We’ve been driving a Skoda Enyaq iV 80 for over a year now, and the husband and I are very happy with it. Of course the infrastructure for long distance driving is in its infancy but it will (must?) come. Fossil fuel transport is not sustainable.
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I tried a nordchord charger for mine, bit pricey but it’s much quieter and the stereo has blacker blacks. It’s a game changer.
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Who knows! Here in the US Southwest (am in New Mexico) they’ve got lots of money to put in charging stations on highways but can’t because there’s no power infrastructure along the highway; you can go miles and miles without a gas station or a soul.
Could put in diesel generators to power the EV stations? 
Hydrogen powered vehicles is the way it should go imo.
Change of plans. Next car will be electric but definitely not a Tesla.
I sold my Tahoe 2 years ago and bought a Nissan to park in my MIL’s driveway so she would not be there alone with no car in the driveway. I’m going to sell it whenever I get it back and make do with one car. It’s been working OK since I am no longer driving to the airport to go flying.
Of course, now with Roon ARC and CarPlay, I may need a car to drive around town listening to Roon.
Go with.a Lucid!
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I have had a model Y for five years. Honestly, it’s better. Yes, on road trips I have to think a bit about charging, but it’s fine - changes the cadence of snack breaks. Also made me realize I take very few trips over 5-6 hours (doable with a single charging stop in a day), and very few even of those. And yes, winter is different but not bad.
Where it is just plain better than my old GTI or A6 is that it’s always full. On any regular day I out it in the garage and plug it in in my way inside without thinking about it. And when I wake up the next morning I have a “full tank” (or 80%, that’s where I keep it). There’s no wondering if I have enough gas. It just goes and goes and I never have gas station receipts accumulating in my car, and I smile when I drive past a station and there are people waiting. Being “always full” is a huge psychic benefit that is hard to imagine until you experience it. It’s one thing in my life that was a hassle that is gone and I love that.
Now on to range. My close friend lives in Northern California, and has a truck because he carries mulch & lumber etc. and is a far more macho dude than I ever will be. But his other car in a 2 car family is a several year old Chevy Bolt with 90 mile range. That is a much derided car. Small, underpowered, sure. But he now clocks 90%+ of family miles in it. Why? Always full. Totally predictable. His truck often has more than 90 miles in it when he wakes up, and often less. It’s a 7 year old truck and sometimes has problems. Electric cars are predictable and repeatable. As transport it’s hard to overstate.
Plus, even these small ones have this trick where all the torque is available no matter how fast you are going. Accelerating from 70 to 90 as effortlessly as you do from 0 to 20 is surreal. And if you’ve never come off the line in one of these rocket ships you are missing something thrilling. Now, would I say they are as fun to drive? No darn way. Nope nope nope. I miss my GTI because of the way it handled. Taking a curve at speed was great. Nothing will quite be the same as gauging oversteer in a 911. But I have to be honest with myself. If I was driving a gas car now I’d be driving a mid-sized SUV/crossover anyways.
It’s getting easier and easier to choose EVs on their merits as driving machines and transportation. And as this next energy crisis continues to rear its head and worsen (which it will) and electricity markets start to see rational reforms the deflationary nature of renewables will make it a more and more natural choice. And as that inevitably happens, car makers will make better and better models that appeal more and more. Act curmudgeonly if you like, but it’s here.
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Without sparking a huge debate electric cars are not the future without the infrastructure to support them.
Which I fail to see happening in my lifetime.
When charging stations are as commonplace and reliable as gas stations we might be getting close…
And a very “forgotten” point.
Electric vehicles weigh much more than their gas cousins.
So they place much more wear and tear on the roads.
Yet here in the USA they pay nothing towards upkeep of said roads they are destroying at a faster rate as gasoline tax is what’s supposed to go towards that.
Never hear much about that one though.
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So that’s a question (whether charging infrastructure arrives “in time”) of political will and vision. But also of market forces. So while I agree fully with your premise (which I’ll abbreviated as “EVs only work if there are plenty of chargers”), I don’t at all agree with the “it’ll never happen” because, umm, it already has happened, just not everywhere.
If you own a Tesla within a few hours drive of a major metro area and you have a dryer outlet installed in your garage, you’ve seen the future cause you live it every day. Fast charging with charger density anywhere you realistically need it. Slow/overnight charging at places you might stay. Occasional gymnastics to walk 1/4 mile to a charger in more rural locations, not a big deal to me. But it is plain simple. Not if you own any other brands than a Tesla. That sucks. Because I detest Elon Musk as an authoritarian enabler and general douchebag as much as anyone here. (I don’t hate him because he’s a technocrat, that’s fine, also possible to do without being a douchebag, but he has conflated the two into “bossism” in a way that is staggeringly frightening, but that is a topic for a different day).
Now, will this charging network ease & pervasiveness go everywhere? For all cars? Dunno. Im optimistic that economics and the erosion of political power of some vested interests will lead to an acceleration here. But I have driven on long road trips in other electric cars, and I agree it sucks. Im just saying it is possible and better, and when things are possible and better, they eventually tend to win, especially when someone stands to make a lot of money. Mary Barra saw this a few years ago and is ready to start minting $$. I think it’s inevitable, you think it’s “unlikely to happen in your lifetime”. I don’t know how old you are, nor is that my business. But I’d like to know what makes you pessimistic - zoning variability? effective vested interest resistance in statehouses? Lack of technology (though I’m not buying that, see above)? Because if you have a better view on the barriers than I do, let’s get together and start knocking them down.
This works for city cars and the like.
If anyone around the southern states has a long multi state trip planned it’s just not feasible yet.
When I can charge an EV in the same time frame as a gas car with the ease of finding said WORKING chargers then it will be a truly viable competitor.
No way will I even remotely consider a 30 to 45 stop to charge up when I can be done in 5 minutes at a gas station.
And usually that gas fill up will take me many more miles than a EV top up.
450 miles in 5 minutes
275 miles in 30 minutes.
No contest right now I’m afraid.
Right now, as I said, I don’t see that happening in my lifetime.
Sorry, are you saying that southern Tesla ownership doesn’t work for Tesla’s yet? Because I have a friend in Atlanta and another in Miami with Elon-mobiles who have the same experience as mine. Density of fast chargers, road trips simpler with modifications. Have driven with them both. Absolutely don’t believe that there’s a significant difference in experience.
All these “not working” issues are terrible, and easily fixed, and in areas where incentives and ownership are clear, have been fixed rapidly. There’s no substitute for competent government that knows how to harness private self-interest.
Not arguing that the J-1772 experience isnt awful. It is. Wouldn’t own one yet. That’s sad. Give it three years. I’m betting it will be fine.
Just saying that it’s absolutely possible. This map above shows that the south is not the same density as the northeast, but much of that is chicken and egg with local ownership.
Doomerism is the enemy. Things change faster than you imagine they will when technology is better and people can make money. Though if you’re looking for “everything to be different” in 1-2 years that’s always a bad bet. But five is easy to get behind. Find me a large car maker who is investing a single $ in the next generation of internal combustion engine. R&D is destiny. And, you are correct, infrastructure is destiny too. But the investment in charging in the IRA is staggering in scope. It’s coming.
(Also, gosh I hope I’m not being political in the sense of being proscriptive, though rereading I realize I may have strayed and if so I apologize; I hope I’m being economically & technologically descriptive and positing that politics usually follows along through accountability to constituents, but realize that many of us may believe that process is broken these days and if so perhaps I’m being hopeful).
Also, realize I didn’t address your point about filling time. Yes, 30 minutes for 275 miles is a long time… until you experience it. And then you realize how many times you drive more than 550 miles in a day. Not a lot. How many times more than 275 in a day? A rare few, even in the south in multi state road trips. On those occasions, you will have a longer snack break or, oh gosh, lunch. Like I said, you adjust awfully fast, and it’s different not worse, and it’s more than offset by the emotional experience of having your car always be full in the morning when you’re at home. But you either have to trust me about that or try it. And you may disagree. But I want you to believe that I am a long time gearhead (I still have a bathtub Porsche and a VW bug in my garage, and yes I drive them) and it honestly to me manifests as a better world.
Hmm, you are now just referring to Tesla.
I was talking EV in general.
Not everyone wants to buy into the Elongated Mollusc vision I’m afraid.
But as I said no debate.
It’s not ready for prime time IMHO.
And this is from someone who was seriously considering the wife’s next car to be an EV, so yes I have done my homework.
Call it Doomerism if you will, I call it the cold hard light of reality
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If modular batteries were used, and available fully charged at fuel stations, a refill could be done in minutes. But neither car manufacturers nor petrol forecourt companies appear capable of innovating and thinking ahead, and are all late to the party (as are most politicians.) Leasing batteries is a much more attractive proposition IMO.
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Yes I read about those ideas and that would be very workable I think.
Heck it’s not new even, all our forklifts have rows of ready charged batteries waiting to just swap out in 5 minutes.
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Anyways very interesting discussion and yes it is the future sooner or later I agree, my view is it will be later than we like at least here in the USA.
But I have to leave for the weekend chaps, carry on the healthy debate and please keep it civil and non political if possible 
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Well, all I’m hoping to get across is that we have a very very workable proof of concept that shows it can be preferable. And whether that is Tesla (again, yes, detest Musk, but the car/charging network just work) or leased swappable batteries, there are profitable ways for it to be better in a widespread way. The rest is markets operating as they will.
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Hear hear! Bravo to a potentially poltiics-adjacent and respectful disagreement with rational discourse. Have a great weekend!
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Some very good points, pro and con, made thus far. Here’s my two cents.
One of the main drawbacks to a broad adoption of EVs is trying to make EVs fit into the gas power vehicle paradigm. EVs will require a complete rethinking of the transportation system. In addition, there are several other issues which have not yet been mentioned on this thread.
For example, while EVs make sense as a great solution for urban areas, how does charging work for those living in large multifamily dwellings? Charging an EV overnight in a private home makes great sense but doesn’t work for those who have to park in the street or in a garage.
To put it simply, EVs will require a paradigm shift in the way society thinks about transportation. EVs for shorter trips with gas powered vehicles or public transportation for longer trips. Parking lots with attendants to move the EVs to and from available chargers. And of course a complete rebuilding and restructuring of the electrical grid.
The problem is difficult and will only be made much more difficult with the pushback from those with vested interests in the gar powered transportation sector. Just think of money that will no longer be made by selling gaskets for gasoline engines. Make no mistake there will be massive pushbacks with huge campaigns to try to sway the public. The fight has only just begun and will only get worse.
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There are options.
We leased a Model S for three years. It was my wife’s daily driver, she loved it. I was mixed on it - I prefer smaller cars, mostly German, often convertibles. As the lease was coming due, we bought a house in the city with a much smaller garage than our suburban house had and we made peace with the fact that we could garage only one smaller car and my motorcycles. She got the garage for her car, I got what was left for a couple of motorcycles and tools.
We decided to downsize to a Model 3. This was early pandemic. I got increasingly disgusted with Musk and, though a bizarre series of events was able to take over a buddy’s pre-order of a Mach-E.
I love this Mach-E. It’s got its own set of issues, but it is a fun car to drive and checks a bunch of my boxes including CarPlay. It’s my wife’s daily driver but I’m always happy to drive it.
@Jim_F has posted about his drag racing and Mustang experience - he could easily be in the camp of folks who take issue with Ford choice to put the pony branding not his car. But I just love it.
My experience with electric cars was so compelling that I bought an electric motorcycle - a Zero SR/S. I get over a hundred miles of range on it at fast freeway speeds. I don’t go into my office much but when I do, that’s how I get there. I don’t tour on it and I’ve never charged it anywhere other than home, but I’m sold.
My son has a Segway Ninebot Max at college. He rides that thing everywhere. He’s local and the Ninebot easily fits in the trunk of the Mach-E. All of this has convinced me of the viability (necessity?) of electric micro-mobility vehicles. I wish I had a legitimate use for an electric scooter like his - I ride it around the neighborhood sometimes just for kicks and it is really fun and practical at the same time.
With cars, I admit that we hedge our bets and keep an ICE vehicle around. Here’s where you can chuckle at me. I have history of owning fast cars with premium badges. We spent a good chunk of the last couple of years planning a move and during that time, I needed something I could transport stuff and dogs back and forth in. I had a Macan GT which is a pretty damn fun car. I dropped all of that for a Mini Countryman which I actually love. Chuckle if you like…it’s small, fun, and has unlimited range. This is the car we take on the road when we have drive the 200 or so miles to my wife’s aging folks house (Seattle → near Portland). We don’t take the Mach-E. All arguments about charging infrastructure aside, we are increasingly heading down there to help with medical issues. We have to know that we can hop in a car and go at a moment’s notice. We can’t plan to stop on the way. We can’t play to need a charge when we get there. Electric vehicles just aren’t there yet as a complete replacement for ICE in this regard. It’s hard to actually imagine them getting there any time soon.
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I would like a Mach-E, I think. I wanted to get a Telsa Model 3, but will never buy from Musk. I will also never ride his Starship.
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