Buying an EV is like buying a premium vehicle. You could have gotten an Accord, Camry, CRV, RAV4, etc, but, instead, you got a BMW X5, a Range Rover, a Jaguar. You wanted to save money on gas, but, bought an Audi A4 instead of an Accord. It’s a choice. Because some people can afford one. Spending $10k, $20K, etc on a vehicle doesn’t save you money. But, they’re sure smug about themselves
Opinion: Electric cars aren’t perfect, but we EV drivers are glad to have one now
If you’re paying for gasoline right now, you probably don’t want to hear from smug electric car drivers — but I am one of those people, so please accept my apologies at the outset. We’re the ones who were surprised by fuel prices (if we happened to notice them driving past a gas station) long before most people began paying $5 or $6 per gallon for the stuff.
Of course, electric cars are not the solution to climate change and any number of woes they’re often made out to be. They too exact an environmental toll and perpetuate all the problems of car culture, minus the local emissions. But they are undeniably less awful for the world than internal-combustion vehicles — and they are plainly better cars, as any EV driver can tell you. All this was true before the recent spike in gas prices.
Wait, they aren’t a solution to ‘climate change’? It almost seems like the Elites want to force us out of privately owned vehicles. And, yes, all the mining is bad for the actual environment.
To the editor: Now is the time to purchase an electric vehicle. Between climate change, high fuel costs and dependence on foreign oil, most drivers can make the move painlessly.
If you are a two-car household, replace your gas guzzler with an electric car. Use your EV for all close-range driving, and save your gas car for long trips. You will be shocked at how much you will save without auto repairs and gas consumption.
I purchased an EV nine years ago. Since then, my second gas vehicle has averaged 3,000 miles a year.
Wait, what? The writer is saying that EVs are bad for long trips? That they’re only good for around town? That’s not much of an endorsement.
To the editor: As a recent college graduate, one of the things on my to-do list is choosing my first car. In the past, this would have been a relatively simple task, but as I researched recent car prices and maintenance costs, I was shocked. (snip)
Electric vehicles are not subject to the same price fluctuations on oil. On average it takes between $10 and $45 to fuel your electric car at a power station, versus roughly $150 to fill some gas-powered cars now. Are we going to wait to switch to EVs as the war drags on and prices rise to $8, $9, $10 per gallon?
Electric vehicles are the answer now and tomorrow.
Except, the letter writer doesn’t seem to have purchased any vehicle, including an EV. Here’s another piece from the LA Times
Ariana Escalante, 34, owns a marketing and video production company called Vydeomedia.com. Transportation: Tesla Model 3 long range.
I think just the experience of getting gas has always felt a little yucky, a little dirty. It smells bad and sometimes it drips on your shoes. I was like, “Oh, you know what? I don’t think I would miss that.” I thought that Tesla was totally inaccessible. And I’m just like a regular working-class person, but then when I actually looked at the cost comparisons, it made tons of sense.
If it’s dripping on your shoes you’re doing it wrong.
So, I decided to buy one new. I put in my deposit in November and I got delivery of the car in February. My car gets 358 miles on a charge. I think the Hyundai Sonata I drove for 10 years was around 360 or 370 miles per tank. So, almost an exact match.
That Tesla 3 costs around $51K. A Sonata SEL, almost the top end, costs $32K. Are you going to save $19K? That’s roughly 4500 gallons of gas at $4.20. If you plan to keep it long enough to drive 138K miles, you’ve hit the break-even point. Not accounting for the cost of charging the Tesla.
By the way, insuring an EV is also more expensive, anywhere from 15% to 23% higher than a regular vehicle. But, look, if you want one, get one. That’s your choice. Like buying a Range Rover over a Highlander. But, they won’t save you money.
Read: LA Times: EVs Are Perfect, But, Drivers Are Glad They Paid Through The Nose For Them »