Full disclosure: I’m not an Electric Vehicle (EV) driver. I doubt I will ever become one. In my view, EV technology is a transition between fossil fuels and – probably – hydrogen. I think and feel that I would believe in hydrogen vehicles (see Wiki). Hence, this blog is not for EV believers.
In my view, the pros and cons of Electric Vehicles (EVs) are like this:
Arguments in favour of EVs (ie, pros):
- Subsidies (to lower high RSP)
- Mileage adequate for local rides
- Electricity cost (before Ukraine war)
- Reduced road taxes (eg, NL)
- Environment (ie, fossil fuels)
Arguments against EVs (ie, cons):
- RSP is too high for most (private) buyers
- Mileage (eg, winter period)
- Charging time ( > 30 min.)
- Number of charging stations (eg, planning)
- Electricity cost (since Ukraine war)
- Insurance premiums (higher due to MRT, RV)
- Leasing (higher due to MRT, RV)
- Battery pack c.50% of RSP (ie, no repair)
- Environment (eg, battery disposal)
- Environment (ie, rare earth materials)
Notes:
– MRT: Maintenance, Repair & Tyres;
– RSP: Retail Selling Price;
– RV: Residual Value (eg, financial and operational leasing component).
A 2023 Reuters article (and tomorrow’s blog) elaborates on the MRT and RV components in EVs. Its title is loud and clear: Scratched EV battery? Your insurer may have to junk the whole car. A quote:
“For many electric vehicles, there is no way to repair or assess even slightly damaged battery packs after accidents, forcing insurance companies to write off cars with few miles – leading to higher premiums and undercutting gains from going electric.
Reuters, 20 March 2023: Scratched EV battery? Your insurer may have to junk the whole car
And now those battery packs are piling up in scrapyards in some countries, a previously unreported and expensive gap in what was supposed to be a “circular economy.”
Given the above list, I understand why a neighbour replaced his company Electric Vehicle (EV) for a diesel powered private vehicle.
Late 2022, I bought a 5th generation full hybrid car that uses about 5 liters of petrol for every 100 kilometers. It’s my best fuel performance ever – even compared to my former diesel vehicles. Given my priorities, my list of pros and cons left me no other – logical and rational – choice.
“For electric vehicles to make an impact on climate change, they must be powered by renewable energy sources, otherwise, the powerplants producing the electricity to power the vehicles would end up dumping more greenhouse gas into the atmosphere than we are able to reduce by replacing regular vehicles with electric ones.”
A quote by neuroscientist and author Abhijit Naskar from his 2021 book Mucize Insan: When The World is Family
5:01AM (The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Part 10) – 1984 – by Roger Waters
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-artist, Wiki-album, Wiki-song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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