EV owners of today and tomorrow

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

From what I understand, my employer is pro-ev and will provide power to charge while at work. So theoretically I could have free power...

 

[oosik]

OK - I see your point tradosaurus. However - I don't have to make a 60 mile round trip to refill my Power Wagon. And I do not have to build a recharge station at my home for my Power Wagon.

Give it time. The technology on batteries is making a new breakthru almost daily. EV's may be the wave of the future.

 

[tradosaurus]

From what I understand, my employer is pro-ev and will provide power to charge while at work. So theoretically I could have free power...

Awesome!

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

From what I understand, my employer is pro-ev and will provide power to charge while at work. So theoretically I could have free power...

I know someone who got free charging at work until the company realized that he was using more than 3 times the power to charge his car than anyone else. California power rates being high, he had figured out how to use the energy from his car batteries to mostly power his small home after work.
Pretty smart electrical / electronic guy.
The new company policy is you have to pay for any charging that is more than the average usage to charge all EV's.

 

[ponytug]

We have a partial and a plug-in hybrid. Our plug-in hybrid works just fine for us for errands and 40 mile(ish) round trips. When I commuted 40 miles each way, the local parking garage had some chargers, so it worked out well for me. It charges on solar at home, and the service costs are next to nothing because the engine is almost never used. I can see replacing everything except our heavy trucks with EVs as the current generation of cars die. The cost to operate is just so much lower.

I've never been a "my brand is better than your brand" person, and I tend to own vehicles to the end of their lives, pretty much always terminal events due to random items like deer, or drivers doing, well, unpredictable things. Vehicles get me from A to B, ideally comfortably and economically, and if at all possible enjoyably. I've owned a number and some models were definitely better than others because sometimes manufacturers do "stupid" things like removing water block pre-filters in a diesel to save a few dollars.

I never understood why someone should care if someone else wanted to drive a Mercedes, or a Lamborghini, or a Corvair, (or Deere, or Case for that matter) but that's me. Whatever floats your boat, and works for you.

All the best,

Peter

 

[tomplum]

Is an EV a good purchase for someone who drives 3,500 miles per year on average? I had talked to an older couple a few years back and they brought up a point with hybrids that I didn't know. They had bought a Camry hybrid and if I remember correctly they had killed the battery in it as they drove very little. 2,000 miles? a year. They basically had to trade their hybrid for an ICE Camry. Maybe this had all changed by now, but the wife is considering a new / newer car. Thoughts?

 

[ruffdog]

Is an EV a good purchase for someone who drives 3,500 miles per year on average? I had talked to an older couple a few years back and they brought up a point with hybrids that I didn't know. They had bought a Camry hybrid and if I remember correctly they had killed the battery in it as they drove very little. 2,000 miles? a year. They basically had to trade their hybrid for an ICE Camry. Maybe this had all changed by now, but the wife is considering a new / newer car. Thoughts?

Driving low miles is a good question about longevity as I too drive low miles. It is the same reason I would shy away from engines that have a wet belt.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The fewer miles you drive, the less you will save on fuel.

 

[lsgreg]

I drive a Volt, and a Maverick hybrid.

The Volt goes about 38 miles on a charge, then burns gas. Most of our miles are electric, so it is "like" an EV in our use.

I always charge only at home, that is how most real life EV users do it. It takes 15 seconds to plug it in, and sure beats going to the gas station.

If it died, I would like to replace it with a full EV, but probably would just become a one vehicle family instead, keeping the Maverick.

 

[tradosaurus]

I drive a Volt, and a Maverick hybrid.

The Volt goes about 38 miles on a charge, then burns gas. Most of our miles are electric, so it is "like" an EV in our use.

I always charge only at home, that is how most real life EV users do it. It takes 15 seconds to plug it in, and sure beats going to the gas station.

If it died, I would like to replace it with a full EV, but probably would just become a one vehicle family instead, keeping the Maverick.

My introduction to EV's was driving my son's Volt. I believe he had the 1st generation. I thought it was cool except the seats weren't that comfortable for me. I've heard the 2nd generation Volt was a homerun and still sought after today.