What are your thoughts on Electric Cars?

[thegreenyogi]

Are you skeptical? Do you already drive one? If not will you purchase one as soon as you can?

[loveslongnails]

The cost of making batteries and maintaining them is prohibitive at the moment. It does more damage to the environment to make the batteries than is done to offset the carbon damage, at the moment. Range is a detraction if the car is not self-charging, and the grid in most countries could not handle a sudden switch to electric.

Lots needs to happen to make them affordable and manageable, and there's resistance to it which is justified. Hydrogen engines would make more sense, but guess who is putting the brakes on THAT research, hmm?

[TommyMountainFigure]

Sceptical doesn't even come close to covering it.

As things stand, they are expensive to buy, the maintenance is expensive too. The resale value is terrible, and the replacement battery cells can cost up to £25,000 as well.

I'm all for taking the greener option, but they have to do much more in making it a viable option for me to take that route.

[TommyMountainFigure]

What about you Yogi? Have you gone the Electric Route yet? Or Hybrid?

[thegreenyogi]

Not yet. But I know I will purchase an electric vehicle as soon as I can. Because in any case whether one wants or doesn't want to go that way government's are making it so that we all have to eventually.

[TommyMountainFigure]

You're right of course... I reckon though, there is time for one more vehicle change before that happens.

[TommyMountainFigure]

Thank you for MHO @thegreenyogi

[abc3643]

My thoughts are "It's about time." We wasted about 30 to 35 years. Unfortunately, Ronald Reagan, pawn of the oil industry, got in the way during his 8-year administration along with the additional 4 years of oilman President George H. W. Bush.

[Siri137]

Right, because everyone who isn't gung-ho enthusiastic about rapid de-industrialisation (and hence the impoverishment of the vast majority) is a "pawn of the oil industry". Do YOU have an electric car? I'll bet not.

[abc3643]

@Siri137 No, I do not have an electric car for a variety of reasons. And, at my age, I doubt I will have another car, period. Electric cars have nothing to do with "de-industrialization", whatever that is.

[Siri137]

"Whatever that is".
Okay, I'll explain it to you. It's also been given the name "de-carbonisation", and entails maximum governmental interference in the personal lives and choices of the average citizen, over-regulation and taxation in order to force more small businesses into bankruptcy (thus serving the interests of the large corporations, because they can then buy them up at discount prices), an end to reliable and cheap energy, i. e. fossil fuels (because easy access to energy is the most important indicator of progress, success and wealth), the gradual phasing out of private transportation, and the prevention of the development of the Third World via the onerous imposition of "renewable alternatives", thus condemning them to perpetual poverty.
And no, this isn't yet another "conspiracy theory", it's already happening right now, the evidence for it being ridiculously easy to find.
www.imf.org/.../Deindustrialization-Causes-and-Implications-2161
downloads.unido.org/ot/99/28/9928040/WP2.pdf

[abc3643]

@Siri137 OK, thanks.
Well, I will simply say that the basic physics is simple enough; the less carbon dioxide we put in the atmosphere, the better at slowing down global warming.

(I can't type well now. I may lose part of my finger after an accident this week.)

[Dinklex3]

Not really a fan.

I travel a lot, they aren’t ideal for long distances. Charging added an additional like 10-12 hours to my trips.

Ny was talking a big game, but their charging stations in upstate are laughable.& I hate how everything was on the tablet, even the windshield wipers. That was for the Tesla though. I wanted to try it before I just bought it & was glad I did. I bought a Camry instead, but wanted a hybrid/ the Prius.

[Siri137]

They're expensive (a new Tesla costs about $100,000), inefficient, prone to catch on fire, and are just not needed. The power that goes into recharging them isn't at all "green", and neither is the manufacturing process. Petrol cars are just better in every conceivable way that one can imagine, so it's no wonder people are just not buying those dreadful things.

[Astarlessnightsky]

There are many places without the infrastructure.

I couldn't get one as i can't charge it unless i drive a couple kms.

In general its a good first step to get rid of the reliance on fossil fuels. But if we want to save the world, we nees to get rid of cars or reduce them significantly, and rely more on bikes, public transport and other methods.

[Siri137]

Really? Where would that leave those of us who don't live in the centre of large cities? Where I live there is NO public transport, and I can't ride a bike (poor sense of balance). The nearest large town is about 40 kms away. How would you suggest I get there without a car?

[Astarlessnightsky]

Better urban planning.

In the US its espacially bad, and still a far way to go. You need to restructure your cities, built them for humans and not for cars. Invest in public transport and so on.

But that should have been obvious. Thats why i said EV are the first step. One of many.

[Siri137]

Urban planning. I live in the COUNTRY! You know, beyond the cities and suburbs. And I don't live in the US, I live in Australia, where the towns and cities are even further apart. It's easy enough for someone like you, someone who lives in Europe, to say, "Oh, just ride a bike or catch a bus".

[Tamera952]

Meh… kinda blahh…. Dunno really. I mean I realize they’re the way forward, that we can’t continue with gasoline, but don not like the selection currently, am waiting for the tech & battery tech to mature before even considering buying one.
(Re: Tesla in particular, …the more I find out about Elon, the more I hate his guts, & will NEVER under any circumstances buy a car from him)

[dreamstar72]

Might be happy with them in about 50 years from now, however by then I will not have no use for them. The children born today (2020’s) will be the lucky one. The gas cars in the beginning were bad but look at the gas cars of today (1900’s - 2000’s). So the electric cars will to through the same process.

[Wiredone]

I don't own one and I never will. If the batteries, which are under the car, get wet they will catch fire. The batteries only last 10 years. When you have to replace them you'll be shelling out around 30 k. The car cost around 100k. In the cold weather the battery loses the charge quicker than in warmer weather.

There are not enough benefits to own one.

[LunarEclipse433]

Right now it is a total joke. When the tech allows EV's to charge solar and not need any plug in charging then it will be semi enviromentally friendly. Now if someone charged off of a solar powered battery bank not connected to the grid at any time, that would also help. A total solar powered vehicle that can run unlimited range during the day and night would be a step in the right direction.

[lokiloko]

I like all kinds of mode of transport and yes I will get an EV in the future if electricity rate still the same. Electric drivetrain is just another form. Though EV's had become a scapegoat for governments all around to avoid building proper public transport. A car is a car, it's gonna cause traffic congestion and still bad overall for emission.

[Levin]

They're appalling.

The fact that governments are trying to force them on us and impoverish us in the process is very sinister.

I'm keeping my petrol car. They can suck a big fat one.

[Nik1hil]

Electric is not the problem..

Problem is Programmable Electric.. which can be controlled Remotely, by User and others Including Hacker and Government.

[Anonymous]

My brother in law just bought their rental (rental agreement fell through withe the companies) to keep on as a lyft as a second job. I'm not overly impressed with it myself. I think they will regret it when things start going wrong with it.

[Arik_jade]

I didn't drive... but I will not prefer electric cars... because it will cause me higher maintenance cost per two year or three year for replacement of batteries. This cost will obviously be lesser than my actual cost of petrol.

[Arik_jade]

Also, here in India, electricity rates also higher...

[lokiloko]

If an electric car requires a battery change in just 2-3 years then there's serious flaw in the production (which warranty should cover). Current EV's battery takes 10-15 years before it starts to show serious degregation in its capacity. In the future I reckon it would even take longer.

[Arik_jade]

*Battery replacement cost (+charging cost of tenure) will be higher than actual petrol cost of that replacement tenure..

[Arik_jade]

@lokiloko I do agree with you... you can compare with mobile battery performance as an example... initially your mobile battery lasts more but gradually it requires frequent charging...
Similarly, if your car needs to charge frequently then it will add more cost... Also unpredictability of battery down... It may malfunction.. it may show you that certain % of battery will last for xyz kms but when you actually drive, suddenly % may down, and you will require immediate charging.

[exitseven]

As a science fair project they are interesting. I am more excited about the self driving csrs.

[petitedollbabee]

I’m not against them but I don’t plan on getting one unless I have no choice.

[NathanDavis]

would not work that well at my specific area... not as of today

[handsomelad70]

Or here in Windsor, Ont., unfortunately.

[handsomelad70]

I'd drive one if they could be charged to last, say,1,000 miles per charge.(Is 1,000 miles per charge realistic in the future, or, again, am I talking out of my tucchis?)

[Goahead76]

I have no interest in them. To me it's just kind of silly, it essentially just shifts the pollution point of origin down the road to the power plant but at great expense to me.

[LiamS95]

The Infrastructure is not in place to support them. There not practical for long distance travel especially in cold climates where the battery charge is cut in half.

[Nikki1989]

Totally overpriced in this country town that only has one charging station.

[Alex-Snow]

Many friends have them and love them. I would not mind one so I can just keep driving by a gas station without stopping

[Staximus]

I think all the dead batteries are going to be a toxic waste environmental nightmare that they are not prepared to deal with

[Danny_dan92]

One of the biggest scams ever.

[Anonymous]

A huge waste of money.

[Opinion Owner]

I do like the hybrid/electric combo, it makes more sense.

[Anonymous]

Cars are very expensive in our country

[unknownuser555]

I prefer petrol cars

[eagle1951]

stupid

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

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