Would you buy an electric powered car?

Question

It usually costs 43 cents per kilowatt hour to charge an electric car, and usually 35 minutes time to charge one, or more depending on how "empty" you were. You can pay less by joining a club, maybe 27 cents per KW hour but then you have a monthly fee on top of that. You are also capped to 350KWH when you fill up. You are also limited to availability when needing one. Anyone remember the long gas lines of the 70's, or any other time when the supply of gas was short? You could wait hours in line to fill your tank and hope they don't run out before it was your turn at the pump. The power grid is already overtaxed in some places with rolling blackouts possible. Your range is limited so long trips can be out of the question. We won't even talk about how much it costs to replace the batteries when they drop dead. Sooo, who wants to buy an electric car?

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

Of course, I would... if all my other debts were paid-off.
It's definitely more economical in the long run and better for the environment.
The very conservative Wall Street Journal did an analysis of it.

TITLE: Are Electric Cars Really Better for the Environment?
SUBTITLE: EVs produce fewer emissions overall than their gas-powered counterparts, but there are caveats

By Russell Gold, Jessica Kuronen and Elbert Wang
Published March 22, 2021 at 10:00 a. m. ET

Carmakers including General Motors Co. and Volkswagen AG are retooling their companies to make electric vehicles on the premise that their battery-powered motors are cleaner than gas-burning engines.

Are EVs really better for the environment, though? A close look at all the factors shows they are—but it’s a complex answer with some asterisks.

The environmental cost of a car includes both building it and fueling it. That means factoring in emissions associated with oil drilling and power plant smokestacks, as well as from mining metals such as nickel and cobalt that are needed for electric-car batteries.

The Wall Street Journal enlisted the help of researchers at the University of Toronto to examine this question. We began by comparing the environmental impact of two popular cars that are best sellers in their categories: a midsize sedan that runs on electricity and a more lightweight compact SUV that uses gasoline.

DISTANCE DRIVEN: 0 MILES
Building both a Tesla Model 3 and a Toyota RAV4 generates several tons of greenhouse gas emissions to smelt the aluminum, manufacture the components and assemble the vehicle.
But building a Tesla actually generates more emissions because of the metals needed for its lithium-ion battery.
Before it rolls off the assembly line, the Tesla has generated 65% more emissions than the RAV4.

DISTANCE DRIVEN: 5,000 MILES
Once they hit the road, the tables start to turn.
The RAV4 burns gasoline, which is refined from crude oil extracted from wells around the world. At 5,000 miles, the RAV4 also needs its first motor oil change.
The Tesla refills with electricity, and doesn’t need motor oil changes. Generating electricity creates emissions, but the U. S. grid is getting cleaner each year, burning less coal and using more renewables and natural gas.

DISTANCE DRIVEN: 20,600 MILES
For every mile driven, generating the electricity for the Tesla emits 34% of the emissions associated with making and burning the gasoline consumed in the RAV4 engine.
At 20,600 miles, the greenhouse gas emissions from building and driving the two cars are roughly the same, according to the University of Toronto analysis.
Then the Tesla pulls ahead.

DISTANCE DRIVEN: 36,000 MILES
By 36,000 miles, the length of the RAV4 basic warranty, the Model 3’s overall lifetime emissions are lower.
Emissions will vary based on where the Tesla is charged. The abundance of hydropower in the Pacific Northwest makes the electricity there cleaner. We used a national average for our calculations.

DISTANCE DRIVEN: 100,000 MILES
By the century mark, the lifetime emissions of the RAV4 are 77% more than the Model 3.
Their consumer value remains somewhat similar. The total cost of buying a RAV4, filling it with gasoline, maintaining it and then reselling it at 100,000 miles nets out to $33,500, according to Consumer Reports. For the Model 3? A bit more at $34,800.

DISTANCE DRIVEN: 200,000 MILES
By the time we get to 200,000 miles, the lifespan of a typical car, the emissions comparison isn’t even close.
Building and operating the RAV4 has generated 78 tons of greenhouse gases. The Model 3 has generated less than half: 36 tons.
The Model 3 also comes out ahead in Consumer Reports’s total cost of ownership, at $49,800 to $51,000.

...

No matter what kind of engines they run on, cars add to greenhouse gas emissions. But the data show that switching from gas to electric vehicles will make a huge impact.
Consumers making individual choices between cars will make a difference. So will policy decisions made by governments and investments by companies as we drive into the future.

https://www.wsj.com/graphics/are-electric-cars-really-better-for-the-environment/?mod=hp_lead_pos5

jshm2 · Accepted Answer

I am leasing one next month, and if I like it, will buy it.

But you're wrong in your assertions. The cost to charge a car varies with time, location and plan. You can charge for free in some spots, where others will charge you.

The charge "time" depends on if you have a Gen 1 or Gen 2 charger and what battery type you have. But ideally you should be leaving your car on charge overnight anyway so you have a "full" car every morning.

Think of your car like a mobile phone -you don't need 100% battery for anything. You can charge from any spot available to you, provided you have the right cable.

Technically you never need wait in a line. People are too fuckwitted to understand that you DO NOT need go to charge stations to charge up. But can instead install a charge point in your own home, and a lot of supermarkets and parking lots have charge points too. You can in fact "charge as you park". So technically never run out of charge.

People have got too ingrained into a "going to a gas station for gas" mentality, they have no room in their head to think "you don't need to go to a charge station to charge". The reason for the blackouts and brownouts isn't "electric cars". Rather too many people flocking to one location and putting pressure on that one transformer grid.

FreyaRed · Accepted Answer

Nope. As long as car industry doesn't offer batteries with acceptable lifespan and range it's pointless. Real 500km range with one load and 30% lose of battery capacity after 2000 charge cycles are a minimum for me. Hybrid cars, especially recovering of brake energy is a nice thing to have but such cars cost more and they are affected with battery degradation either. I drive one since two years and noticed already capacity loses of electric drive. I guess in 3-5 years battery becomes just a ballast in car I drive and those batteries aren't cheap to replace.

Gummy_Cluster · Accepted Answer

In 12 years, 17 states are banning the sale of new gas-powered cars. It will be a huge mistake, and it won't work. We have black-outs and brown-outs as it is. Brown-outs are when the city is running low on electricity, so they shut off the power to poor people. The rich still get to have their lights on in all of their 40 rooms. Solar and wind will not work. Nuclear is the only way this can happen, and people have shied away from that. The only reason Biden wants to get rid of fossil fuels, is because his masters told him to say it.

Likes2drive · Answer

Maybe as a station car but not for long trips, because gas is still what’s mostly around and gets farther

blackgaletiger · Answer

As much as I would love to it is just too expensive to afford up front.

The Telsa Model S for example is in the ball park range of $100,000

and the charging equipment like the power bank will cost money as well as paying for the electricity to charge it.

Now something like a Toyota Camery is in the range of $30,000

Gas would be about $4000 a year (give or take). maintenance another $500-$3000 or so depending on what need to be maintained and or replaced that year. In a 7 year period (usually the max on a financing rate) you will pay about $30,000-$50,000 give or take on maintaining this car (Cost will differ person to person). Point being you take all that and add the original base price and your still less than what a Tesla cost up front. The problem is just affordability. I was told by the dealer that one Tesla battery can cost $10,000 to replace. Mind you they have good battery life but that also Electric vehicle maintenance is something into consideration. Now if the same car was $60-$70,000 then the math would make a little more sense in buying an electric vehicle. The market is getting demanding and challenging so lets see what comes out next

D_Bone_Steak · Answer

I bought one on GTA5... I regretted it. 😂 Everyone I know that's bought one IRL... their shit caught on fire. I have like 5 different stories I could tell where that has happened. I don't know anyone that's bought one and is still happy with it.

Kori1236 · Answer

No; at least not yet. Electrical vehicles have a long way to come before they’re reliable. And until that day comes I’m content with paying for gas.

We’ve had a couple really bad snow storms and snow dumps where I am. And I shouldn’t laugh, but almost every vehicle I saw either stranded in a ditch or pulled over onto the side of the road have been EVs; and it just proves that they are not reliable.

Fireguy17 · Answer

I've thought about it.
I would have to know what the true cost of charging one up would be vs the miles driven on a charge, the cost per mile to drive one, any other maint. costs, and we would need 1 regular gas powered vehicle to go on long trips, and an electric one would be used for more short trips around town, running errands, things like that.
Then you would not have to worry so much about the range, again, depending on the cost of running it, the life span, what it might be worth in the future.
Who would want a 12 year old used electric car that may need a really expensive battery pack in a few years that would cost more than the car is worth?
That is all part of the true cost of ownership.

My last truck that I had is still out there with close to 300,000 miles on it, I'm not all that sure an electric car could go that long without a lot of money being spent on it.

Static_In_The_Attic · Answer

If it’s not broken don’t fix it & if I had a choice I would stick with gas. On the flip side a few of my friends have hybrids & right now that would be the smart option. If I were to buy an electric car I would tow a gas generator just in case.

AimeeKyle · Answer

No. It’s really not any better for the environment if you consider cradle (production of components) to grave (end of life of the vehicle). Although there are emerging technologies surrounding lithium reclamation/recycling, it still isn’t mature/economical to put into practice.

I would consider a hybrid vehicle though (wheels powered by electric motors - gas/diesel powered engine running a generator). This tech is extremely mature as the locomotive (train) industry has been doing it for decades.

We still need to research natural gas and other tech as well.

ArrowheadSW · Answer

You raise some very good points. If I were to get one, I would get a smaller one with lower range. I wouldn't use it for long distance driving where I'd have to depend on those electric "filling stations", and I'd just charge it at home. And as you imply in your post, that energy has to come from somewhere! Like the electric grid, and that can get overtaxed.

ChillaxingLove · Answer

Nope. When traveling long distances you have to plan your trip around what electric stations are available because it’s not that many like gas stations. On top of that I herd its very bad to allow the electric car to completely die because that permanently damages the battery. Cost to replace is potentially even more then the price of the car.

BJP21 · Answer

Just bought a BMW I4 not too long ago, Ill say its doing better than advertised.

I had a 2011 BMW 335d (Diesel Version of the 335i)

Oil Changes for this car ran $250-500 every 5-8K miles add in the Def fill ups add another $50 Looking into the vehicle maintenance history this car had a total of 16 since the car was brought new.

The last 2 bills I had as a result of a Check engine light totaled in over $10k

Weekly fillips was $110/week

If you combined all the costs of maintenance a EV doesn't have. It far exceeds the cost of one EV battery.

andreasderjuengere · Answer

I drove an electric ''car'' in the 90's already. It wasn't a sensation, but on short trips it was - ermm- interesting.

Recently, I sat in an electric taxi on a mid-distance trip; it was made in fucking China, but did not break down until I was at my destination.

These things somewhat work - but I won't buy one... they have two wheels too many :)

If gasoline prices vex me - well: I'll just drive less. Can't be so difficult.

Varanus · Answer

If I was buying a new car, it certainly wouldn't be gasoline nowadays. Electric cars are just better, unless you're doing something niche or live in an area without the infrastructure. Cheaper to operate, more reliable, less to go wrong, faster, quieter, and much better environmentally (but not perfect).

Anonymous · Answer

Until the energy efficiency equals that of gas, Which it does not.. No. If you compare weight to weight, 1 gallon of gas is something like 800x more energy efficient. Additionally The batteries are far worse for the environment than gasoline is right now.. It takes more fossil fuel to make the batteries, and to recycle the batteries than the average life of a car. Nah.. Now if we could come up with fusion cores like they use in fallout 4, it would absolutely be worth it. It would need to be recharged once every 200+ years..

Alessa13 · Answer

Only if they come way down in price cause right now they very expensive and I am including the maintenance of replacing the battery eventually.

Gas or diesel powered vehicles do not have that high of a maintenance cost.

exitseven · Answer

I really wanted electric vehicles to succeed but there are too many disadvantages for electric vehicles to make them a viable alternative. Then when you consider that most of the components are made by foreign countries I will stick with my V-8.

Anonymous · Answer

I would consider it. I think you get a tax break if you buy an electric car.
I live in America but I'm not American, if I just needed a town car for going about the town I'd probably just walk. Americans don't walk anywhere, if you are really green you can walk your fat ass a mile to the store.

Surely · Answer

Where I live. Electricity is still under twenty cents per KWH.
I wonder what ever happened to the hydrogen powered vehicles that were tested around the turn of the century? A Chevolet mechanic told me that there were pickups out there being tested in fleet service that you would fill up from your garden hose! I guess maybe water was too cheap!

Jennz6 · Answer

If I ever own a car it won’t be electric because the battery will probably blow up, I heard of houses catching on fire 🔥 because the electric car was in the garage.

kellytheman · Answer

I would buy one if I could afford it and to help the environment. Also you would have to as much maintenance like changing oil, change spark plugs, and other minor maintenance. Also there no engine or lubricants you need to keep it running, no worries if the transmission going out, no belt to replace, and less moving parts that wear out. I do agree on the power grids are taxed and the are limited charging stations but I feel those can improve and so will vehicles.

matty6500 · Answer

Once the range can easily be 500 miles, or is there to charge fully charge a vehicle in the time it takes to fill a vehicle with gas, that would be a start. Would also have to massively expand the charging availability and infrastructure too.

Bottom line, I just bought a gas powered sedan capable of over 40 MPG in 2020, and have no intentions of going electric anytime soon. Not convinced the cost would ever be worth it.

Would you buy an electric powered car?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

Would you buy an electric powered car?

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

We're glad to see you liked this post.