trials and losses lays down on consumer's shoulders.
Also: doesn't the production of the e.v. battery and its disposal involve some significant resources, both financial and natural?

Kuzano

All hearsay until we hear about the device or method that is developed (add to car cost) that reports mileage to either State or Federal agencie to report mileage usage and tax us for road fees accordingly.

OH, and what about the extra cost of devices legislate to be added to all cars to render a motor like sound to warn pedestrians that an electric (soundless) car is bearing down on them. Pedestrians have already lost lives to being run down in crosswalks by silent cars. Bills are already being introduced in many states to add such devices, which will be an increase in car production costs.

The infrastructure for charging facilities will also be passed on to taxpayers.

Oh yes, and do you know also that "mentally deranged Donald Trump" has let us know that Wind farms and Wind Power Towers cause Cancer.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

If I recall correctly the city of Philadelphia had a number of electric trucks for road work in the 1940s. They didn't last long.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Just like the mileage figures you see on the sticker of a new car/truck.

The figures I gave for my 2017 Prius were derived from my usage over the last 18 months. Definitely not ideal conditions and include H/AC.
Of course my style of driving figures into that also. YMMV, particularly if you are used to exercising the power available in your car on a regular basis rather than maintaining a smooth even driving style.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

Electric vehicles are not at all new technology. There were many electric cars in the last portion of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The Baker and Detroit Electric cars were luxury cars most often for women. I seem to recall that one of the Baker's had a 100 mi range and a maximum speed of 23 miles/hr. (Before 1920 you could not travel much faster on the ground anyway). Incidentally, The first gas electric hybrid automobile was driven by Hiram Percy Maxim in 1898).

Today's electric cars are a bit better than those of a hundred years ago but largely are inferior to gasoline powered car. If you live in a cold climate electric cars have significantly reduced range because you will want to use your heater which works by electric resistance. In hot weather your range is reduced by the use of air conditioning. Mountains and hills are also a killer.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Another point.
I have noticed that my Prius (which does show reduced mileage in the winter, by about 10%) has a problem when it is snowing heavily. The defroster will keep the wiindshield above freezing and clear on the inside (in mid-Atlantic and New England states) but when snow starts to build up on the windshield wipers, it will freeze into ice clumps, and so the windshield wipers will not clear the windshield effectively. I get circular streaks where the ice clumps clear the windshield almost, but in between those "clear" areas the snow builds up to restrict visibility. On all the old regular gasoline powered cars I have owned, the heat from the engine coming out from the top of the hood was sufficient to keep the windshield wipers from freezing up like that. The Prius engine is too efficient and doesn't generate enough heat to clear the wipers. I have to stop occasionally and clear the wipers manually. A real safety hazard on interstates.

That problem could be mitigated by adding a heater to the wiper, but the Prius had not done so as of the 2017 model. Some of the other hybrid brands may have done that by now.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

Does this figure into the pollution and environmental impact of the strip-mining process for raw materials, and manufacturing them? Then electricity itself isn't pollution free- how is the current generated? Don;t tell me windfarms, or photo cells- they too have a carbon footprint and environmental impact. Finally, there is the recycling of the batteries. No one has talked about what happens to a world full of old batteries. I imagine they are very recyclable.

I don't think these are a bad thing in any way, right now my diesel bug gets 48mpg. and I only paid $2500 for the car- so no way cost per mile to me can come close in a leaf or prius.. In fact i am more concerned about the pollution aspect all around. SO just not sure if batteries are the answer, when considered in full picture , pit-mine, manufacturing, charging, to recycle bin.

If they could figure out how to get hydrogen easily, now you are indeed talking nearly pollution free, as hydrogen burns in air yielding small amounts of nitrogen oxides, along with the 02 to create H20 (potable pure) water vapor. Let the oil companies distribute it!

jerroldh

Chexk out rivian.com . 400 mile range or so they say in the ad.

Pepsiman Loc: New York City

Living in NYC, about 500 or more from the street, 5 flights up. I will never get one.

James56 Loc: Nashville, Tennessee

Well, I can only get about 4-5 years out of my car battery before it completely craps out. Does that mean all the batteries in a electric car need to be changed out every few years. That's my concern...how long will the batteries last. I bet replacing them isn't cheap either.