EV charging surprise?

[pdplot]

EVs make lots of sense for a second car. Like a big golf cart with a roof. Many Teslas around here though. Not so many other EVs. Long haul? Forget it for now. When you can drive all day and charge 100% overnight, they'll make sense. Maybe a booster shot along the way while you have lunch might work as well. Imagine where we'd be if Henry Ford hadn't made the Model T but instead, we developed e-car technology. Or maybe not. Want to make a lot of money? Come up with an EV that ticks all the boxes and sells for less than $20K. Keep your eyes on China.

 

[JPSmit]

EVs make lots of sense for a second car. Like a big golf cart with a roof. Many Teslas around here though. Not so many other EVs. Long haul? Forget it for now. When you can drive all day and charge 100% overnight, they'll make sense. Maybe a booster shot along the way while you have lunch might work as well. Imagine where we'd be if Henry Ford hadn't made the Model T but instead, we developed e-car technology. Or maybe not. Want to make a lot of money? Come up with an EV that ticks all the boxes and sells for less than $20K. Keep your eyes on China.

Precisely - and given that the average trip distance (globally) is 15km at 30 kmph. If just urban drivers. I suspect we will see it more and more with driveshare services.

 

[Basil]

EVs will be like a lot of things when it comes to longevity.

I have my Fathers watch that he got as an engagement present from my Mother. They were married in 1946 and the watch still works. Several new leather bands later and a few cleanings.
<snip>
David

I inherited my paternal grandfather's gold Lord Elgin watch. It will be 75 years old this year. Inscribed to my Grand dad from my grandmother 12-25-46. I've had it cleaned maybe twice in my lifetime. It still runs great and keeps fairly accurate time.

 

[Basil]

EVs make lots of sense for a second car.

I'd rather have a British Motorbike

 

[pdplot]

Except when it rains or snows.

 

[mikephillips]

And they may work best in southern regions where the batteries don't have to deal with zero degree winter days. I'd assume that most business parking lots won't have a charger for every stall so that if it sets out there in that weather 10 hours a day or night it is still charged when you want to leave. And that doesn't take into account how may may forget to plug in when the arrive at work.

 

[NutmegCT]

Just a passing fancy ... like the (in-)famous EV-1?

 

[GregW]

The EV-1 came out in 1996. I think it had a range of 30 miles. Check out what is possible after only 25 years.

 

[GregW]

Oh, and coming back from the grocery store I saw 11 Teslas in 6 blocks.

 

[Basil]

Oh, and coming back from the grocery store I saw 11 Teslas in 6 blocks.

Probably has a lot to do with location. Here in my area (and Albuquerque) I'm lucky if I see one or two in a month.

 

[NutmegCT]

Here in northeast Connecticut, you only see them on TV...

 

[pdplot]

There are many here in Fairfield County. We are in the New York City metropolitan area and there are a lot of rich folks hereabouts (not me). Teslas are a dime a dozen. Don't forget the Sports Car Club of America was started right here in Westport and back in the '50s, the roads were full of LBCs and Porsches.

 

[NutmegCT]

Paul - there was a time when small airports all over the USA were full of people learning to fly. Hardly anyone can afford the lessons now ($150/hr), insurance of $300/month if you own a small plane, etc.

The times, they are a-changing.

 

[pdplot]

Maybe so, but AOPA reported a near-record year for General Aviation in 2020. People were flying private to avoid the airlines. When I last flew back in the '80s and '90s, Archers and Warriors were renting for about $72/hour including fuel. Now, Warriors are renting for $109/hour and an Archer at 3-Wing where I flew goes for $159/hour. The Club always had almost a dozen planes but now apparently is down to 3 or 4 Warriors and one Archer. The ones I flew are gone. Yearly dues are $799.00 which includes insurance coverage. Flying was never cheap but somehow a lot of people with modest incomes were able to get their tickets and get up at least once a month.

 

[GregW]

Here in northeast Connecticut, you only see them on TV...

I thought y'all only used horse drawn carriages.

 

[NutmegCT]

I thought y'all only used horse drawn carriages.

Hey - you young'ns have horses and carriages. Us more experienced folk use oxen and carts ...

Heading to town for factory-made shoes.
For the oxen.

 

[DNK]

So when the automobile first started showing up on the roads of Americas 110 years the people said
Why would you drive one of those if there are no places to get gasoline for it
Your same analogy

 

[Gliderman8]

Tom, on the way back home yesterday I stopped for fuel on the Merritt Parkway. They had 4 or 5 Tesla charging stations.

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks Elliot. Were any of them in use?

 

[Gliderman8]

Thanks Elliot. Were any of them in use?

Not a one. I assume that if you’re driving an EV other than Tesla then those stations won’t work for you.