I agree hybrids are a better bet if one must have an EV of some sort, but a small gas car can do everything a hybrid can do. Why operate a more complex car based on two technologies rather one? A hybrid’s higher price isn’t a great trade off for an extra 10-15 MPG.
Gas car: 100,000 miles driven at 40 MPG and $4 per gallon costs $10,000.
Hybrid: 100,000 miles driven at 60 MPG and $4 per gallon costs $6667.
So the hybrid only saves about $3333 per 100k miles driven, but most hybrids are at least $10k sticker price more than similar ICE cars. A higher price typically means higher insurance and tax costs, too.
BTW, electricity isn’t free, either. Comparing only fuel costs, a 100kWh battery costs $15 to recharge at 15 cents per kWh. That’s 7.5 cents per mile (200 mile range). An ICE car 40 MPG at $4 per gallon costs 10 cents per mile.
And now you know why our illustrious leaders want to drive the price of gas much higher, because cheap gas makes electric vehicles even better from a purely economic perspective. They do not want us driving big cars, commuting from suburbs, living in large, single family homes, eating beef, etc.. It’s all about saving the planet.
And, yes, we need to reverse the political think that wants higher fuel prices. Maybe in 2024 we'll see candidate promising under $2.50 a gallon fuel. That's trump Democrat's effort to raise it to $10.
Here in Ga, the state charges from 225 to 325 a year more taxes on EVs to make up for not paying road taxes on fuel. Some states charge more.