Recently moved back to NZ and building a house; installing solar and a battery. Not to go tree hugging (though I do like trees) but to reduce our utility bills in retirement (i.e. cap-ex while working to offset low income in retirement). Super insulated house, water recovery etc. Grid lite. ROI was not a consideration but when we recently bought Tracey an EV; Opel Mokka compact SUV (think nicer Buick Encore) for mostly around town running the solar equation improves dramatically.
We also run a petrol Honda station wagon, retromodded Morris Minor pickup (1973) and a soft top Toyomotor MR2 (from my dad). And one day a G/GL but that's still a work in progress, sigh.
For me the answer to the original question is horses for courses.
For every negative EV argument there is a forgotten petrol equivalent, or it just doesn't come up because they are so embedded in our culture. In the US gas is still so cheap that argument is hard to make. For me in NZ it is USD6.50 a gallon (the 3.785 litre gallon). Would that cause someone in the US to consider their choice of car? Would one still use the RAM 3500 to go fetch a gallon of milk at the local shop?
On a recent 260 mile return trip, starting from full, using public chargers and touring at the holiday destination $ per mile was 90mpg equivalent. However, the Opel has a relatively small range (didn't need the bigger battery pack day to day) so we had to plan a bit and stop for lunch, take the dog for a stretch etc. while it refuelled to around 85%. That was enjoyable but a 1,000 mile cross country on a mission, no way. The charging network here is growing; 1.3% of cars on the road in NZ are now electric (about double the US % excl. Ca.) and the chargenet app tells you the status and location of chargers so you can aim for one not in use or nearly complete and, theoretically, not queue so much. Tesla chargers exist but not overwhelmingly. Most EVs are Chinese here. Europe and the US have given them all their IP and effectively invited them to take over the world markets. Taiwan is next, there go the microchips.
The counter arguments are interesting and I am no apologist for the choice of car but take tires - does anyone even consider the cost / wear of say an F350 to a Colorado. Same with range. Sure the govt is going to slap a road user charge on EVs soon (as petrol tax revenue declines) but for our personal motoring week to week its costing nothing in energy input since we will be charging at home, off solar, or the free two hours from the leccy company every night. Around 80% of NZ's power generation is renewable, so idling hydro then ramping it up is apparently more expensive than giving it away, for now.
The EV is easy to drive but it is a utility choice, not 'I want to go for a drive for fun' vehicle. Gets off its r's okay. I suspect some of the batshit crazy hp EV's might be a laugh.
Battery tech and management is improving all the time. I expect the residual value will be appalling. Throw in some hills, turn on the heater, put your foot down and watch the projected range drop sharply. Is it the future or a means to improve electric motors and battery tech; towards hydrogen, rubber bands, hamsters in a flywheel? Hard to tell.
Would I but another one, yes, but preferably something a bit cute / quirky / amusing - have a look at the Evetta and tell me that wouldn't put a smile on your face every time you went to the shops. I watched a doco on the development of the Jag iPace and quite fancy one of those too. And yes, all my taste is in my mouth.
John
