To not get the hate thrown at EVs?

[EngineStart]

We have an EV. We didn’t get it for environmental reasons, we got it because I have access to an EV lease scheme via work and it was the most cost effective way for us to get a new car. I don’t think I’m morally superior for having one. It serves us well, is nice to drive, and cheaper (for us) than running a petrol car.

What I don’t get is the visceral hatred some people have for them. I understand they aren’t for everyone, there are definite logistical challenges with on-street parking and long journeys particularly. However, I expect range and logistics to improve as time goes on. I also get that some car fans might find them a bit sanitised. But I don’t really get why some people are so viciously against them?

AIBU?

Like many things, posted range is based on ideal conditions, with sensible operating air temperatures.

I live in Northern Canada. We are lucky enough to divide our time between two homes, some 500 miles apart. In ideal conditions it takes 8 hours.

The first part of the journey is very remote. The next city is 290 miles away. It is a journey many make each weekend - some people just make a round trip to Costco or for hockey games, dance competitions etc.

Once you leave town, the next gas station is 155 miles. It doesn’t have an EV charger, let alone a fast one. There is nothing in between but forest and lakes.

It is regularly -30 and below here in winter. That kills battery performance. People in this city won’t take the risk.

@JustFrustrated

Both of us drive, and yes I regularly drive 500 miles, I do 18k a year. The average mileage done includes my mums car that rarely goes further than Tesco's! Oh and it's not just about 300 miles in one direction, it's driving the 150 (180 in my case) both ways and your destination not having a charger at their house so you would have to go and find a public one that takes time and so on, my petrol car goes there and back with enough fuel for the rest of the week as well for £50. As o said previously I have friends with an EV and it's been full of issues, they just got a new one so I'm interested if it's better than a Zoe.

Yes. EVs need a polite cough button!! I am often driving behind someone walking and I know they haven’t heard me but I don’t want to startle them with horn. I’d not do that with a horse either. They do have a whine/angelic choir noise but we are not accustomed to listening out for it yet.

I find this cycling as well. I don’t realise they’re behind me, I nearly got hit by one the other week. It was overtaking and I had no idea it was there till it was alongside me and I’d veered round a pothole slightly. It would have been a close pass anyway but as it was it passed me about 3” away! If I’d heard a car I’d have looked better.

A polite cough would be great!

I have an EV and my premium is about £50 more per year than my petrol car was, just renewed at £500. It also says in the article he lives in Bradford (v expensive for insurance) and recently got 3 points on his licence which won’t have done him any favours.

We have a Zoe. It’s great but it’s old and only does 130 on a full charge. The newer ones are better. Some EVs have 300+ and take very little to charge. It might not be right for you, but honestly we adapted very quickly. And you find the nice chargers on a regular journey - at nice restaurants or coffee shops etc and it just becomes the norm. I’ll be honest though that I did swear at it a few times in the early days when something went wrong with charging. It’s getting better all the time though.

The hate is real and mostly bizarre. I’ve been driving EVs for 6 years and love it. I would never do a drive without stopping for the kids to have a pee, the dog to stretch their legs. Scotland has been ahead of the game in terms of government investment and the charge place Scotland (mostly) work really well.

There are SO many clear and obvious negatives to an EV. Some people on the past 2 pages have flagged up a bunch more negatives, on top of what people have already mentioned.

I find it bizarre that some people are getting so angry at people slating EVs, and acting like it's a personal insult towards them.

Chill yer boots. You love them, others think they're shite, and about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. We are ALL entitled to our opinions, whether some posters like it or not.

I can't think of anything worse than being forced to have an EV. Bloody awful things. ZERO positives to having one IMO.

Yes, it's quite funny how people seem to want to argue about it isn't it? I have one because the opportunity came up via work lease scheme at the right time for me. 95% of my journeys are less than 30 miles and I can charge at home. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have got one. But if I said something like "I drive a Ford Fiesta" I wouldn't get people telling me all about why they don't want a Ford Fiesta!

The tax breaks leasing a new one through my business are insane.

Yes. I never know what to do in these situations. Beeping would seem rude!! The current noise is a whine/choral sound. I do wonder if either we will start to get used to listening out for that or if the noise needs to change. Or as per my previous posts - a polite cough button.

Well Tesla's have fart mode so maybe we should look into making this possible for reversing etc.

So true. I guess it will become less controversial over time 🤷‍♀️

Yes. Scotland way ahead of the game!

I looked at that article, they rely on data from one fire brigade for one year (red flag1) and just quote raw numbers (RF2) 1898 fire from ICE 54 from EV.
so that’s 2.7% of all car fires from EVs, but they are actually over represented I just googled and found that only 1.4% of cars in UK are electric or Plug in hybrid.
also it doesn’t say how many were arson or stolen and torched, which I think is probably more likely to happen to an older ICE vehicle than a more modern and secure EV

Re ev being silent. They should just add a car noise.

Similar to when digital cameras cane out they added the click as people liked it and can tell when pics taken. On your phone too.

I do agree that it is an issue for people without a driveway. However there is also an app called Co Charger which is a way to find local charger owners who will let you park on their driveway to charge your car.

I have also found that owning one has made me much more aware of how much energy I am using & where it comes from and I choose to walk much more often than I used to for small local journeys.

Most of the haters that I see on social media are also in the climate change denial/ conspiracy theory camp as well

It is pretty personal when people (men) make their way across a carpark to tell me that they wouldnt get one and acquaintences go to the effort of telling me that my car will catch fire at some point and kill us all.

Yep this too. People seem to hilariously 'forget' the fact that the bloody things have to be charged with electric! Where's that coming from? The sky!

If you’re using solar or wind energy- yes! 😂

Might not be right for you if you have a caravan.

The newer ones though have 300 mile + range and take 20 mins to charge. The environmental benefits hold even taking into account battery production and disposal. There is some very good research on this.

Im not sure if there will ever be an answer in terms of towing a caravan. It would significantly decrease your range and you’d currently have to unhook to charge. May be in time solutions will emerge.

I think some people feel as if you have to either love them or hate them. I drive one, it's fine. I don't love it, it's just a car that gets me around the best way for me. Same as my previous petrol cars. But then I have never "loved" or "hated" any of my cars!

I think the hatred of EV’s is because the Government has decided that 100%of the population must have one when they buy a new vehicle after 2035.

This means that instead of the stock of EV’s being the naturally occurring market share of 5-10% we are risking our national survival on the Government being able to roll out enough charging points and solving a number of serious issues by that time.

If we all drove electric the national grid would have to produce x4 as much electricity and that isn’t going to be able to come from renewable energy. What is the plan for this and is it on track?

This is like a communist party policy based on utopian politics rather than market driven utility.
It is not possible to quantify the benefits to our future selves.
Where are the figures for how much CO2 we will save and whether there will be any net benefit in world overall from this.

It is not being done to increase the wealth of the nation but to reduce Co2 emissions even though catalytic converters and ad blu do that job.

Yes. People get bizarrely vexed and I’ve had that at charging points too.

People are allowed opinions of course but there is so much misinformation.

We have literally run our diesel into the ground. Getting an EV seems the way forward air quality is a real issue in our small
city as it’s in a dip. I feel guilty driving our diesel in town