Anyone here have any experience with EVs?

I've looking into buying a new vehicle and just determined that my main concern about limited range (Range Anxiety) with a pure EV has been largely mitigated
Many new EVs have a range of at at least 250 miles, which is fine for any local trips (which is the vast majority of my driving).
But if you take a trip longer than that, I knew that you would have to stop an hour or more to get a decent charge (with the older AC chargers) to continue on the journey.
However that's no longer true. They are now many DC fast charging stations available that can provide an 80% charge in as little as 20 minutes with EVs designed for that, which is not much longer than I usually take for a pit-stop for gas, a rest-room break, and to eat a snack, while traveling.

We occasionally visit our kids in Santa Fe, NM, which a little less than 400 miles from where we live in Denver.
So we could go about 200 miles, get a fast charge, and then reach Santa Fe without a further stop (or perhaps a short one for a quick top-off), not much different then when we drive in a gas powered car with a range of perhaps 300 miles.

We're not ones to take long trips off the beaten path into the back country where there may not be chargers, so that's not a concern.
I also think the batteries are sufficiently reliable to not be a factor.

I like EVs because of their high efficiency, quiet and seamless high power (one mid-sized SUV EV I looked at has a 0-60 time of <5s ! ), low or no pollution (depending upon the electrical source), little required maintenance, and great mechanical simplicity as compared to a standard engine or hybrid vehicle (perhaps hundreds of mechanical parts versus thousands).

Any thoughts on this?

 

No suggestions on EVs, but I see that you mentioned that you live in Denver. Where abouts (roughly)? I grew up in Westminster and lived for many years in Golden.

 

I see that you mentioned that you live in Denver. Where abouts (roughly)?

In the south edge of Aurora, a large suburb next to, and east of Denver.
Moved here from the LA area in 2020 to be closer to the kids.

 

I don't have one because I think the technology and infrastructure is too immature (high costs for insurance, low resale value, etc ...) but I know a few people that do. They all say, you must have level 2 charging at home for a equivalent ICE experience as the public charging is being crushed by users with long waits in busy areas and prices are high.

If you can, get a EV rental for a few days trip trial on the route you plan to experience it first.

 

infrastructure is too immature (high costs for insurance, low resale value, etc ...)

Good note about insurance. I'll check my insurer as to how much it might be.

I'm not too concerned about resale value, as I normally keep a vehicle a long time.

They all say, you must have level 2 charging at home for a equivalent ICE experience

Well, the equivalent ICE experience for me doesn't require that.
For my use, Level 1 charging (from a standard 120Vac, 15A outlet) is fine, since I'm retired and only occasionally drive a few local miles (usually no more than 50 round trip) to shop or go to an appointment, so it should still take less than a day to replace the charge for such trips (Level 1 charging typically adds at least 3 miles of range per hour).
Likely I won't even replace the charge after every short trip, but wait until it gets below 50% or so range.
Even if it takes a few days to fully charge after a longer trip, that's still not a problem.

I also have a small, gas-powered pickup as a backup, if needed.

As an added note, I'm not buying a car just for something new, I want one with all the latest safety features (lane guidance, automatic braking/warning. adaptive cruise-control, etc.) which becomes more important at my age (oh to be 80 again) where my reflexes are likely not quite what they used to be.
I have a perfectly fine 2018 Jeep Cherokee with just 60,000 miles on it, but it only has side and back vehicle warning as a safety feature.

 

My and Morticia’s only car is 12.5 years old and has less than 40000 miles. I figure the “savings” on fuel for an EV would pay for difference in cost in about 2 centuries. Therefore I am not considering one until they fall below $10K. I figure at that price, I could afford a rental for the rare long trip.

 

My and Morticia’s only car is 12.5 years old and has less than 40000 miles. I figure the “savings” on fuel for an EV would pay for difference in cost in about 2 centuries. Therefore I am not considering one until they fall below $10K. I figure at that price, I could afford a rental for the rare long trip.

As I noted, the main reason I want a new car if for it's safety features, not to save money (which certainly won't be enough to pay for the new car over our lifetime).

 

Our new Honda has all those features and costs a lot less(and I enjoy using them). Our youngest son, however, bought the Tesla and says he is satisfied with it. He did survive driving it from Georgia to Idaho with finding charging stations apparently. Oh, and it also has the ultimate added feature of making fart noises just so you know...

EDIT: He did have to wait nearly a year from time of purchase until delivery though...

 

Not an EV fan ... but I have to recognize their inherent simplicity, and therefore long time reliability:

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Our new Honda has all those features and costs a lot less

It's not that much difference in cost for comparable cars with the present EV rebates available, and cost is not my primary concern (although it is certainly one of them).
And I'm rather tired of the Infernal Combustion engine's complexity, carbon emissions, and maintenance requirements, (including the required periodic pollution testing).

 

Not an EV fan ... but I have to recognize their inherent simplicity, and therefore long time reliability:

View attachment 318499​

The gas car may have 10,000 parts, but I doubt they are all moving.

 

...rebates...

The truth counts.

They are not rebates. They are tax dollars that have been confiscated from people too poor to purchase EVs, subsidized or otherwise.

I'll shut up, now.

 

The gas car may have 10,000 parts, but I doubt they are all moving.

True ... but ICE's still has by far many more (haven't counted them) moving parts than electrics

 

The truth counts.

They are not rebates. They are tax dollars that have been confiscated from people too poor to purchase an EV, subsidized or otherwise.

Ah, I figured you might drop in with your usual negativity.
So the tax breaks for the oil companies and ethanol farmers to subsidize gas prices don't fall into that same category of truth?

 

Several people where I work have older EVs and like them. They say the car is like a cell phone, plug it in every night. It might go for three days but it is too easy to forget to recharge.
No oil, no antifreeze, go gas, and brakes that never ware out. Nearly nothing to ware out.
Not good for long trips. It is a home to work and back car. The cost to drive is very low.
There was a company next to where I work that (did) convert trucks and busses to electric. It works well if the rout is known and the truck stays at work all night. Example is the mail man's truck or Amazon truck. The airport to ski resort busses do well because on the way back down the mountains the battery charges.
(I live in Northern Colorado)

 

So the tax breaks for the oil companies and ethanol farmers to subsidize gas prices don't fall into that same category of truth?

Ethanol, like EVs, is stupid.

Aside from that, educate yourself.

That's the last I have to say in this thread.

 

While camping in British Columbia last year, a Tesla pulling a smaller RV pulled in next to us and setup camp. When I noticed Their Quebec plates, I had many questions. Yes, they had to carefully plan their trip, but all was well. I was impressed.

 

I wouldn't buy a EV for its safety features! such as catching fire and being impossible to put out?
My main concern would be the cost of replacing a battery if I'd bought a second hand EV and its battery failed.

Views from this side of the Atlantic.
There is still range anxiety, although the entire country is only 750 miles from one end to the other.
Charging at high-speed chargers costs as much as a tank of diesel (and diesel is taxed at 165%) Charging at home if you can find a suitable electricity tariff with a few cheap hours at night is MUCH cheaper.
Infrastructure is still poor, with motorway service stations wanting to put in high-speed chargers but not having a suitable electricity supply.
The best deals are on leasing, especially as that means not being responsible for paying for failed batteries.
I've not driven a Tesla, but the bloke who runs the garage where I have my car serviced says that they corner like a fully laden estate car.

(There seems to be a lot of people from Colorado on this thread - my wife grew up in Littleton, my brother-in-law lives in Denver and my father-in-law lived in Cerrillos, NM).

 

Not an EV fan ... but I have to recognize their inherent simplicity, and therefore long time reliability:

View attachment 318499​

How may horsepower would that motor be rated at, if it were a standard industrial induction motor?

 

That's the last I have to say in this thread.

And don't think I don't appreciate that, as I really couldn't care less about what you think is "stupid".