Well damn, Ken. Even my gas-sipping Corolla gets only about 350 miles range before it's sucking fumes and I'm antsy to find a fill up! I'm usually looking around 310 to 330 miles....and I'm sure I could push it to 400 if I was REAL light-footed (and a risk-taker.....)

How many cars nowadays GET a 500 mile range???

Of course there's gas stations on every corner, so no one thinks about it (range). And that's fair......but to me being able to find charging stations at decent intervals would be most important, and yes.........REASONABLE charging times. I'd shoot for 15 minutes as a 'sweet spot' in fueling time.

 

You're missing the shopping cart basket on the front........

 

(1990)

'Ya know....until they make a cell phone with reliable service that I don't have to carry around in a small suitcase, and which doesn't cost me a couple thousand dollars, and has adequate infrastructure in place so I can use it everywhere, my Ma Bell phone at home is just fine and dandy....and there's a pay phone on every corner'......

(1995)

'Well now......."

Ain't technology grand???

 

I won't disagree with that.

We need 'leaps' like we had with computers and mobile phones.

I guess the difference is, when that tech was growing, there WEREN'T already computers and cell phones in every home. But right now, literally every home has a car............and so far getting fuel for it is easy........and (for the last few years) fairly cheap.

EVs are kinda-sorta missing the 'necessity' factor in most folks minds. They have to be seen as FAR superior to the current gassers for folks to gobble them up......

 

I think Tesla is going to er....um...energize battery technology to levels we haven't seen. Musk didn't build that big ass plant for the Energizer Bunny. The next 5 years should prove very interesting.

 

My daughter has one of those Fusion hybrid gas / electric things.

Great average fuel mileage because it can use the electric motor for take off and other times and save the gas. Not a plug in, so it recharges itself while driving.

The biggest downsides she's noticed is the lack of trunk space (got to hide the batteries somewhere), and the extra weight of the batteries causes her to go through rear shocks and tires and what to her is an alarming rate.

Also didn't come with a spare tire, which I'm understanding is more and more common these days.

 

If it does hurt that market, it will hurt the GM/Nissan market more than the Tesla market. The Tesla buyers are buying $70,000 - $125,000 vehicles. I doubt they'll feel the pinch as much by losing a $7,500 tax credit.

 

There are two minor problems often overlooked with the whole EV fad. In no particular order...

One: POLUTION. The total emissions (read pollution) over the total life of the vehicle: Creation, Operation, & Decommissioning/recycling makes the EV far less then “Green” at-least as I understand the “Green” terminology.

Two: POWER. This nation as a whole is significantly short the electrical generation capacity to supply the demand today; which is to say without several 100-million EV’s. A large portion of the existing electric generating capacity is using Carbon based fuels. Further the existing electrical grid or delivery infrastructure, to distribute the necessary power to the requisite charging points is completely inadequate and will require a nearly complete replacement. The infrastructure replacement, is a good thing, and were I to bet, it will be the only real gain out of this EV boondoggle.

Don't get me wrong, in an urban setting the EV could be a solution to a political problem.