If there is anything that really aggravates me, it is this idea that green energy will accomplish much more than increased cost for less reliability. How stupid can we be relying on this type of unreliable energy while paying more? Then there’s also the credits for purchase of a new EV. Why should there be a credit for a new vehicle that is simply overpriced & overrated? Sure, with certain other considerations(like having a charging station) an EV would meet my driving requirements. It would also deplete my limited bank account & this doesn’t even include increased taxes & insurance on the thing. The older vehicle I drive more than meets my needs & I daresay it’s at least as reliable or even more so than a new EV. The older car also makes it much more feasible for being able to accomplish long trips with as few stops as I might consider. If we are going to have new technology at the very least it needs to be better than what we had.
How so? Ever since I went off the grid with solar,I don't have power outages. I can't say the same for my neighbor, who had at least a dozen so far this year. And, when you live out in a rural area, you are the last customer the power company will get around to.
Then there’s also the credits for purchase of a new EV.
I like the idea of being able to recover some of the hard-earned money that the govt stole from me over the past decades.
It would also deplete my limited bank account & this doesn’t even include increased taxes & insurance on the thing.
Even without the tax credit, you can get into the best brand EV made (Tesla) for not much over 30k. My wife paid more than that for the gas powered vehicle she drives, and my neighbor paid twice that much for his new diesel pickup.
The older vehicle I drive more than meets my needs & I daresay it’s at least as reliable or even more so than a new EV.
You sound like my uncle and his 1960 model tractors that I constantly have to work on for him. "They don't make 'em like they used to.." is his battle cry. You bet they don't. They make them way better. That's why he often borrows one of my newer late model tractors. I would wager that the new EVs have fewer moving parts than even the older cars you drive.
The older car also makes it much more feasible for being able to accomplish long trips with as few stops as I might consider. If we are going to have new technology at the very least it needs to be better than what we had.
They are way better. Charging stations are popping up everywhere. Most of those EVs will go 400 to 600 miles on a charge. And, if you do the math, they are cheaper to drive than a gasoline vehicle. And, you can "gas it up" at your house overnight while you sleep.
There is something else you need to consider. If you are getting up in age, the day may come when you can't safely drive. All the new Teslas can literally drive themselves. I'm not talking about the "steering assist" features found in the new gasoline powered cars, I'm talking about literally driving itself. It can drop you off at the door and go park itself, back itself out of the garage, come around the front of the house and pick you up, and you don't have to be in it. Tesla has taken that technology way beyond the other car makers, and until you have actually tried it out, you won't believe it. This is going to keep grandma and grandpa safely going to the store, going to the doctor, and going to visit family and friends for a long time after they would otherwise be a burden to other family members.
At this time I would agree with you that solar doesn't work well on a big scale with energy providers. But, for the individual who lives out in a rural area with enough real estate, and power that goes out often, it's a Godsend.