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> If electric really displaces gasoline/petrol, we are going to need a lot more charging stations. This is true but not to the degree you might assume. I've ha
by ebbv 10y ago
> If electric really displaces gasoline/petrol, we are going to need a lot more charging stations.
This is true but not to the degree you might assume. I've had a LEAF for almost 3 years now and it has been charged outside of my garage maybe a dozen times. My wife drives it to work every day.
It really depends on people's habits vs. the range of the cars they buy. We are seeing 200+ mile range on affordable cars (Model 3, Chevy Bolt.) If the standard range is that or higher then most people will not need a charging station outside of their garage.
The charging stations will still be convenient and people will ask for them for that reason, but they won't be necessary like they would be if we saw widespread adoption of the first generation LEAF with a realistic 60-80 mile range. Then more people would need a charging station at work to be able to commute. But that's not what's happening, so I think charging stations outside the home won't be necessary so much as desirable.
What will be needed for wider adoption is charging stations at apartment complexes and condos. That's one thing that is really holding EVs back and may hold non-homeowners back from being able to get them.
- sixdimensional 10y agoI have coworkers that drive the Leaf first and later gen. What they report to me is it works great until those times it doesn't work and you get stuck somewhere waiting hours to charge. Also, the cost of electricity is surprising to them as it is not as cheap (still cheaper usually than gas) as they expected. Don't get me wrong, we are closer all the time to resolving all the concerns. I think we just rounding the bend. Hopefully Tesla and co will keep up the pressure for better alternatives. Let's hope that the current government trends don't set us back years in the progress we are making. I am optimistic that the electric trend has enough momentum that it will continue, but we have seen huge shifts in automotive tech happen before (for example, rubber tire conglomerates and freedom of cars shifted us away from mass transit in the past).
- ebbv 10y ago> it works great until those times it doesn't work and you get stuck somewhere waiting hours to charge If you run out of charge and get stuck somewhere that's no more the Leaf's fault than it is a gasoline car's fault when you run out of gas. In ~3 years that has happened exactly zero times to me or my wife. > Also, the cost of electricity is surprising to them as it is not as cheap (still cheaper usually than gas) as they expected. That varies based on where you live but for us it costs about $0.02/mile to drive the Leaf. Whereas our Honda CR-V which gets ~30 mpg costs about $0.08/mile right now. Gas prices are artificially low in the US right now, when they go back up it will be even more drastic (and of course if your car gets worse than 30mpg then it will be worse, or better if you get better mileage.) In order to reach $0.02/mile with a gas car I'd have to get 115mpg, though. (Gas is ~$2.30/gal in my town currently.) > Let's hope that the current government trends don't set us back years in the progress we are making. This is my main concern as well. Where I live the state government just passed a really regressive fee for EV registrations.