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?

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'll be honest, that just sounds like a pain in the arse, lol.

We have a petrol station at the end of our road, pretty much, and it's open for the same hours everyday. I know I can go there before/after work and fill up my car in a matter of minutes.

I wouldn't want to be faffing around with an app, making sure the driveway is free, waiting around on a strangers' private land to charge my car every time it was needed.

I think in many areas, the system is great and works really well, but I do think you're at a major disadvantage if you don't have access to private parking or a good network of public chargers.

I think in many ways they're great and don't judge anyone for having one as I can completely see the logic behind it all. However, I also agree with PPs regarding battery life and how the recycling element of these huge (and potentially harmful) lithium batteries hasn't yet been perfected... seems to be a problem lying in wait that nobody's bothered to look into that much because we're all just living for the here and now.

It's also worth mentioning that over 85% of the lithium needed to sustain the current EV market is mined in underdeveloped countries, with children living in poverty being exposed to huge dangers in order to mine adequate amounts due to the mines often being too small for adults to navigate.

Obviously they're also paid miniscule amounts in comparison to what an EV costs, so ethically I've got a huge problem with them.

It's so easy to forget that such abhorrent things happen over seas when we live here in (relative) luxury, but sadly with a small amount of research alot of horrors can be easily discovered. The same goes for where our clothes and food comes from, but I do feel that morally, EVs ever so slightly pip other commodities made in underdeveloped countries to the post.

I think the western world often turns a blind eye/doesn't want to acknowledge it because if we did, we wouldn't be able to live with ourselves... or perhaps I'm just speaking for myself.

Oh and I forgot my main reason for not wanting one…..no drive and I can only park outside my house for 20 mins. Currently there are no charging points within 8 miles of me (I’m rural).

Even if my village gets charging points I don’t think having to park and wait and pay over the odds at public charging would be as convenient as a 2 min petrol station stop.

if I had a drive, if I didn’t tow a caravan on long journeys, if I wasn’t bothered about the high purchase prices, potential high insurance and potential serious depreciation maybe I’d consider it.

i only drive about 8000 miles a year so i don’t think the cheaper charging costs would cancel out the more expensive purchase price. I’d imagine when I can no longer buy a petrol or diesel car I just won’t have a car. Which does make me a bit sad.

My first car caught fire in 2003. (It was not an EV). Couldn’t believe the speed at which it went up and I was on a motorway at the time. I pulled over and got out. By the time I was standing on the roadside trying to flag someone down (I didn’t have a mobile phone in 2003), the tyres and windows were exploding. It was fucking terrifying.

But it wasn’t an EV. I have an EV and know several people who have them. None have caught fire or exploded yet. Just a bit of anecdata to add to the conversation 😂

We have no drive, just going to have to make it work.

Not buying another stinky diesel

If you look at the research you will see the risk isn’t higher. The only greater risk is the fire might be more ferocious, but that’s debated. Living life comes with risk. ICE cars can get fires too. Recent example at that airport.

I love our EV. It’s not the right vehicle for long journeys but it’s perfect for what I need day to day. The charging is really handy at home. Best of all it doesn’t produce smog. I also walk quite a lot in my city and as a pedestrian I really notice the car fumes. I used to live in a flat on a busy road and the traffic noise would disturb my sleep. I love the idea of a city with cleaner air and less noise, which EVs can help with. I also love the idea of my cycling, walking and better public transport, all for the same reasons. I realise that EVs aren’t for everyone, but in time the batteries will improve, as will charging provision, and I hope our cities will become greener too.

I do get frustrated about the hate towards EVs. A previous poster suggested that there may be algorithms that feed anti-EV sentiment. It wouldn’t surprise me!

The best thing to do is not to have a car at all. Admire families that do that

I don't think there's much hate for them in real life.
But unless local councils start installing thousands of on street chargers, and pronto, then I think the 'ban' on petrol cars will be pushed back again. There's 150 houses in my street. We're getting one on street charger fitted this year.

With a new EV your car would charge in the time it takes for that petrol to up, loo trip and lunch.

I often see ev Denver’s trying to work out the app or whatever it is to charge their cars. One poor woman was getting drenched in the rain. She was there for ages figuring it out! They should have shelters over them like petrol pumps.

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?

dh works in this field and says the national grid is on a knife edge most winters. He was surprised the gov went ahead with mothballing/blowing up some of the last coal fired power stations. There was talk about keeping a couple of them ready to be fired up if needed but they’ve blown them up now. Like you say the infrastructure isn’t there to improve things and no short term plan for improvement..

I think the nuclear fusion plant will be operational in the 2040s though so we’ll be ok then 😁

Owners ⬆️

This pretty much. I also do roughly 400 miles a week for work so I generally fill up with fuel at a weekend. I don't want to be having to keep topping up the electric during the week when I'm busy.

As a matter of interest what do you do if you live in a terraced house on a street with little parking? Presumably you can't guarantee yourself a parking spot outside your house, and therefore have to go somewhere else to charge your vehicle. I don't want to have to hope for a spot at Tesco (the only place around here that I'm aware has an electric charger) on a rainy Wednesday evening.

I've better things to do with my time.

Have you got one?
If not you probably wont have experienced it, or if you have you have been lucky not to

I really dislike the noise they make. Gives me a headache. My husband gets a new car through work every year and I asked him to go back to petrol if he wanted me to go in his car.

I drive and like my EV, never had to queue for charging and make 350 mile trips a few times a year with no issues at all. A supercharger takes about 20 mins so it’s perfect for a drink/toilet break.

I do experience people really pushing their strong hatred of EVs onto me when I hardly ever talk about them. Someone I know actively tags me in all this rubbish misinformation on Facebook and I just don’t get it. It’s fine for people to have the opinions either way, but the EV hate is really pushed onto EV drivers and it’s bizarre.

I don’t hate them but they are not for us for several reasons. Husband does around 30,000 miles a year including 2 x 250 mile trips every week. Even charging once in each of those journey would be an absolute pain- he also would have no access to a home charging point Monday - Friday so would need to charge at public stations. Last year a Tesla ran into the back of him. His diesel bmw had hardly a scratch - the EV was written off by the insurance company as Tesla “ wouldn’t guarantee the battery after a collision”. A 59k car written off after a small bump is insane. Plus in winter here in the frozen north the range would (I understand) be even more restricted. There are currently too many issues with them - in my opinion the tech is just not there yet - that may change in the next 5-10 years but we will see. Oh and we are not caravan owners but I understand that lots of electric cars can’t tow so another restriction.

Hop I don't have an EV. I'm hoping to be able to afford to move within the decade and buy a house with a driveway.

Why is insurance higher for ev owners?

See my post above. More likely to be written off or very expensive repair including new battery…

How certain are you that the supply chain for ICEs is squeaky clean?

Newsflash: it’s not. How ethical exactly do you think the supply chain of petroleum/diesel is? Again: lots of issues from widespread corruption to refineries using huge amounts of electricity and water, in addition to pollution.

Needing fossil fuels for part of the production process doesn’t make a new technology inherently bad whether it be EVs, solar panels or modern method of building construction.

No car is green, and no car is ethical, but some choices are better than others.

Quite. I think OP doth protest too much and regards anyone not making the same choice as her to be motivated by spite rather than by the knowledge that EVs 1) aren't for everyone 2) won't save the planet.

This

Critical of many of the claims made in favour of them, sure. Visceral hatred, maybe a few obsessive petrol heads.