Just trying to figure out why people think EVs are such a great thing. When you add in all the rare-earth materials required to manufacture the batteries, the costs of manufacturing and disposal of the batteries etc. there really isn't any if much payback. Add to that limited range and time required to recharge we have to look for other better sources for our future transportation needs and I'm not a huge advocate of IC either.
All analyses that I’ve seen show a net gain in environmental impacts after 15-20K miles. I keep my cars well into 100K+ so the math is in favor of an EV. Recharge time for most owners is at home. I have a plug-in hybrid. It takes a few seconds to plug in in my garage. I’ve gone up to 3 months between fill ups. That’s a lot of time saved every week at the gas pump. So I can justify a longer road trip charge time. My electricity is pretty cheap. An EV I’m looking into buying will cost me about $10 to get 300 miles of range when charging at home. At the most expensive chargers that I’ve seen, the charge would cost me around $37. My ICE car would cost me about $55 for 300 miles at today’s gas prices.
CA now has >$6 gas. I have a 20 mile (each way) commute and drive a 2012 Volt. I charge on a Chargepoint (about $3/day) @ work and the gas does the rest (about 35 mpg on gas alone). I average about 5 gallons of gas per week. I calculated it early on and discovered if gas is <$3 (hasn't been that cheap in a LONG time in CA) then plugging it in @ Chargepoint is a little more expensive then just driving with gas only. You can get a 2015 Volt with reasonable miles for around $10k. I'm having an issue at home or I'd charge there too and eliminate the gas altogether, so my costs are a max, not a min. I'm glad I'm driving the Volt instead of the big SUVs some of my co workers drive. They are racking up > $100/week to fill the tank. I drive away for $45/week including gas and electric.
Depends on how the electricity is generated, but this is essentially correct.
I am talking about the car, not the powerplant.
It's just the same as those of us with disabilities. People park in the handicapped spots that really don't need them but have "grandma's" handicapped hanger so they can park close yet those of us who were stuck in wheelchairs and need a wide space to park so we can put down our ramps can't get one! What's to stop someone that doesn't even need to charge their vehicle from parking in a charging station? Especially of charging stations are upfront which most of them are?
One of my pet peeves. There is one Level 2 charger in the garage where I park. I will check it and sure enough some loser is parked there and is no longer charging or worse yet a non-electric vehicle.
Some have a timed based charge after your EV charged. You could even tow. Send the owner an app message. You are now being charged $xx per minute. Your vehicle might be towed if not moved in an hour.
It's up to the owner of the property, but IME, the answer to that is "nothing" except the unwritten EV rules of etiquette. I get charged $1/hour for the 1st 5 hours where I usually plug in, and that goes up to $5/hour after that. The property owner sets the fee schedule. I get an automated text right before it changes. BUT, all I have to do is go on the Chargepoint app and shut it off - I don't have to even go back to the car and unplug, let alone move the car. Most property owners really don't care enough to get in the middle of an EV charging squabble so they won't enforce.
FTR, I pay an additional $75 surcharge per year to my state for my electric hybrid.
