I took an EV on a 2,000 mile road trip so you don't have to
Everyone will eventually be driving an electric car so I might as well get used to it. My verdict is the future can't arrive quickly enough.
I am in the middle of what some might see as a daunting expedition: driving my elderly parents across the Northeastern United States in an electric car. From our home base in Boston, the power of the electron is carrying us through dense urban centers like Washington, D.C., and through DC fast charging deserts like the New Hampshire White Mountains.
Why did I go on this range anxiety inducing journey? First and foremost, I wanted to see for myself how ready for prime time electric vehicles and the required charging infrastructure really are. Also I didn't exactly have a choice. An EV is what I drive nowadays, and I was determined to prove to everyone including myself that it was money well spent.
And oh boy was it ever.
The drive itself is not even a fair comparison. I am not in the car review business, but let me just point out that my experience easily supports the claims that electric vehicles are safer, more efficient, more powerful, quieter, cleaner, and cooler than their internal combustion engine (ICE) cousins. They are already cheaper to own and soon might be cheaper to buy too. EVs simply are a better product than ICEs. It is clear to me that the transition to electric cars is an unmitigated good and there will be no going back to those noisy and clunky explosion-propelled polluting machines.
The charging infrastructure is a different story altogether. Even in large US cities it is far from great. Fast charging stations are few and far between, fought tooth and nail by EV owners, and sometimes out of service. I live near a metropolitan area and have several fast charging options near me, plus a level 2 connection at home, so for me personally, charging the car is actually more convenient than frequent trips to the gas station. On the other hand, taking a long drive requires some advanced planning and slightly longer pit stops. As a late-ish early adopter I am more than happy to live with all that, but I am very aware that most people are in a situation where owning an EV still means putting up with some inconvenience. And we won’t have mass adoption until it becomes easier.
The shift to electric vehicles is one of the most exciting elements of the energy transition we are embarking on. It is also one of its most tangible and visible signs: anyone paying attention can see a growing number of EVs on the roads so it feels like an unstoppable force, despite big hurdles.
It is also an interesting case of adoption of a new technology happening before our very eyes. EVs are on the cusp of crossing the chasm between early adopters and the mass market, much of it being driven by a not-so-gentle nudge from governments and automakers. Places like Norway are well beyond the early adoption stage and electric vehicles are the new norm with plugless cars making up less than 15% of all sales.
In my conversations I have sensed an increasing openness to plug-in hybrid models, but people generally still show a slight hesitation in going full electric. For those who can afford to buy a new car in the developed economies of today, I frankly don’t see an advantage of PHEV vs. BEV. I have never driven a hybrid, but I suspect that catering for two distinct platforms in one vehicle could lead to less than ideal results.
But I guess hybrids are popular for a reason! I suspect that owning one alleviates range anxiety and it is a step towards the full electric transition. And most models can do 50 miles or more on a charge which is enough for most commutes, so for all practical purposes it is just like driving an electric car.
If this is what you are considering for your next vehicle, I am here to encourage you to just bite the bullet and go full electric. The future is here and you can be in it!
Despite what this post might indicate, I am not a car nut, nor do I know much at all about automobiles of any kind. I am sure others have had different experiences with EVs, PHEVs, and ICEs. If this is you then I would love to hear what you think, especially if you have recently purchased a car or are planning to in the near future.
Updated 16 November 2002: I have a follow up to this post where I detail the EV economics.
The psychology of range anxiety is interesting. We've had an electric car since 2005 (Nissan Leaf) and just got our second one (VW ID4). Even with the Leaf's 100 mile range we have no range anxiety. More than enough for a day's drive.
I think as Americans we have this fascination with the freedom of the open road so any limits on that are a big psychological barrier even if those road trips for most people are few and far between. A reliable public fast-charging network along major interstate routes would be one way to solve that -- really expensive. Or get to a 1000 mile range battery -- also really expensive. I wonder how the total cost compares to subsidizing rental car vouchers for EV owners with valet service so you can easily get a gas car for the occasional long trip. I actually kept our old ICE car just for this (it's really gathering dust), but if I could rent a car as easily as getting an Uber maybe we'd sell it.