In America, emissions from our vehicles are the single largest source of greenhouse gas pollution, and these emissions are harming the health and wellbeing of our citizens, especially in cities. Air pollution has been estimated to shave off three years of the average American’s life expectancy, as well as cause chronic conditions like asthma. We live in a time where all cars could be electric- yet a majority of American transit is still reliant on fossil fuels.
The first commercial electric car was brought to market in 1990- but a coordinated effort by general motors, oil companies, the federal government effectively killed the electric market for decades (watch Who Killed the Electric Car to learn more). Thirty years later, there is ever increasing pressure to catalyze EV adoption exponentially in the face of escalating climate changes, and now is time to bring about massive shifts in consumer, governmental, and corporate behavior for our health and our planet.
So what is holding us back? Largely, it has been found that lack of knowledge around options and metrics of EV vehicles is preventing first-time buyers from making the switch. This blog will dive into ten of the common myths that surround EV’s, and present the facts.
Ten Common Myths About EV Vehicles
Electric Vehicles Are Too Expensive
-
There are over 50 EV models now commercially available, with something available for every price point. The average cost of a new gasoline powered car in the U.S. is $36,000, which is on par with the Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf Plus, and Tesla Model 3. Paired with the $2500- $7500 federal EV rebate, these models are not any more of an initial financial burden than comparable gas burning cars, and that’s not taking into account the savings accrued over time.
Electric Vehicles Don’t Save You Money Over Time
-
Electric vehicles cost significantly less to drive over time. While rates of charging depend on driving habits, vehicle models, and location, the average consumer will pay 25-50% of what they would have paid for a comparable gasoline vehicle. (To estimate your charging costs, visit PlugStar.com, enter your ZIP code, select your vehicle, and then click the Charging tab.) Electric vehicle maintenance costs are estimated to be ~47% lower than that of typical combustion engine cars.
Electric Vehicles Have Too Short A Range
-
The average American travel’s around 40 miles every day, which is well within the range of almost all EV’s on the market. High range vehicles can drive up to 300+ miles on a single charge, while almost all lower range models have at least 80 mile range per charge. Most electric vehicle charging happens at home or at work, which enables users to travel the same way they would in gas powered cars. On top of that, chargers are only getting more and more efficient, with DC fast chargers offering 80 miles of charge in 20 minutes!
They Take Too Long To Charge
-
See above, DC fast chargers can give 80 miles of charge in 20 minutes, while level 2 chargers offer 10-20 miles per hours of charging, and your regular outlet, known as a level 1 charger, can offer 2-5 miles per hours of charge. With most EV charging happening at home or at work for hours at a time, all three of these charging options meet the needs of the average american.
There is High Risk of Being Stranded In A Blackout
-
As stated, most charging occurs at home or at work, at regular intervals or daily. With consistent charging and ensuring you don’t leave your EV on empty, EV users can manage their range capacity to ensure they can still be mobile in a blackout. The average american experiences an average of 1.3 blackouts accounting for 4 hours per year. In the case of catastrophic events causing blackouts, even gas stations will not have power to pump gasoline, so it is a general precaution to avoid running vehicles to empty if it can be avoided for any car you drive.
Electric Vehicles Use Electricity, Which is Still Causing Just As Much Pollution
-
A huge reason why EVs are better for our health and the planet is that they emit no direct tailpipe pollutants. While EV’s indirectly contribute to emissions through the electric generation they require, this has been shown to be pale in comparison to the rate of pollution caused by gas powered vehicles. As electric generation transitions into renewable options, the pollution factor of EV’s will increasingly decline.
Our Electric Grid Can’t Meet the Demands of EV Charging
-
While this a legitimate concern, we aren’t going to have every American plugging into the electric grid overnight, and currently, our grid can handle the charging of millions of EV’s as is, without building out any new power plants or new energy generation sources. As EV market share increases, incentive programs to reward charging during off-peak hours, workplace charging stations, and EV-Grid solar storage solutions can take the pressure off meeting electricity demands at peak hours while still being able to meet all EV charging needs. Climate change demands we reform our transportation sector, but it also demands we make changes in how we generate energy as well, and as new modes of energy generation will be adopted throughout the nation over the next fifty years, our grid can be updated in a way that creates a symbiotic relationship between EVs and the grid.
Electric Vehicles Aren’t Practical Because the Charging Infrastructure Isn’t Ubiquitous
-
Currently, a majority of EV charging happens at home or at work, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t public chargers already available for most user needs. All new EV models offer charger location technologies to help plan out road trips so that you never run out of fuel. Many states, including Nevada, are implementing electric highways, with charging stations stategically placed along all major travel routes.
Electric Vehicle Batteries Aren’t Long Lasting
-
While battery life depends on the model, longevity should not be a concern for the average consumer or fleet. A Tesla rental company has found that their cars function perfectly well at over 330,000 miles, which an average charge loss rate of 10% for every 155,000. The average american owns a car fo 7-10 years, and drives an average of 13,000 annually- at these rates, EV owners will not come close to needing new batteries over the average ownership of an EV, and EV batteries will only continue to become more efficient and long lasting as technology evolves. For those in extreme environments like Las Vegas, heat has been shown to impact the rate of degradation of EV batteries, but not to a significant extent, and this can be mitigated by parking in shaded areas, not leaving your battery empty or full for long periods, and opting for level 2 charging over fast charging when able.
Electric Car Batteries Are Terrible for the Environment
-
The lithium-ion batteries used to power EVs are made up of scarce and recyclable materials that mandate their recycling. In addition, once a lithium-ion battery is no longer able to power a vehicle, it still has about 80% of its power remaining, and many companies are experimenting with reusing retired EV batteries for residential and commercial electrical storage. While there aren’t enough used electric car batteries for economies of scale to kick in yet, the valuable materials and reuse potential will prevent outright disposal of these materials into the environment, and therefore environmental harms due to pollution will be avoided.
Interested in Working To Bring About Transportation Reform In Nevada?
Sign up to volunteer. We will inform you of opportunities to engage around these issues as they come up in the future. By taking action around transportation reform, we can create a climate stable future for everyone.
We will be planning events to engage our communities in shaping these trends. Join the conversation to help us establish our priorities. Help form our campaign initiatives and organize within our community!
If you’re interested, contact the Clean Transportation For All Organizer Jasmine Vazin at Jasmine.Vazin@Sierraclub.org.