Featured Americans insist on 300 miles of EV range. They’re right

In the Spring of 1972, I drove my 1966 VW microbus from Coffeeville KS to Fond du Lac to visit the EAA museum. I had a 5 gal gas can to allow driving through expensive gas areas. From there, I headed West planning to reach the Grand Tetons only to run into a late spring blizzard.

Turning South, I spent one day in Cheyenne to get paid and then to Salt Lake City to get out of the storm. A failed generator forced a three day stay and then West again to San Francisco. South along Highway 1, Los Angeles, I visited my Aunt and Uncle.

Because I arrived at the last moment, I was bounced to the next flight and got more days of basket leave. I visited the hot springs in Los Padres, back to Los Angeles and the big silver bird to Okinawa. But none of these destinations were a gas station although I bought gas as needed. So too, I charge as needed.

I suspect you've seen more than a few EVs at the popular places you visit. Especially as the EV charging networks have increased in density. But if you want to rationalize why an EV won't work ... no problem. Owning and operating an EV is still pioneering but fun.

Bob Wilson

 

I fully expect to see plenty of EVs at the marque destinations. But we do plenty of our travel off the primary beaten paths. Before Biden's Inflation Reduction Act infrastructure incentives can get implemented, I'm wondering how many EVs we will see chaining together a series of far lesser known points as we typically do.

For people who travel point-to-point, and stay somewhat near the Interstate Highway network, EV charging is already reasonably good. But for those who tend to roam and explore far away from the Interstates, the current situation is much less favorable.

As previously mentioned, a relative skipped out on my dad's memorial service some weeks back, in part because her EV, which has the range for her normal Seattle needs, didn't have the range to get there from Seattle in a single travel day, due to poor charging infrastructure off the primary corridors. In addition to the overnight at the destination, she would have needed to add overnight lodging each way of the round trip just to recharge. Since we were already out on ski tour when dad passed, and arriving from the opposite direction, we were not in position to offer her a seat in our gasser. A gasser that I intended to trade in for a PHEV a couple years ago, but the supply of the model that works best for us remains seriously inadequate.

 

FYI, RV parks are great EV charging spots. Take a nap, shower, and on the way the next day.

Bob Wilson

 

I already have the various adapters needed for RV parks, driven by some past difficulties finding live ordinary 120V outlets to set up charging tables for bicyclists on multi-day group rides where the everyone camps out in a common large venue -- community park, school athletic field, fairgrounds, RV park, whatever is available. But so far I haven't actually used the electric aids. Just my own spare silcock key to turn on/off exterior institutional faucets (without knobs) to feed the water trees, when the equipment truck tool kit isn't available. With hundreds of riders, they consume lots of water. And have lots of mobile devices that need recharging.

RV parks and such can cover EV charging for the zero-, short-, maybe medium-distance driving days, but not the long distance ones.

 

RV parks and other L2 chargers are a bridge when the distance between fast DC chargers is marginal. Before the Ozark AR SuperCharger was installed, my wife and I had taken a nap and charge in a Fort Smith RV park. For another example, my trip to Albuquerque the first week in March.

There was a 30 F degree, 25 mph headwind between Little Rock AR and Albuquerque NM. I had timed my departure to drive at night across Oklahoma when the winds usually die but not this night:

The headwinds and dense cold air meant my Tesla would struggle to cover this gap. However, there are two Native casinos along I-40. I stopped at the first about 45 minutes for a gap charge and biology break. The second casino stop was just for fun but their L2 chargers were working. If the first casino was inoperative, I would have driven North to the Tulsa SuperCharger.

Bob Wilson

 

And how many gas stations would you have passed along the way.

If you mention detouring 10 or 20 miles to get to a charging station, is that going to encourage anyone to want to drive electric? If you mention RV parks, ditto.

A hybrid will drive more than I want in a day between fill ups and a fill up is just off almost any major road. 500 miles, no sweat. Gas stop, 5 minutes and that is with a bio break for 2 old farts. Flat tire, I have a spare in both our hybrids. Familiar controls, yep. And self driving on a well marked road, got that. I don't need an app to find another 500 miles of range.

That is what you are competing with. Convenience everywhere. So the marketing message must confront those realities head on.

 

All of them but after 10 PM, the last one closest to the SuperCharger with a bathroom is visited.

Driving an EV is different than driving our last Prius. Hopefully sharing the facts and data has scared off those who would be unhappy. But some of us, the early adopters, look forward to the challenge.

I drove our last Prius, a Prime, 1,200 miles home including over 600 miles on one leg. Lesson's learned included biology overrides range. The three stops averaged about 200 miles, about 3 hours each. Biology trumps vehicle range.

No problem as I've charged from everything from a wall outlets, NEMA 14-50, L2 chargers, and SuperChargers. The trick is to overlap biology breaks with charging. So over the past year, the Tesla App reports 10,139 kWh $2,059:

• 45% - home charging at $0.12 per kWh
• 42% - cross country at $0.35 per kWh
• 13% - free L2 charging at $0.00 per kWh (does anyone get free gas?)

Bob Wilson

 

I have had zero inconveniences due to charging and have gained the convenience of fueling up at home while I sleep (over 13 years).

Use cases will make EVs less convenient for some, and much more convenient for others.
Just how many will be told by the market share.

 

The growth and quality improvements in fast DC and L2 charging makes today's objections seem more an act of desperation than fact based. All I do is share the facts and data to fight the FUD.

Bob Wilson

 

You can share your perceived fact for your use case. But please do not assume that the fact that you perceive will automatically apply to everyone else in different situations.

While I do agree that there have been improvements in fast DC charger infrastructure, the fact remains that they are still not adequate in our area. That is the fact for me. While I agree that L2 charging at home can be a convenient way to achieve the most economical charging of EVs, it will cost approximately $10K to install an L2 charger at our current home. That is a fact. While I know many regions of the US will enjoy the fuel cost reduction due to cheaper electric rates than gas prices, at our location, EVs will cost more using electricity than HV would cost on gasoline. That is a fact.

 

That is the commuter scenario, not the travel scenario where we don't return home each night. For multi-vehicle households, EVs made sense for the commuter function long before making similar sense for most of the travel function. As I have previously mentioned, if we were still commuting, we'd have acquired an EV for this three-car household long ago.

Light rail public transit is coming here too, eventually displacing even much commuter EV need, allowing more people to go either car-free, or maybe fewer cars. But my old commute routes may not be covered before I've moved into assisted living.

Aging issues have forced a substantial reduction in our night driving. Sometimes we can still go long distances in the dark, but most of the time, only short distances.

And no, current ADAS systems don't cover for this. Except for certain narrow circumstances that don't apply to us, they all still require human eyes and attention on the road, while we need systems where humans can safely turn eyes off. And I'm expecting the first such systems to be certified for only Interstates and other major highway corridors, not the lesser routes where we often travel and find poor EV charging coverage. Those routes will have to wait some years longer. Meanwhile, my remaining independent travel years are getting fewer.

 

18,000 miles annually, including 1200-5000 mile trips, as well as many regional trips.
This was not a commuter vehicle.

I’m not saying they work for everyone. I am saying they do work for many.

 

What kind of trips are you doing that roll up 1200 to 5000 miles, and still have you home each night for refueling?

The other guy here has repeatedly "solved" my route charging puzzle by completely blowing off my routing criteria and displaying a completely different non-conforming route that meets only the endpoints, missing all the numerous sites and sights and waypoints in between. A different travel style than we commonly use, ignoring the journey and focusing exclusively on a rat race to a single destination.

 

I am sharing the facts and data from my hands on experience. You've posted an inaccurate 'assumption'.

Thanks to good Prius Friend @bisco and others, I've looked at EV and power practices in New England and they are abhorrent:

• Excessive electricity rates - in spite of Northern latitudes, every sensible home owner should go with a solar roof.
• Ossified wind, nuclear, and natural gas energy - talk about cutting off your nose to spite yourself. It looks like New England regulators and regulations are waging war on the people.

For example, a Canadian from New Brunswick complained about insufficient fast DC charging. A quick map showed there is one gap between East of Grand Falls that needs one but look at Maine North of Bangor:

The 'powers that be' really hate Northern Maine EVs.

The EV and power problems of New England are of your own making. Vote your politicians out of office.

Bob Wilson

 

It's working for homeowners, but that appears to be a shrinking fraction of "everyone."

 

There was no 'assumption' in my post. These are the facts for my region and for my situation.

So, now you also admit that it is a fact that there are inadequate charging infrastructure in our region.

No matter how people vote, there will be always people who will benefit from the system and those who suffer from the inadequacy of the system. Besides, your 'assumption' that all New England as one and the same for all different states and regions would be wrong. If I live in the southernmost region of my state, I would have no problem with the charging infrastructure, that is, unless I have to visit the northernmost part of the state frequently.

Again, all I am asking you is to consider that everyone has different requirements and impediments to EV adoption in their lifestyle and in the situation they live. What works for you does not always apply to others.

 

No problem as facts and data are key to effective persuasion. No one can predict the immediate future but there trends are:

• fossil fuel prices increasing cost with more instability
• wind and solar prices decrease in cost with relative stability
• nuclear technology, 10-50 MW, units becoming safe, low labor sources
  • switching to thorium fuel cycle improves efficiency and minimizes hazardous waste
• higher prices for ICE powered vehicles
• lower prices for EV powered vehicles

There is no requirement for todays adults to get a clue and change. But trends suggest their kids will.

Bob Wilson

 

Apologies, I was not trying to say those were daily trips. As I mentioned, those were regional and cross country trips.
Basically, non commuter routes, which was my point.

It was mentioned that EVs are great commuter cars and that the DC fast charging infrastructure was lacking.

My point was that EVs are the best road trip cars I have ever taken on a road trip. And in my case, the charging infrastructure has been better than gas.

This is an excellent point. Charging for Multi-unit housing has further to go, and this is very important.

Single family homes still occupy a large market share. Among car owners I would say over 50%. EVs are currently siting at a 8% market share. So until it doubles, and then doubles again, the growth won’t slow down due to lack of single home ownership.

This gives the workplace & multiunit housing area time to strengthen their charging options.

 

you mean republicans would be better?

 

Single female - can only afford one car - in addition to reducing my carbon footprint, and cognizant of the lack of charging infrastructure...My Prius hybrid is the onlt viable and affordable option at this point.