Quote:
Originally Posted by roastbeef
the shrinking range capacity of electric cars is probably not what you perceive. i'm not trying to convince you that an electric car is for you, but i do think you are (and you're definitely not alone) misinformed.
i drive an electric smart car. the range is about 60 miles. i leased my my first one for three years and put just under 30,000 miles on it. i loved it so much, i bought my second one used with 12k miles on it for $6,200, and i've had it about three years now- so i've been driving these specific cars for about six years and 60,000 miles now.
i use it to drive to and from work, and it barely makes it- i have about 5% capacity left from a round trip to work. i have to be conscious of tire pressure, heater and a/c use, and leaving my house with a full charge (if i go to the gym before work, i have to top it off). if its raining (not common in socal), i have to reduce my speed to compensate for the increased rolling resistance of the water being on the ground and using the windshield wipers.
its going to be interesting if this "shrinking gas tank" theory happens. i'll notice it. i have become hypersensitive to this car's quirks and i know at a quick glance of my battery charge capacity if i need to hypermile it based on where i intend to drive to. i avoid public charging stations because its usually three times what it costs me to charge at home ($0.32-48 per kwh as opposed to $0.13 per kwh at home).
reduced range when its cold (cold for socal is about 35*) is negligible, but using the heater really reduces the range since it isn't using the coolant for heat, its an electric coil with a fan blowing on it (like a blow dryer). so someone in an ev that is using the heater when its cold, raining [windshield wipers/rolling resistance], seat heaters, listening to the radio, and not maintaining their tire pressure is going to severely reduce their range. lets face it, most people are oblivious and ignorant.
this smart car is my fourth vehicle, but its my most driven vehicle. if i have to go somewhere before or after work, i simply take a gas vehicle. this is why i tell people they make great second cars. most people have one car to themselves. people stop me all the time to ask about my weird car and ask me what i do if i have to drive farther than 60 miles (range always comes up in questions). when i respond, "i just take my gas car" people are always surprised.
the fact of the matter is, from a balance sheet perspective, this car saves me a ton of money in fuel and maintenance costs. it saves me as much money as the battery costs to replace in about a year's time.
again, everyone's situation is different, but now you have perspective from someone with experience.
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roastbeef Thanks. You sir (or madame, we don't know each other), have described range anxiety better than anyone could describe it. You acknowledge the potential for shrinking gas tank syndrome to be a possibility.
Utility-for-utility, EVs fall far short of ICE vehicles. I am using the meaning of the word "utility" in the most expansive way possible. Think about the use of the word utility in an economics PhD course.
Shrinking gas tank syndrome, plus range anxiety, will not be solved for years to come. I have confidence that the shrinking gas tank can be overcome, but when it happens and and what financial cost to consumers, is hard to predict.