Debate, electric car vs gas car


Here are some of the common arguments I hear against electric cars.

-Electric cars and batteries are more expensive to maintain than gasoline cars

-Electric cars can only get up to 300 miles per charge if you drive REALLY careful

-Gas cars are more powerful than electric cars

-They take much longer to recharge, and the cost of the fastest recharger systems is too high

Here's a link critical of them:
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-electric-car-why-it-is-not-ready-for-mass-consumption-2011-12?op=1

Can anyone rebuttal these?

reply

Sure, I can rebut.

...Electric cars and batteries are more expensive to maintain than gasoline cars

This one is jut plain false. EVs require no engine maintenance at all - no oil, fluids, plugs, filters, tune ups, etc. It's like the electric motor in your refrigerator - it will run for years or even decades with no attention at all.

And modern battery technology is much longer lived than old-tech lead acid batteries. The Tesla Roadster has been out for over 6 years now, and a study of those cars shows only about a 15% reduction in capacity after 100,000 miles. Study talked about here:

http://www.plugincars.com/tesla-roadster-battery-life-study-85-percent -after-100000-miles-127733.html



...-Electric cars can only get up to 300 miles per charge if you drive REALLY careful

Well, here's a chart showing Tesla's driving range versus driving speed:

http://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/graph1.jpg

It shows that you only have to average about 55 mph or under to get a 300 mile range in the Model S. If you don't drive freeways, you might even get a 400 mile range.



...Gas cars are more powerful than electric cars

Power has nothing to do with gas versus electric. You can build a powerful vehicle out of either. Don't forget that full-sized trains and subways are electric.



...They take much longer to recharge, and the cost of the fastest recharger systems is too high

This one has multiple answers. Firstly, this is largely a matter of perspective. I don't consider charging to take a long time, because it only takes me ten seconds to plug my car in when I get home, and another 10 seconds to unplug in the morning.

To me, gassing up is what takes too long. I don't like having to make time in my day to visit a gas station.

High power (level 2) chargers are no longer expensive. Today you can find one on Amazon or eBay for a few hundred. There's also an open-source EV charger kit for under $200.

Unless you mean the really high power kind, the ones that can charge up a car in a few minutes. But that kind isn't for your home - you wouldn't install a gas pump at your home, either.


The article you linked is a few years old - some of the arguments it makes have been stomped on by new technology. Other arguments are often-repeated nonsense. But it would take another long post to address all of it.

reply

(bump)
1)There is no maintenance for a battery pack,(unless you're driving something with lead acid wet batteries) or unless it's end of life,which I'm not expecting before 10 years with current data.I lease mine.any problems,it's fixed or replaced or upgraded..The motor has one moving part-no maintenance necessary.

2 Range-)I don't do cross country road trips..my last car had 400 mile range and I never went further in the 4 years I had it than 200 miles round trip..and I was there at the other end for hours..so,in my case,300 is plenty.I like the (paraphrased) quote from WKTEC.."Electric cars aren't for everyone..only about 90% could use one." I'm one of that 90%.. Also,that's what recharging is for..you get to do it all over again,if you want.

3) Power-pick any car..I'm sure there's another one more powerful out there.You want bragging rights?
Look on youtube for the "Fully Charged" channel-An EV blogger tried out the BMW
I3 city car EV against a bigger BMW sports saloon..in a drag race,the I3 won..

4)Recharge time-How many cars have you had that can refill their "tank" while you're parked and doing something else? I can go into town,to shop or doing something for an hour,plug in and leave it,and the car's fully charged again when I get back.
Try adding up how much time you spend getting to or sat on a forecourt in a week or a month..
I now have a charger hookup on my driveway.I don't have a long commute..It's been 3 days since I charged up-I reckon I could go a week without plugging in.I parked and plugged in before going in to a shop just to pick up some milk today.I got back it was at 90% charge.
Expensive chargers..Ever ask how much one of those gas station pumps cost?

A couple of advantages you might want to consider..
Here In the UK,the average ICE car pays an emissions based tax averaging 50-100 pounds (~$150)-my emissions tax is Zero.
Central London has a congestion charge in operation-you pay a "Toll" to drive a high emission car in the city. Electric car-free.
In the US,you have HOV lanes that are less congested-also available if you have an EV..
Read your electric bill..how much does a 1 Kilowatt unit of electricity cost where you are? Average here is around 17p a unit. (25c?) My battery holds 22Kw and that will take me 80-100 miles depending on how leadfooted I drive..
You should take a test drive..

If Book was in Intelligence B4 finding God,does that mean He's a Shepherd Spy? (Thank You,Spike..)

reply