Tesla opts for gasoline-powered vehicles for roadside service for its cars in Australia: When you absolutely, positively have to get there (and back) way out in the outback...

When you absolutely, positively have to get there (and back) way out in the outback...

They've got a lot of wide-open space Down Under, places where you can drive a long, long way before you encounter much in the way of human settlement, including electricity supplies. That may be why Tesla in Australia is using gasoline-powered pickup trucks to go out and rescue Tesla-owners stranded on the road. Tim Blair of The Telegraph spotted the concession to the reality of needing a driving range greater than can be handled by an electric truck such as the electric Ford F 150 Lightning, recently driven by President Biden, that gets as little as 100 miles on a charge when towing.

Electric car-maker Tesla isn't taking any range risks in Australia with their support vehicles. When they need to repair their breakdown-prone plug buggies, Tesla use reliable, petrol-powered Mitsubishis.

Here is the photo showing the Tesla name on a Mitsubishi service truck:

Photo by Johannes Leak.

Keep in mind that if one tests the range of an electric vehicle out on a trip, one has to wait hours to recharge the battery. If you are paying an auto mechanic an hourly labor charge, that recharging time would have to go on the bill, as well, if they used electric trucks for a service mission way into the outback.

But, but, but people feel good about themselves ignoring the environmental impact of electric automobiles while driving one. At least they are not directly contributing to anthropogenic global warming or at least they are stupid enough not to think so.

Note: I have no problems with electric vehicles and alternative energy solutions. I do have problems my tax dollars subsidizing them, and laws/regulations that make fossil fuels more expensive. I will be more than glad to buy any of these technologies when they have more advantages than traditional ones. Lying to myself about saving our planet that doesn't need to be saved ain't one of the advantages.

Little has been said about the mileage of EVs in extreme temperatures like are normally encountered in flyover country. Just what kind of range could you expect in that electric vehicle when the temperature is below zero and you need to use the heater, defroster, lights and wipers? Similarly how well would your EV perform when the temperature is 100 degrees and driving without air conditioning would be unthinkable?

My wife is driving her fourth hybrid Ford Escape and has experienced winter driving in northern Minnesota. Gasoline mileage during moderate temperatures is in the high 30mpg range. However, in below zero temperatures the gas mileage drops to as low as 20mpg as the gasoline engine is heavily engaged in keeping the battery charged. Fortunately in a hybrid vehicle the gasoline engine can still provide propulsion and she has not had to frantically look for a recharging station. The hybrid technology is from our experience reliable and gives the best of both electric and gasoline options.

I once recently saw a Chevy Volt struggling to maintain 45 mph driving on a highway when the temperature was in the teens below zero. The small onboard gasoline engine used to keep the battery topped off was screaming when I passed as it was trying to maintain enough battery capacity for driving the wheels and keep the cabin heated and windows defrosted.

This all brings out something that the ads all fail to mention...the performance of an electric vehicle under adverse conditions. They have a place, but they are not yet ready for prime time & we don’t need everybody from the government on down promoting them as the greatest thing since sliced bread. In a situation where you may need extreme power but not all-day dependability, they may be excellent. Electric forklifts come to mind as a good application.

The hybrid technology is from our experience reliable and gives the best of both electric and gasoline options.

My thoughts as well. The Gretas of this world would make more progress by advocating this type of propulsion rather than straight-out electrics, which IMO are not going to replace internal combustion engines any time soon.

However, there is an agenda to be pushed.

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