There’s hardly any choice
That’s baloney. Tesla alone currently offer 4 models in various configurations. There are more models available in Europe and Asia, but we still have the Kia Nero EV, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq Electric, Hyundai Kona Electric, Volkswagen E-Golf, Mini Cooper SE, Porsche Taycan, Jaguar i-Pace, BMW i3, Audi E-tron, Mercedes EQC and many more coming.
They wouldn’t sell if they weren’t subsidized
This is wrong for two reasons. In some jurisdictions, there are no subsidies. Alberta is a good example. Yet I still see the cars. Not as many, this is true, but people still buy them.
Also, some manufacturers, particularly the ones who have been around for a while, won’t be getting subsidized much longer, if they are at all. That’s because companies like Tesla only qualify for the US federal subsidy until they sell more than 200,000 cars. That milestone was passed on 31 December 2019. For GM, that milestone is approaching very soon.
They’re slow
No. Even the slowest electric cars are not slow. The Leaf and Kona get to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds. The Tesla Model 3 slowest variant only takes 5.6 seconds and the performance model does it in 3.4 seconds. The next generation Tesla Roadster will get to 100 km/h in 2.1 seconds. Wear a neck brace……
Compared to ICE cars, this is still true, but the gap is closing. A Chevrolet Bolt will cost between $45,000 and $50,000 depending on options, The Hyundai Kona Electric between $46,000 and $52,000. Granted for $50,000 I’d rather buy a Mercedes, but my operating costs will be much higher than an electric car.
They can’t go very far
Among affordable EVs, the Nissan Leaf can run for an average 150 miles on a charge, while the Chevrolet Bolt EV ups the ante to km, and the full-electric version of the Hyundai Kona boasts an operating range of 415 km. If you have deeper pockets, the top version of the Tesla Model 3 has 310-mile range, while its costlier sibling, the Model S maxes out at 335 miles on a charge.
Charging takes too long
That depends on many factors. If you try charging a Tesla Model 3 using a standard 110V plug, forget it. It will take 4 days. But that’s not how you do it. If you own an electric car, you should be installing a 240V charger in your garage or outside your house by your parking location. The rate of charge will also depend on the current capacity of the connecting 240V line. A circuit with 100A of current can give you at peak delivery 71 km of range per hour, versus a 50A circuit, which can only give you 60 km per hour. You can get from 40% to 80% in an hour. Bear in mind, you’re going to home charge overnight. And if you’re smart, pre-heat or pre-cool the car while it’s plugged in.
A Chevy Bolt will fully charge at home using 240V in 9.5 hours. DC fast charging, if you can find it, gets you fully topped up in 80 minutes.
If you’re lucky to own a Tesla, their supercharging network is not only ubiquitous (especially in the US and Europe), but their latest generation of superchargers can really get the Model 3 going again fast. You’re looking at charge rates at their peak of 1,000 km of range per hour. Keep in mind that charging rate is not linear. The peak charge rate usually comes between 10% and 60% and drops off dramatically to preserve battery longevity and prevent excess heat.
There are 10 Tesla supercharger stations in Alberta, 4 of which are the 3rd generation 250kw ones. But Alberta is a bad example. There are 41 in Ontario. That’s stations, not individual stalls. Many of the newer stations have 20 stalls.
They aren’t any greener than ICE cars
Electric motors convert 75 percent of the chemical energy from the batteries to power the wheels. By comparison, internal combustion engines (ICEs) only convert 20 percent of the energy stored in gasoline. What’s more, EVs emit no direct tailpipe pollutants. Some argue they still pollute the atmosphere, at least indirectly, via the power plants that produce the electricity necessary to operate them.
EVs tend to fare best in this regard when charged in parts of California, New York, and the Pacific Northwest, where renewable energy resources are prevalent, and less so in central U.S. states like Colorado, Kansas and Missouri because of their greater dependence on fossil fuels to produce electricity. At that, a study conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists concluded that EVs are generally responsible for less pollution than conventional vehicles in every region of the U.S.
They cost a lot to maintain
Nope. Forget tune-ups, oil and filter changes, transmission fluid changes. No more worn out clutches. No coolant flushes. No muffler to replace. No starter to wear out. No drive belts to break.
There is one thing you will be spending more money on. Tires. Your tires are likely to wear much faster due to the added weight and the incredible torque always being applied to the wheels.
The batteries only last 3 years
Electric vehicles are federally mandated to carry separate warranties for their battery packs for at least eight years or 100,000 miles. According to published reports, Nissan Leaf models that were used as taxicabs retained 75% of their battery capacity after 120,000 miles on the road. A Tesla owner is said to be able to have 90% of their car’s battery life intact after 200,000 miles. Once depleted, EV batteries, like 99% of the batteries found in conventional cars, can be recycled. For example, used EV power cells can be used to store solar and wind energy, or they can be broken down with their more-valuable elements reused.
The grid can’t handle a lot of electric cars
According to a report conducted by Navigant Research, the nation can add millions of electric cars to the current power system without having to build any new power plants. Much of this has to do with the fact that most electric vehicles tend to be charged at night during off-peak hours when power demand tends to be the lowest.
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