Electric cars will remain inefficient for a very long time. Electric power storage technology is the severe range, power and cost issue. There is no practical replacement for hydrocarbon fuels.
These cars will remain a liberal political statement for some time to come.
One issue that few mention is the resale value and expense. A lot of people would never be able to afford a used electric and the expenses involved with replacing batteries etc.
Electric powertrains are 90% efficient with regenerative braking.
At best gasoline powertrains are 25% efficient.
Prius, with hybrid battery system, is 30% efficient.
A Tesla P85D will do 0-60 in 3.1 seconds and 11.5 1/4 mile.
And can fit 5 adults plus 2 children with optional jumper seats.
And does not aid in transferring $1 Trillion dollars in wealth from the West to Czar Vladimir and Islamic Terrorist.
Short answer: ‘round here, I’m paying $0.054/mile for gas and $0.013/mile for electricity.
Long answer: Electric cars are efficient. They have narrower operating limits than gas cars (i.e.: range), but for common uses within that range they’re cheaper to run. At worst-case electricity pricing ($0.15 per kW/h at a public charger), I’m still paying 70% of local current equivalent gas prices ($1.90/gal, and assuming a comparable 35MPG car), and closer to 23% when charging at home (equates to $0.45/gal gas). For “commute under 60 miles per day” use, that’s quite efficient.
Given that the EV will be more expensive, the break-even per-mile cost is at $4,100 more. And that’s still assuming $1.90/gal gas and 35MPG efficiency; make that a 20MPG SUV burning $3.50/gal gas, the break-even is $16,250 more for the EV (ok, that’s stretching a bit, but changes the buying options to “do I buy another SUV or a BMW i-series?”).
Yes, it’s still a second-car solution relying on my gas-guzzling SUV for longer trips. But since I’ll have two cars anyway, might as well get the EV for commuting around Atlanta.
They were subsidized so much that in some cases there was a rational economic argument for use as a second, commuter car. Especially if the user was able to charge at work on the employer’s/landlord’s dime.
I don’t have one, but know a couple people who do, and it seems to make sense. Well, it made sense to the individual, the ridiculous subsidies that made this so, not so much.