Plug in Electric Vehicles whats right for you? Lots to think about it's a big decision. (vehicle, convertible)
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Do you own an electric car? What is your motivation for owning an electric car.
Depending on where you live in this world it is becoming more clear, electric cars are about "Money"
The Countries with oil resources got the money and the countries with other resources have to figure out how to get the money.
If you examine the petroleum production by state you will find that California is at the end of that list. However California has more then 50% of the plug in electric cars owned in the U.S.
Same goes for the list of countries in this world with the largest number of plug in cars and their oil production. Country's like Norway, China, having the highest plug in car ownership is in the same circumstance as California and Hawaii, stand at the bottom of the oil production list. They also pay the high prices for oil and gas.
In many Countries Gas costs over 5 dollars a gallon and their income is substantially less the the U.S. so getting to work takes larger percentage of the household budget.
In the end consumers have to carefully measure costs and individual circumstance and be sure to educate themselves about Electric Vehicles, their good and bad points and address them before a purchase.
Also remember like phone rates (out of your plan's area or network, E.V. charging stations are going to have to (make money so they can exist) so you as a consumer of their electricity you will pay more for a charge when you travel.
When comparing internal combustion engines to E.V.'s remember the rules are just beginning for E.V's.. Inspections of electric vehicles are more likely to be are regular and costly in the name of safety. Most of the production standards will be out of the hands of U.S. manufacturing so replacement parts may also be hard to come by.
For me, it's the fact that it's a car that uses very little fuel, but provides quite a bit of performance in a luxuriously silent package. The fact that I haven't bought gas in months in my daily driver is a bonus.
My condo has assigned parking spaces, no place to plug one in. I do not expect to ever replace my gas powered convertible.
Your condo could probably get LEED credits and have the electric company pay to put them in. Many are doing just that.
And until there's an electric convertible, I won't be replacing my gas powered convertible, either, but the daily? Electric all the way. The performance aspects are really winning me over.
Sometimes I drive to remote locations where there is no electricity for many miles, sometimes not even gas stations are anywhere nearby. I can take a five gallon jerry can of gas as a reserve it I need it. I can't take a spare battery, and hauling a generator would be silly. So an electric vehicle will not work for me.
In a two car family, an electric car may just fit the bill. An electric car for the driver that has the longest daily commute and an ICE car for longer trips. Or rent an ICE car when you go on vacation. Electric may or may not fit every possible scenario that you use a car or truck for, but is nice to have a choice.
10 years ago I would have said "Probability not". But today, "It's a reasonable possibility."
Even an ICE car now or in the future may be fueled by propane, natural gas, or hydrogen. Some electric cars in the future may be hydrogen powered fuel cell. We have all of these possibilities today. Never say never. Again, It's nice to have a choice.
You can always look for a reason not to do something.
The vehicle plug-in I would ever consider is something like the Chevy Volt. At least with those you have the freedom to drive it farther than it’s battery range if you want to. No worrying about calling for a tow if the battery runs out.
Hybrids are a good compromise. The RAV4 hybrid now gets 37 MPG. The brakes, rotation of the front wheels and the engine recharge the hybrid battery. The Camry hybrid gets 47 MPG.
Sometimes I drive to remote locations where there is no electricity for many miles, sometimes not even gas stations are anywhere nearby. I can take a five gallon jerry can of gas as a reserve it I need it. I can't take a spare battery, and hauling a generator would be silly. So an electric vehicle will not work for me.
There are electric cars that come with generators.
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