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> EV owners often report that charging is more convenient, because you wake up with a full charge every morning. Plugging in to a charging point takes just a fe

> EV owners often report that charging is more convenient, because you wake up with a full charge every morning. Plugging in to a charging point takes just a few seconds. Well, this plug-in hybrid owner disagrees. I find it very tedious to have to fiddle with the cable twice on every drive. >> Unless we install power sockets in every streetlight > Lamp posts with built-in EV charge points are commercially available. A stand-alone charging point takes up no more space than a parking meter. If there's space to park a car, there's space to fit a charge point. Charging is a solved problem, it just requires investment. True, which is why I mentioned lampposts. But they need to be absolutely ubiquitous. "Some" lampposts don't cut it -- charging needs to be possible literally everywhere, or there will be perpetual fights over the coveted charging parking spots. In my city the curbs are completely full of parked cars at night -- if they all are electric, there'll be a spider web of charging cables. (Also, the charging port on my car is actually on the street side of the car :'-( ).

Johnny555 10y ago
with 200 miles of range, you don't need to find a charging space every day, many people can charge once a week. And you don't have to charge at home, you can also charge at the office, or grocery store, or any other place you regularly go.
- luca_ing 10y ago
  > with 200 miles of range, you don't need to find a charging space every day Depending on your commute. And the weather -- cold weather essentially halves my range. Also you need to be more careful with your charge. Because if you run out at an inconvenient time, you're stuck charging for at least 30 minutes -- if a reachable charging station is not occupied. My BIL was recently stuck in Zürich for a few hours, waiting for a charging station to become available for his Tesla so he could drive home. Don't get me wrong -- I'd love to have an EV. And I really enjoy my hybrid. My next car will definitely also have electric drive. But the fact is that dinosaur juice is just far, far more convenient and practical. Certainly now, but probably even in a hypothetical future with vastly improved charging infrastructure.
  - greglindahl 10y ago
    Huh, Tesla and Bolt owners report a 20% reduction in range in cold weather.
    - luca_ing 10y ago
      Yeah, I'm sure the relation is worse for my car because of its comparatively tiny 7kWh battery. 20% is still nothing to scoff at, but probably acceptable.

Johnny555 10y ago

with 200 miles of range, you don't need to find a charging space every day, many people can charge once a week. And you don't have to charge at home, you can also charge at the office, or grocery store, or any other place you regularly go.

luca_ing 10y ago
> with 200 miles of range, you don't need to find a charging space every day Depending on your commute. And the weather -- cold weather essentially halves my range. Also you need to be more careful with your charge. Because if you run out at an inconvenient time, you're stuck charging for at least 30 minutes -- if a reachable charging station is not occupied. My BIL was recently stuck in Zürich for a few hours, waiting for a charging station to become available for his Tesla so he could drive home. Don't get me wrong -- I'd love to have an EV. And I really enjoy my hybrid. My next car will definitely also have electric drive. But the fact is that dinosaur juice is just far, far more convenient and practical. Certainly now, but probably even in a hypothetical future with vastly improved charging infrastructure.
- greglindahl 10y ago
  Huh, Tesla and Bolt owners report a 20% reduction in range in cold weather.
  - luca_ing 10y ago
    Yeah, I'm sure the relation is worse for my car because of its comparatively tiny 7kWh battery. 20% is still nothing to scoff at, but probably acceptable.