> we will just ignore the 50-70% of customers who do not want an EV now
Most of them do not want an EV because of the charging+range situation. I agree fast chargers need to be more universally available like gas stations are today. Range concerns are relieved when fast charging is everywhere.
Really what I think we need is for gas stations to just put in 2-4 charging stalls. Maybe replace one of their gas pumps with a charger. Electricity is already everywhere, including at gas stations. Our infrastructure will need to upgrade just as much as our vehicles.
> Batteries are getting better every day
More like every decade, but yes. They are trending better!
> 1. Don't live in a house with a charger.
(US) Standard 120v plugs can charge a car. Not much, but can usually recover a daily commute overnight, which is, I dunno, the vast majority of vehicle usage? Even then, a dryer plug can recharge that use in just a couple hours.
That said, apartment complexes and parking garages MUST take action for this to work. But I think consumers will demand it more and more and the pressure will be unavoidable at some point.
> 2. Don't want to drive to a DC charger and sit there once a week.
They're already doing this with gas stations. But you can charge at home or at work or while shopping! Only use fast DC chargers when you're traveling or already out running errands. It's in businesses' best interest to put a couple DC fast chargers in their parking lot anyway.
> 3. Can't afford a $60K SUV for their family.
Not everyone needs an SUV, let alone a $60K one. Besides, as manufacturers commit to making more EVs, they will become more affordable and people WILL buy them.
> 4. Want lifestyle vehicles like jeeps, trucks, vans etc. that require much larger and more expensive batteries.
I don't think gas cars are going entirely away soon, but we should at least flip the ratio so that there are only as many gas cars as there are EVs right now. For the most part, gas cars should be the lifestyle toys; not the other way around.
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PS. I don't think EV prices will ever stay as low as gas cars (scaled with inflation) since, at least so far, their overall reliability is higher and maintenance costs much lower. So few moving parts. No engine, no transmission, no oil, no explosions (hopefully), and almost no use of brakes! Worst-case scenarios I've seen (rarely) so far include swapping out the battery or replacing the computer. With regular tire and glass care, along with occasional HVAC service, they should last quite a long time. So the higher cost is an investment that yields much longer returns.
> Really what I think we need is for gas stations to just put in 2-4 charging stalls. Maybe replace one of their gas pumps with a charger.
You can't just replace one thing with another. Replacing gas pumps with fast charger alone has a ton of problems. The most obvious is even the fastest charging EV charges slower than even a land whale SUV can fill its tank.
I've seen few gas stations with a layout such that someone parked at a pump for 20 minutes wouldn't cause a huge traffic problem both at the station and spilling into the street.
Then you've got to route a high voltage power line right by gas pumps and tanks. Typically at a gas station you want to minimize ignition sources.
Then there's getting enough power to the station itself. If the station doesn't have the right power running to it, say it's only on a single phase power. Tesla doesn't just plop super charger stations just anywhere.
Because charging takes a while charging stations tend to be sited near actual destinations while gas stations are sites at intersections and freeway off ramps. No one will want to use a charger at a gas station and be stuck with only a couple vending machines for food and drink.
It's a better investment to put EV charger at locations a car would reasonably sit for a half hour or more like a parking garage/lot.
Most of them do not want an EV because of the charging+range situation. I agree fast chargers need to be more universally available like gas stations are today. Range concerns are relieved when fast charging is everywhere.
Really what I think we need is for gas stations to just put in 2-4 charging stalls. Maybe replace one of their gas pumps with a charger. Electricity is already everywhere, including at gas stations. Our infrastructure will need to upgrade just as much as our vehicles.
> Batteries are getting better every day
More like every decade, but yes. They are trending better!
> 1. Don't live in a house with a charger.
(US) Standard 120v plugs can charge a car. Not much, but can usually recover a daily commute overnight, which is, I dunno, the vast majority of vehicle usage? Even then, a dryer plug can recharge that use in just a couple hours.
That said, apartment complexes and parking garages MUST take action for this to work. But I think consumers will demand it more and more and the pressure will be unavoidable at some point.
> 2. Don't want to drive to a DC charger and sit there once a week.
They're already doing this with gas stations. But you can charge at home or at work or while shopping! Only use fast DC chargers when you're traveling or already out running errands. It's in businesses' best interest to put a couple DC fast chargers in their parking lot anyway.
> 3. Can't afford a $60K SUV for their family.
Not everyone needs an SUV, let alone a $60K one. Besides, as manufacturers commit to making more EVs, they will become more affordable and people WILL buy them.
> 4. Want lifestyle vehicles like jeeps, trucks, vans etc. that require much larger and more expensive batteries.
I don't think gas cars are going entirely away soon, but we should at least flip the ratio so that there are only as many gas cars as there are EVs right now. For the most part, gas cars should be the lifestyle toys; not the other way around.
--
PS. I don't think EV prices will ever stay as low as gas cars (scaled with inflation) since, at least so far, their overall reliability is higher and maintenance costs much lower. So few moving parts. No engine, no transmission, no oil, no explosions (hopefully), and almost no use of brakes! Worst-case scenarios I've seen (rarely) so far include swapping out the battery or replacing the computer. With regular tire and glass care, along with occasional HVAC service, they should last quite a long time. So the higher cost is an investment that yields much longer returns.