You really should be driving an electric car

[Jordan53]

I was looking at all options when I bought a car last year and a hybrid made the most sense for my driving habits/location.

Too much of a pain in the backside trying to coordinate charging locations for mid to long range trips in my area to consider all electric at this point.

[Singuy]

I was looking at all options when I bought a car last year and a hybrid made the most sense for my driving habits/location.

Too much of a pain in the backside trying to coordinate charging locations for mid to long range trips in my area to consider all electric at this point.

Planning is done with one button press. Tesla has done everything possible to ease people into EVs. We know it's a change, but you'll be surprise how much effort was put into making this transition easy. Other automakers of course need to catch up but I believe will in due time.

[Jordan53]

Planning is done with one button press. Tesla has done everything possible to ease people into EVs. We know it's a change, but you'll be surprise how much effort was put into making this transition easy. Other automakers of course need to catch up but I believe will in due time.

Depends on where you live, I researched Tesla and the charging stations along the mid/long range routes I frequent and there weren’t a lot of options, and some of those options had hours limitations. If I lived in California like my friend who has one it would have been an easy decision to get one, living in Illinois where I do with the routes I frequent the convenience isn’t there yet.

[Singuy]

Depends on where you live, I researched Tesla and the charging stations along the mid/long range routes I frequent and there weren’t a lot of options, and some of those options had hours limitations. If I lived in California like my friend who has one it would have been an easy decision to get one, living in Illinois where I do with the routes I frequent the convenience isn’t there yet.

I am looking around and seems like there's a supercharger station every 50-60 miles on all major highways. I know it looks like there's nothing but seems like you can get to whatever you want in Illinois.

[Jordan53]

I am looking around and seems like there's a supercharger station every 50-60 miles on all major highways. I know it looks like there's nothing but seems like you can get to whatever you want in Illinois.

If you’d like to move to rural IL and bring your Tesla have at it.

When I looked early last year it was more of a pain than I desired vs a hybrid I could gas up at hundreds of gas stations on my driving routes. Would it be possible to manage with a Tesla only? Sure, but more of a hassle than traditional gasoline I was willing to deal with at that time. Your tolerance is likely different than mine.

[Singuy]

If you’d like to move to rural IL and bring your Tesla have at it.

When I looked early last year it was more of a pain than I desired vs a hybrid I could gas up at hundreds of gas stations on my driving routes. Would it be possible to manage with a Tesla only? Sure, but more of a hassle than traditional gasoline I was willing to deal with at that time. Your tolerance is likely different than mine.

Can you not put in 220v outlet for your house in rural IL? You'll have 350 miles of range every morning when you wake up...so unless you spend 6 hours in your car a day...I don't see how big of a problem this is.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Can you not put in 220v outlet for your house in rural IL? You'll have 350 miles of range every morning when you wake up...so unless you spend 6 hours in your car a day...I don't see how big of a problem this is.

Yeah but I still can't get sun.

[TexasHusker]

I guess one solution might be to make longer extension cords.

[Singuy]

Yeah but I still can't get sun.

The sun is needed to power your dryer right now?

[Singuy]

I guess one solution might be to make longer extension cords.

Your 5000 squareft house has at least 4 220v powering Hvac, dryer, and electric water heaters. Don't think one more will kill you.

[TexasHusker]

Your 5000 squareft house has at least 4 220v powering Hvac, dryer, and electric water heaters. Don't think one more will kill you.

Good point. But if you had a cord say 350/375 miles long, you’d have more range.

[Singuy]

Good point. But if you had a cord say 350/375 miles long, you’d have more range.

And thats how you kill an adult conversation.

Don't worry Husker. You are not alone. There were always defenders of candles, horse carriages, flip phones, etc etc during their respective time periods. It's really no secret that regardless of climate change being real or fake, the world will run out Dino juice eventually so the transition is mandatory no matter how you play the game of life.

[disneysteve]

Singuy, how is range impacted by driving conditions and weather? Hilly terrain, traffic jams, extreme heat or cold, etc. Do those things run down the battery faster?

[TexasHusker]

And thats how you kill an adult conversation.

Don't worry Husker. You are not alone. There were always defenders of candles, horse carriages, flip phones, etc etc during their respective time periods. It's really no secret that regardless of climate change being real or fake, the world will run out Dino juice eventually so the transition is mandatory no matter how you play the game of life.

hear now! We had a Chevy Volt for 3 years and it was the best car I ever owned! I'm just messing with ya. I have a dry sense of humor.

[TexasHusker]

Singuy, how is range impacted by driving conditions and weather? Hilly terrain, traffic jams, extreme heat or cold, etc. Do those things run down the battery faster?

We look at EV versus ICU too myopically. We want everything to be an "either or". It shouldn't be this way.

When we had our Chevy Volt, the top end range was around 39 miles. But on super cold days - which we have in the Texas panhandle - that range could drop down to 20 miles pretty easily. Batteries don't like the cold. Sitting in traffic doesn't drain the battery much. We did an experiment on the Volt and left it in the driveway for an hour with the A/C blowing full blast. Cost us maybe a mile. These batteries are powerful - they are made to move a very heavy object and keep it moving. The accessories of the car have very little effect on the battery.

The Chevy Volt was before its time. I still think it's the best concept. You can drive across the country in it and not have any recharge anxiety due to the backup generator. And the backup generator isn't driving the car - it's just keeping the batteries charged. I would guess most Americans are driving less than 40 miles a day. If everyone had a Volt-like car, I think the bulk of our carbon emissions goals from ICE vehicles would be easily achieved. The Volt had an 8-gallon gas tank. I believe we refilled it 7 times in 3 years.

Another cool thing about the Volt - and probably this is true on the other EVs - it's made up of numerous small batteries that are then grouped into pods. Apparently, each day, one pod is being used, and the rest are left alone. Next day, another pod is used. I don't recall how many pods are in the Volt, but it's a much. The idea is, each pod is only used every so often, which extends the life of the whole thing big time. A friend of mine bought out 2013 Volt, and 8 years later, they drive the heck out of it with no apparently degradation!

All of that said, it appears that the Volt concept is out the window, and the race is on just to convert everyone whole hog to EVs. I think that will take many years longer than if we had adopted the Volt platform and expanded on it.

As for us, the car was just too small as our kids got bigger.