IMO, the issue is broader than that. Millions of homeowners don’t have a garage and/or have an older home with a small electrical box so upgrading to install an EV charger will cost additional thousands.
1 Like
Or installing a charger may not even be possible. We were looking to purchase a townhouse in a community that does not have assigned parking spaces. The board recently addressed the subject of ev charging and decided that the community will not install chargers and since people don’t have dedicated spaces individual owners may not install chargers either. They directed owners to the nearest public charging site.
1 Like
My older Gen-Zer’s personal vehicle is an FJ Cruiser that gets 19-22 mpg and his work vehicle, that runs 10+ hours per shift, has a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 under the hood that gets 15-22 mpg. He definitely blows the class curve. 
I am in the 41% who does not have plans to buy a EV. I might consider a hybrid at some point but I’m not in the market for a new car.
It makes me very uncomfortable to put all my energy eggs in the electric basket for everything. I have natural gas heat for my home and cooktop, but electric for A/C and other appliances. We recently installed a natural gas powered generator. I am not convinced that it’s practical or likely that the US (or the world) can or will choose to run solely on renewable-only generated electricity in the foreseeable future.
1 Like
Electricity is actually more diversified in terms of base generation sources (both renewable and non-renewable) compared to petroleum-based fuels like gasoline for transportation. The geopolitical implications of petroleum show how petroleum-dependent transportation is around the world.
1 Like
That’s a self-induced narrative (and pain). Depending on which estimates you want to use, the US has enuf natural gas (within its own borders) for the next 75-100 years. We could be energy independent but we choose not to.
Most transportation devices (road vehicles, trains, airplanes, ships) use liquid fuels (derived from petroleum) rather than gaseous fuels (mainly natural gas), since gaseous fuels require much larger fuel tanks, and high pressure storage needed to keep fuel tanks to a reasonable size means a greater risk of leaks.
Battery electric vehicles only recently became practical, due to higher-energy-density batteries (the “fuel tanks”) becoming not-too-large for the desired amount of energy storage.
2 Likes
Yes that is the current situation. But the “goal” is 100% renewable generated electricity that runs pretty much everything. I’m a diversification proponent. Utilize all forms of energy based on availability, reliability and cost.
In that case, diversification of transportation energy sources away from being nearly all petroleum dependent should be a good thing.
1 Like
Provided the cost and reliability aspects of 100% renewable electricity generation develop as predicted. At this point, the electric grids in the US seem much more vulnerable and stressed than fossil fuels. Perhaps that will change going forward.
I’m not saying no one should buy an EV. I’m saying I’m not going to buy one because I believe ICE cars should be part of the transportation market place. And I’ll own one as long as possible.
Diversification of transportation energy sources does not require them to be 100% renewable. For example, electric vehicles powered by electricity from nuclear or natural gas would have a diversification-away-from-petroleum-dependence benefit, including reduced entanglements with geopolitical issues based on petroleum and reduced pollution.
The pumps as the gasoline station are powered by electricity.
Agreed. But natural gas isn’t beloved by the climate change crowd. And nuclear seems barely tolerated.
Yes and as long as fossil fuels are in the energy mix there will be enough electricity. My concern is the push for 100% renewable electricity at the same time every car, appliance, plane, train, tank etc…is going to be required to be electric.
It doesn’t have to be but that’s what the climate crowd is pushing. Electricity produced by fossil fuels, natural gas and nuclear is not acceptable.
Agreed. All-of-the-above strategy, with an emphasis on more renewables.
But you can’t make the argument that world events (‘geopolitical’) affect US-energy dependence unless you also acknowledge that such ‘dependence’ is self-imposed.
1 Like
I’d like a plug in hybrid option. My neighbor has a BMW plug in hybrid and it works great for our area. You can use electricity for around town driving that we do mostly and it can be driven on road trips without planning out charging stations.
Unfortunately, when I looked at this option, it seems that they are not really sold in my area of Michigan. I know the Hyundai is not.
Right now we are enjoying our no car payments. So no need to replace our cars.
I’ve said this before. My kid has an EV. She owns a townhouse but her fiancé takes the parking space. She parks on the street. There is a public charging station a block from her house. She has never found it inconvenient nor a deterrent to charge her car. I guess when faced with an obstacle, she found her solution and it works well.
1 Like
@deb922 I also would like a pug in hybrid because I think it meets my needs best. Supply is small…
3 Likes
Adding a note for myself to read any housing details carefully if/when we look for our retirement places to live. I know to try to avoid HOAs in general, but if we went toward a condo, this would absolutely turn me off from buying.
1 Like
And what about the generations coming after that? FIL is 94, soon to be 95. My kids could be old enough to see their grandkids have to deal with running out.
What’s the problem with trying to use non-renewable resources lightly and switching what we can to lengthen the time humans can have with them? Why do the generations now feel the need to take/use all that we can simply because we can?
3 Likes
The place we purchased in Florida is beginning these discussions. It’s a midrise building with 12 floors but each unit has their own garage so I didn’t think it would be an issue…but the building manager said the board is looking into it so there maybe another concerns?
IMO, the main issue is lack of deeded parking spots. The HOA just doesn’t want to police the squabbles over who parks in the charging spots or who gets to have a dedicated spot by virtue of having an EV with a self-installed charger.
We own a condo that came with 2 deeded parking spots in a relatively secure garage. There is a precedent already of one owner installing a charger for her Bolt. The HOA had no issues as long as she could pay for it and get her panel upgraded.
2 Likes
Family member has assigned parking spaces in the condo parking areas. There is electricity in that area for lights, for example. They are looking to install three charging stations, but for charging only…IOW, these would not be assigned, but folks with EVs could charge their cars there…then move them to their assigned space. They are discussing the scheduling of charging, and how costs will be handled as this will tie into the association electrical service.
It’s doable…but this is a small complex.