The holiday season is fast approaching, and with it, all kinds of uncomfortable conversations with relatives who think they know a lot about a lot of things, but in reality they just know a lot about Dunning-Kruger. These are just moving examples of the activity. Not going home is always an option—after all, there's no reason you should spend your free time with people you can't stand. But if you're headed home and aren't expecting to converse with your uncle or parents over heaping plates of turkey and potatoes, we prepared some talking points to debunk their more preposterous claims. Are. electric vehicle,
EVs take too long to charge
The number one complaint from people who have no experience driving or living with an electric car that will make them never get an EV is that it takes too long. recharge themOn the one hand, this attitude is understandable. For more than a century, humans have become accustomed to vehicles that can be refueled in minutes using very energy-dense fluids that can be pumped into the fuel tank at rates of up to 10 gallons per minute. Is.
In contrast, batteries are not at all fast to recharge, especially if you plug them into an AC charger.
Even the fastest fast-charging EV connected to a fast DC fast charger will need 18 to 20 minutes to get to a 10 to 80 percent state of charge, and that's, apparently, too much to wait for while driving. Have more time than some mischievous people are prepared for. From one coast to the other as fast as possible.
The point is that an EV is a paradigm shift from a gasoline-powered car. Yes, refueling that gas car is quick, but it's also inconvenient, especially if you live somewhere all gas stations are closing,
Instead of weekly trips to the gas station – or perhaps more frequently in some cases – EV owners plug in their cars every night and wake up every morning with a full battery.
I can't charge it at home
The second most common reason people won't buy an EV is actually a very good one. If you can't reliably charge your car at home or at work – and I mean strength—You really have no business buying a plug-in vehicle yet. Yes, you could treat your nearest fast charger location like a gas station and drive there once or twice a week, but using a fast charger is much more expensive than plugging in at home, and frequently- The bar is not particularly good for fast charging batteries. DC fast charging is for road trips, when your car doesn't have enough range to reach your destination. But for most daily driving, this is not the case.
But don't worry, there are plenty of efficient parallel hybrids you can choose from that will meet your needs.
an EV is too expensive
Unfortunately, the promised reduction in the price of lithium-ion batteries to the point where electric powertrains are priced on par with gasoline powertrains has not yet materialized. This means that EVs are still more expensive than their fossil-fuel counterparts. But gasoline cars are not eligible for this irs clean vehicle tax creditAnd in their eagerness to sell EVs, many carmakers are offering incentives to customers who don't qualify for the credit.
Beyond incentives, while it seems like every new EV released is priced at $80,000 or more, This is absolutely not trueThere are at least 11 different EV models to choose from for under $40,000, and 17 that cost less than the average price of a new car in 2024 ($47,000).
What's more, 75 percent of American car buyers buy used cars. Why should it be any different for EVs? In fact, Used EVs can be a real dealThey depreciate more The above tax credits are offset to a lesser extent than internal combustion engine vehicles, and up to $4,000 of the used EV tax credit is now available to qualifying buyers. we are also Expect an abundance of EVs Hit the used market in a year or two, as leases will start expiring.
What happens when it rains or snows or I have to shelter from a storm?
The issue of inclement weather and EVs is another commonly heard talking point among detractors and those spreading FUD. First, charging an EV in rain or snow is no less safe than refueling a gas car in the rain. And when you lose some range in very cold weather, guess what? Every other car and truck on the road does the same thing, it's just that those drivers don't keep track of that stuff very closely.
The potential need to evacuate an area due to extreme weather such as hurricanes also causes considerable concern among EV-experienced people. And again, this is a misplaced concern. If the weather is very bad on the way, make sure you have your car fully charged beforehand, just as you make sure to fill your gas tank. Yes, if there is a power outage, chargers will not work, but any gas pump at a gas station, which also runs on electricity, will not work. And the chargers will work as long as there's power—those gas stations will need regular deliveries of fresh gasoline to serve new customers.