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108 Posts
Interesting take on quality levels of "some" electric cars
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EVs aren't for everybody...they don't make sense at all without home charging. Otherwise you are paying a very high price for a car you have to sit and wait on while charging somewhere else...that gets tiresome, inconvenient, and very aggravating very quickly. Moreover if you are taking an out of town trip(lets say 150 miles + each way), then realize that Electrify America has a very limited nationwide charging network. Their charging stations are few, and miles and miles from one to another in most states right now. In a VW ID4, w/ only 250 charging miles or less, you are going to be thinking a lot about "where to get my next charge" as you travel, and that fretting can put a big emotional downer on a planned recreational trip. So you are paying some very high prices over time for your new, cool, and different EV aren't you?? You are really paying a penalty for all that you think is wonderful about your great EV...and I really haven't covered all of the details here. Just done a brief overview.
I think you are overplaying this. Over the past 18 months of researching people's EV ownership experience, I have read multiple accounts from apartment dwellers who never charged at home. They were initially worried, but eventually changed their attitude and relaxed into a different rhythm. There are currently regions in the country where DC fast charging is hard to come by, but that will change with time and demand. I am really curious how this will play out for myself and my wife. Curious, but not worried.
As a PSA, RVV22 does not currently hold an ID.4 reservation (cancelled, per his own post), and generally is very critical toward things around here. Not that people shouldn't be critical, but take those facts into account when reading.
There are other options (like plug in hybrids) for those folks who do 400 mile a day trips frequently. But those are marginal cases. We are talking about massive savings, like $10,000 or $20,000 during the life of the car. So minor inconveniences should be tolerable. It is criminal to recommend anything other than a PHEV or BEV to general car buyers these days. For marginal cases (like towing an RV or someone who does 500 miles a day often) I agree, but for general commuting there is no comparison. Again the main reason is subsidies which are about $10,000 on average. If there was no subsidies then many BEVs would not be competitive though. So take the free money and run while you can.
I own a home & have an ID.4 reservation ... and don't plan on getting a home charger, at least initially. With the 3 years of charging included, and there being an EA charging station at my local Target AND a different EA charging station near my local Starbucks, I think I'm covered. There's also an EA charger within a reasonably close walk from my work (if/when I end up working from the office again). My child's college is juuuust within range, and there's an EA charger there. I see no reason to get a home charger.
Depending on your situation (and for the majority of people), home charging on 120v is 100% doable knowing you can use EA chargers for longer trips. My recommendation for people unsure is to have them try out 120v charging for a couple months and then they can always upgrade to 240v if they feel it doesn't work.
The issue is for people who do not have the ability to even charge on 120v at home or work.
My nearest EA charger is 85 miles away. I'm never going to use an EA charger unless I take a road trip. I am retired and don't go out every day so 120v home charging will work fine for me. My sisters house is 315 miles from me, I can do a round trip to see her on one tank of fuel in my JSW TDI. According to "A Better Route Planner" I will need to spend almost 3 hrs of charging time to make the trip in the ID.4. I may be retired, but I am not going to waste 3 hrs waiting for the car to charge up for the trip, I'll be taking the TDI. ID.4 isn't going to pull my 10,000 lb boat or plow my driveway and road in the winter, I have a GMC 2500 for those chores. The ID.4 will be a perfect vehicle for my wife and I to run errands and for her to get back and forth to work. Different vehicles for different needs. I'm lucky I can afford the vehicles I have and garages to put them in.
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