I need a new car, and I really want to go full electric. I’m wondering if anyone regrets buying one? What are the downsides?
I need a new car, and I really want to go full electric. I’m wondering if anyone regrets buying one? What are the downsides?
ICE engines improve all the time too. Are you similarly hesitant to buy a car with one?
Sort of. ICE engines are much more mature, and the improvements happen in much smaller increments. There were plenty of ICE cars 30 years that could get 30 mpg, just like there are today. Whereas with EVs, we’re talking about potentially extending range and charging speeds by 50% or more.
That seems like it would only be a concern for people that need the new thing all the time, which is an expansive proposition when it comes to cars.
As long as the batteries and drivetrain hold up, the people looking to spend 10-20k on their commuter rather than 40-70k will accept things that are out of date.
EVs are older than ICE cars.
The market definitely went ICE for decades, but how mature is mature enough for you?
EVs are older, sure, but they were in suspended animation for a long time.
As to the question of how mature is mature enough, that depends. In my case, as an EV owner, I think they are mature enough now. However, the fact that major developments in range, efficiency, charging speed, etc are happening regularly in the EV space reflects a certain immaturity. The technology clearly has not yet stabilized, and that may be concerning for people coming from an ICE background.
It’s definitely a different line for everyone, which is why I asked them to self-evaluate to challenge their own thoughts about it.
It could be they’re ready when a standard battery is 300+ miles with a half hour charge up. Could be 500+ with 10 minutes to charge, etc. until we get to a place where it’s probably far outside our lifetime and it’s suddenly a hard no to EVs and they may have had no idea.
I just chafe a bit at vague “not yet” with no clear goal. It’s the bread and butter of bad faith arguments against EVs and I don’t like to see it spread, intentionally or not.