Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) have been ruling our roads since the early 1900s. It is a little known fact that electric cars (EVs) were developed at the same time. They were popular with many people because they didn’t require hand cranking to start, didn’t spew smelly exhaust (there were no emission regulations in 1910), and didn’t get smelly gas and oil on your hands and clothes. One electric car was called an “Opera Coupe”, and was bought by those who didn’t want to arrive at the theater smelling of petroleum. In 1912, Ford introduced the electric starter we know today, and electric car sales began to decline. ICE cars became the standard for more than a century.
Today, the rising awareness of the climate crisis and the health issues surrounding all forms of pollution have caused people to gain interest in EVs. Finally, auto makers are spending big money for research and development on EVs. Both Ford and GM have boldly announced they will produce only EVs by 2050.
EVs are very responsive at any speed. At both stoplights and highway speeds they deliver instant full power with no lag or hesitation. This makes them feel much faster than an ICE car. Many people are enamored with the roar of a big powerful gas or diesel engine, and claim they will never give that up. A few of them gain a new perspective when they experience the silent neck snapping power of an EV.
The KISS Principle (Keep It Simple Stupid)
EVs are inherently much simpler than ICE cars. They need far less maintenance because they do not have a complex gas engine with hundreds of moving parts, an emission control system, fuel system, cooling system, exhaust system, a starter, O2 sensors, catalytic converters, belts, hoses, and filters that can fail, and they don’t need oil changes. They don’t even have a five speed automatic transmission, they only need one gear. We’ve had electric motors all around us for as long as we’ve had gas motors. An EV simply replaces the gas engine with an electric motor, and replaces the gas tank with batteries.
How much do EVs cost?
In 2021 the average price of a new car was $41,000. There are many 2022 EVs on the market priced considerably less than that. You can also spend upwards of $100,000.
Click here for a link to a survey of entry level 2022 EVs.
I Want An Electric Pickup!
Many people love, and need, their pickups. Some of the big gas and diesel rigs cost $70k-$80k. The upcoming Ford Lightning F-150 and Chevy Silverado EV will be targeting the same price range. Again, the power of an EV should not be underestimated. The Ford Lightning will be the first EV to let you use the battery to run power tools on the job site, and act as a battery backup for your home.
Buying a Used EV
Because EVs are still relatively new, there are few low cost “beaters” for sale. You should budget for $10,000 to get a practical reliable EV. Some older, less expensive EVs may not be good buys. One of the more risky used EV buys is a 2011-2016 Nissan Leaf. You should know what you’re doing or have knowledgeable assistance when shopping for a low end used EV.
How do you charge an EV?
People who don’t travel much will most likely charge at home. EVs come with their own charging cords and adapters. You can charge an EV very slowly on a regular wall outlet (1.5 kW), which will add 2-4 miles of range for every hour, or 20-40 miles overnight.
Click Here for an explanation of electrical terms.
Many homes have an electric range or electric clothes dryer that uses a common higher power outlet called a NEMA 14-50 (9.6 kW). Electricians know exactly what it is and can install one in a garage or a post outdoors to charge an EV at home. It will add 25-30 miles of range every hour it is connected. Using this outlet at home, you can plug in overnight and have a full charge every morning. The NEMA 14-50 is the same outlet used in RV parks for “50 amp shore power” hookups. Yes, if you bring your own charge cord, you can charge your EV at an RV park.
The maximum power you can get from a home outlet is 11 kW. A special EV charger is needed to boost your charging from 9.6 kW to 11 kW, but the added cost of doing this may not be worth the time savings.
If you plan to travel, it is now entirely possible to drive coast to coast in a long-range EV. There are several nationwide networks with tens of thousands of chargers. New chargers are coming online daily. There may soon be as many chargers as there are gas pumps. Payment is as easy as having a gas station credit account. You set up an account in advance and your credit card is charged automatically. At a “networked” charging station, you don’t even need to take your card out. When you plug in, the car connects to the network and charges you accordingly. Many EVs will direct you to charging stations using their GPS navigation.
Click here for links to nationwide EV charging network websites.
How much does it cost to charge an EV?
Your electric bill will increase, but that is offset by the fact that you’re not buying gas. An EVs cost per mile for electricity is about half the cost of gas. Let’s say your utility company charges you $0.15 per kilowatt hour on your electric bill. A 60 kWh battery pack would cost $9 to charge at home. A commercial charging station might charge you $18 for the same thing. Either way, that’s a lot cheaper than a full tank of gas for the same miles. One of the downsides is that there are few cash options away from home.
How much does it cost to replace the batteries?
The most common questions people ask about EVs is “How long will the battery last” and “How much will it cost to replace the batteries”. The fact is that back in 2010, auto makers had to radically cut corners to make an affordable EV. A few EVs made in the 2010’s did not have a long life expectancy, and they created a bad image. The 2011-2016 Nissan Leaf is a well known example of that. The Ford Focus Electric of that era was a much better design, but there are very few of them around. You really need to know what you’re doing, or have help, when shopping for a well used low cost EV.
The answer is that today you really don’t need to worry about battery life. Modern EVs have very high performance batteries. All EV batteries slowly lose their range over time, they do not die quickly and leave you stranded. Long term EV owners are reporting that they have 80% of their battery life after 150,000 miles
Does Lithium production pollute more than petroleum?
There are no mining processes that are without an environmental impact. It is understood that Lithium production has an impact, but generates far less pollution than fracking and refining.
Today, Lithium-Ion is the most common battery used in electric vehicles. They can be recharged thousands of times. Depending on the size of the battery pack, an EV can go 75 miles to 300 miles on a charge. Some EVs coming out in 2022 are claiming a range of 400 miles.
A tank of gas has one life. EV batteries have multiple lives. When an EV battery pack no longer performs well enough for the car, the batteries can be repurposed for less demanding needs such as home backup power or off-grid power. After that, the materials are 95% recyclable for use in small consumer batteries.
Do EVs cause more pollution at the power plant?
This is another common question. The short answer is yes, and no. To fully understand the concept you need to look at the big picture of the entire cycle from coal/crude oil in the ground to pollution in the air.
- An average EV can drive 250 miles on the same amount of energy needed to drill, extract, refine, transport and pump 20 gallons of gas into your car.
- The US has 160,000 gas stations that consume massive amounts of energy to run. EV charging stations consume energy only when charging a vehicle.
- Solar and wind farms do not have smokestacks.
- You can make your own electricity at home with solar panels, but you can’t make your own gas.
- In high traffic areas like city centers or rush hour traffic jams, EVs do not emit noxious gases.
If we can reduce fossil fuel production and divert that energy directly to the car, the net result is a reduction in global pollution.