The Electric Car Dilemma. A Few Quick Facts to Help You Decide
Electric cars. The decades long holy grail of the automotive industry. Much like concrete in the Roman Empire, they were invented, manufactured, alas in small numbers and forgotten. Unlike concrete they are cooler now than they ever were. For years the big car manufacturers have been taunting us with the most futuristic concept cars the human mind could imagine. They all promised unparalleled mobility, clean air and ever increasing top speeds. For a long time the Ford Model T of the electric car was seemingly just around the corner.
And then Elon Musk took it upon himself to give clean, fast, emission free personal transportation where it was needed. It took a while, there were manufacturing problems, shareholder distrust and delivery issues that made customers wait for months, but in the end he did it.
After their first roadster, Tesla came out with the stunning and stylish Model S in 2012. The first EV with a reasonable amount of range, good handling and an interior finish that was a tech enthusiast’s dream. Less than a year and a half later you could already ride in one as a taxi passenger in Stockholm. That says a lot about a car company that had to navigate the rough seas of global car giants. And it also says a lot about the practicality of modern electric vehicles or EVs.
The days of hybrid Prius technology warped in functional soccer mum design were over. The new EV people wanted needed to be sexy, fast and hi tech.
But the real game changer was the Tesla 3. The first EV that was affordable and genuinely so at 35.000 $ for its 2019 “Standard Range” version. An electric car with a 240 miles range, that would do 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and could peak at 140 mph. Furthermore the company’s marketing strategy became so consumer friendly that Tesla actually allow buyers a full refund of the purchase price in 7 days or 1000 miles, something your Jeep dealership would find next to impossible. That doesn’t mean the big manufacturers are standing idle. Everybody from Chevy to Toyota and from VW to Nissan has some form of electric vehicle in their line-up and even more are announced. Many states and indeed many countries in the world offer incentives for buying electric cars and demand is rising.
But what does all that mean for the everyday car buyer?
Is it for you?
Well, yes and no.
Of course critics of the technology never miss the opportunity to remind us of the various downsides of electric cars but the technology is surely here to stay.
And we are talking about proven technology here. This is not some E.A. game that you pre-order and then wait for the next bug removing patch. Electric vehicles could be considered new tech by some, but they are not and reliability tests show them to be on par with their more traditional counterparts.
You can find a good electric vehicle in all segments of the market so it really does not matter if you are the SUV type or you prefer the more practical side of things.
Fast charging stations are plentiful compared to 6 years ago and the number is rising. Range wise EV’s have never been better as battery capacity and lifespan are at an all-time high. Fast charging means that you no longer have to wait hours for your car to get all juiced up and those long trips have never been more viable.
Performance wise EV’s are known for their high acceleration, high torque combo that dusts traditionally powered cars. As numerous independent reviews have already proven, even the likes of BMW M3 or Audi RS have little to offer in a drag race against a Tesla Model 3.
Last but not least the running costs for an electric vehicle seem to be lower over a five year period when compared to cars still powered by dinosaur juice. At least that is the case when comparing the Model 3 with the BMW 3 series or the Honda Civic.
But currently for some of us, trends will come into play. The fact that we don’t like the centre console in the Model 3, or that we find the BMW i3 too cramped and expensive is not the reason some of us bought that 2020 Gladiator Rubicon Launch Edition with a MSRP price of 62,310$. The fact is that electric cars are hot but trends are impossible to control and they don’t always take into account fuel emissions. If you like the days of tinkering around the car with your dad, maybe electric is not the way to go for you. Yet.
But mind you the present is already electric so you should definitely invest in an EV right now if your passion for motoring will allow the sacrifice. Although prices might reach parity with conventional vehicles as early as 2022, this is one of the best moments to buy one. You could be so impressed you will forget all about your noisy, gas guzzling, underperforming, outdated petrol engine.
And then Elon Musk took it upon himself to give clean, fast, emission free personal transportation where it was needed. It took a while, there were manufacturing problems, shareholder distrust and delivery issues that made customers wait for months, but in the end he did it.
After their first roadster, Tesla came out with the stunning and stylish Model S in 2012. The first EV with a reasonable amount of range, good handling and an interior finish that was a tech enthusiast’s dream. Less than a year and a half later you could already ride in one as a taxi passenger in Stockholm. That says a lot about a car company that had to navigate the rough seas of global car giants. And it also says a lot about the practicality of modern electric vehicles or EVs.
The days of hybrid Prius technology warped in functional soccer mum design were over. The new EV people wanted needed to be sexy, fast and hi tech.
But the real game changer was the Tesla 3. The first EV that was affordable and genuinely so at 35.000 $ for its 2019 “Standard Range” version. An electric car with a 240 miles range, that would do 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and could peak at 140 mph. Furthermore the company’s marketing strategy became so consumer friendly that Tesla actually allow buyers a full refund of the purchase price in 7 days or 1000 miles, something your Jeep dealership would find next to impossible. That doesn’t mean the big manufacturers are standing idle. Everybody from Chevy to Toyota and from VW to Nissan has some form of electric vehicle in their line-up and even more are announced. Many states and indeed many countries in the world offer incentives for buying electric cars and demand is rising.
But what does all that mean for the everyday car buyer?
Is it for you?
Well, yes and no.
Of course critics of the technology never miss the opportunity to remind us of the various downsides of electric cars but the technology is surely here to stay.
And we are talking about proven technology here. This is not some E.A. game that you pre-order and then wait for the next bug removing patch. Electric vehicles could be considered new tech by some, but they are not and reliability tests show them to be on par with their more traditional counterparts.
You can find a good electric vehicle in all segments of the market so it really does not matter if you are the SUV type or you prefer the more practical side of things.
Fast charging stations are plentiful compared to 6 years ago and the number is rising. Range wise EV’s have never been better as battery capacity and lifespan are at an all-time high. Fast charging means that you no longer have to wait hours for your car to get all juiced up and those long trips have never been more viable.
Performance wise EV’s are known for their high acceleration, high torque combo that dusts traditionally powered cars. As numerous independent reviews have already proven, even the likes of BMW M3 or Audi RS have little to offer in a drag race against a Tesla Model 3.
Last but not least the running costs for an electric vehicle seem to be lower over a five year period when compared to cars still powered by dinosaur juice. At least that is the case when comparing the Model 3 with the BMW 3 series or the Honda Civic.
But currently for some of us, trends will come into play. The fact that we don’t like the centre console in the Model 3, or that we find the BMW i3 too cramped and expensive is not the reason some of us bought that 2020 Gladiator Rubicon Launch Edition with a MSRP price of 62,310$. The fact is that electric cars are hot but trends are impossible to control and they don’t always take into account fuel emissions. If you like the days of tinkering around the car with your dad, maybe electric is not the way to go for you. Yet.
But mind you the present is already electric so you should definitely invest in an EV right now if your passion for motoring will allow the sacrifice. Although prices might reach parity with conventional vehicles as early as 2022, this is one of the best moments to buy one. You could be so impressed you will forget all about your noisy, gas guzzling, underperforming, outdated petrol engine.
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Loves to play with new ideas, binge writing, traveling and gourmet coffee. Professional writer of non fiction with over 8 years experience in putting words to paper. Fan of iconic movies, sports, The Arctic Monkeys and city breaks. Yes, he knows how good his coffee is.