Re: four elements for EV acceptance - or one alternative

[Lee Hart <leeahart@earthlink.net>]

Philippe Habib wrote:
> I don't own an EV, I just joined the list to help me decide if I should so maybe
> I can provide a viewpoint that may not be heard here too often.

Thank you for your input. I think your opinions are very much in
agreement with the average person's viewpoint. However, these
perceptions may be based on very little factual information. The average
person knows quite a lot about ICEs, but almost nothing about EVs.

> The lack of convenience in an EV is not one of perception.  It is very real.

"Convenience" is a tough thing to measure. People can get used to the
most amazing inconveniences, and still think that they are "convenient".
There is a natural tendency to assume that anything that makes us change
what we are doing is "bad".

> The biggest problem is lack of range. At 35 miles round trip, my commute is not
> unusual. An EV with a 40 mile range could barely make it. With a top speed of
> 60 miles an hour and accelleration that makes a VW bus look good.

No car is a "one size fits all". You need to look at what you need to do
with it, and pick an appropriate vehicle. And, no matter what you pick,
it will be good at some things, and poor at others.

Excess range costs you dearly, but gains you little if you don't use it.
What is your actual range requirement? How far do you drive a day? If 35
miles is a normal commute, maybe add 10 miles for a trip at lunchtime?
So you need a 45-mile range. To allow for emergencies and so you can
still make the commute when the batteries are half-shot (several years
old), then double this and look for an EV with a 90 mile range. This
will need between 1/3 and 1/2 the vehicle's curb weight being batteries.

Then, how long does your commute take? Half an hour each way? Then you
are averaging 35 mph. That's pretty modest; inexpensive flooded
batteries can do this. The quicker you want to do it, the more likely
that you will need expensive sealed batteries.

How fast do you need to go during the commute? Freeway speeds (70+mph)
or residential streets (30-40 mph). And how fast do you accellerate? Do
you drag race between traffic lights, or tend to coast a lot and "time"
the lights to catch them green? The answers will indicate whether you
need a low, medium, or high-power controller.

> That round trip will cost me about $1.50 in electricity.  At $2 per gallon, that
> trip would cost me $3.00 in gas.  If the batteries last 35,000 miles then I can
> take all the money I've saved in gas and spend it on a new set.

35 miles for $1.50 worth of electricity? Hmm... the typical EV uses
around 0.3 KWH per mile, so 35 miles is 10.5 KWH. $1.50 worth is 14.3
cents per KWH; higher than average but true in some parts of the USA.

$1.50 per 35 miles is $1500 for 35k miles. $2 per 35 miles is $2000 per
35k miles; a $500 savings. You're right that fuel cost savings alone
won't pay for new batteries. Even the cheapest floodeds are likely to
cost about twice this amount. However, you should also consider the
repairs, maintenance, and depreciation costs for the ICE that could be
avoided.

I know; there is a tendency to say, "I didn't spend anything for repairs
or maintenance;  just gas and oil for 35k miles on my ICE". But,
consider that the engine is about 1/3 "used up" at 35k miles. If you're
going to include the cost of replacing the batteries at 35k miles (thus
restoring the car to its original performance and life), then you also
need to include 1/3 of the cost of replacing the ICE engine to restore
*it* to its original performance and life. The question boils down to,
"How does the cost of the ICE and all its maintenance and repairs over
its life compare with the cost of X sets of batteries and misc. EV
repairs over the same number of miles".

> I can also forget air conditioning or a heater that will get the car hot before
> I'm 1/2 way to work.

Not true. Heating and cooling energy costs in an EV are unlikely to
consume more than 20% of the available power, thus reducing your range
maybe 20%. EV heaters generally start producing heat instantly; no
warmup time like an ICE. The lack of engine heat also means EV air
conditioners can cool a lot quicker and more efficiently.

> Driving an EV is like driving a gas car with the guage allways near empty and
> then buying gas a buck at a time.

This is true. But it's a matter of perception as to whether this is a
problem or not. For ICE or EV, all that really counts is whether you can
make it to where you are going. With the EV, you can "fill 'er up" at
home. With the ICE, it requires a trip to a special refuelling station.

When people first drive an EV, they are paranoid about the "fuel" gauge.
That's because normal ICE gas gauges are notoriously inaccurate, and the
vehicle completely quits without warning when it runs out of fuel.

But once you have driven an EV for a while, this preoccupation passes.
The fuel gauge is vastly more accurate, so you can judge range very
accurately. Even if you go too far, the EV doesn't suddenly quit; it
gradually slows down as it runs out of juice. You have plenty of warning
to get to the next exit, or find an outlet, or just drive more
conservatively to still get where you are going.
-- 
Lee A. Hart                     Ring the bells that you can ring
4209 France Ave. N.             Forget the perfect offering
Robbinsdale, MN 55422 USA       There is a crack in everything
phone (612) 533-3226            That's how the light gets in
leeahart@earthlink.net                  Leonard Cohen