General EV Conversation
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,731
Likes: 3,769
From: California
I've posted something similar to this before, but I thought I would just do a follow up. You know, we are not supposed to talk about ICE, or ICE vs EV in this sub forum, but since this is being discussed a lot, I thought I would weigh in and discuss why I decided to go full BEV, pros and cons of the BEV platform, and why I will likely never buy another gas powered vehicle. Before I get into that, I just want to say to my fellow CL members that I am not anti ICE, I come from ICE with 40 years of exposure to many different vehicles. When we had our San Antonio office, I used to rent everything from Chargers to Mustang GT's when I traveled there. I have a friend who has an M3, and one that has an M4 Comp, which I've driven several times and I even reviewed last year. So I have a lot of respect for ICE platforms, and don't look down to anyone who chooses ICE over BEV, to me it doesn't really matter. Anyway with that out of the way, I'll discuss what I have found to be the pros and cons of owning a BEV. Please keep in mind, I live in California which is the BEV capital, so my views are based on my experiences. So with that...
Pros of BEV ownership
Instant torque, power on demand
Smooth, quiet acceleration, no transmission to get in the way
Virtually no NVH, quiet at any speed
OPD (One pedal driving) makes driving much better, gives better control and allows brakes and rotors to last over 100k. Plus the heat is converted to energy and sent back to the battery through regen
Very little maintenance, no oil changes etc
Almost no moving parts to wear out or break
Super efficient, most EV's get over 100 MPGe
Can be charged at home cheaply
Huge network of superchargers available to Tesla's and non Tesla's
Even the most basic EV has a drive train smoother than most V8's
Con's of BEV ownership
Range is less than most gas cars
Extreme weather can effect range
EV's that rely on non Tesla supercharging have to plan for longer trips
If you don't have the ability to charge at home EV's can be a challenge
Living in an area without super charging infrastructure or limited infrastructure can be a problem
EV's tend to be more expensive than their ICE counterparts
None of the cons above affect me, but I thought I would mention them as they are legit concerns.
So why did I move completely to BEV's? For me, it wasn't about saving money, but the ability to charge at home, almost no maintenance, and the crown jewel, PERFORMANCE
. When I test drove a Polestar in 2022, put my foot down, everything turned white, my head began to spin, I was doing 90 before I could take a breath, and I said HELL YEAH! and was sold. But it wasn't just that it went fast, but it did it so effortlessly, smooth as glass. Imagine driving 80 on the highway, and it's like you are floating. And when you put your foot down, it's like you have unlimited power at your command. Then Polestar offered a performance upgrade for $1200 that boosted the HP to 479 and the torque to almost 500 ft lbs, upping the 0 to 60 to 3.1 seconds and I was in heaven. You can never go back from that. Ask @patgilm who is on his second Plaid.
Since then, I've leased an Ioniq 5, and now I own two Tesla's. Through constant software updates, both Tesla's have only gotten better. Every time I think they can't make it better, another update comes that does.
So why would I go back to ICE? I can fuel at home way cheaper, at my convenience. None of my cars except my Sienna need much maint. I can travel anywhere there are Tesla super chargers, it would pretty much take me the same amount of time if I took my Sienna or rented a gas car. I have a drive train that is smoother than any ICE, and I have instant power and torque on demand, and on top of that I average about 124 MPGe for the Y and 136 MPGe for the Model 3.
In concluding this, I am not knocking ICE, I'm just stating reasons why I have no desire to go back. I've gone to the dark side, and not even Luke Skywalker can bring me back. Anyway, this was my attempt to explain why I've gone BEV, and any comments are welcome, agree or disagree
Pros of BEV ownership
Instant torque, power on demand
Smooth, quiet acceleration, no transmission to get in the way
Virtually no NVH, quiet at any speed
OPD (One pedal driving) makes driving much better, gives better control and allows brakes and rotors to last over 100k. Plus the heat is converted to energy and sent back to the battery through regen
Very little maintenance, no oil changes etc
Almost no moving parts to wear out or break
Super efficient, most EV's get over 100 MPGe
Can be charged at home cheaply
Huge network of superchargers available to Tesla's and non Tesla's
Even the most basic EV has a drive train smoother than most V8's
Con's of BEV ownership
Range is less than most gas cars
Extreme weather can effect range
EV's that rely on non Tesla supercharging have to plan for longer trips
If you don't have the ability to charge at home EV's can be a challenge
Living in an area without super charging infrastructure or limited infrastructure can be a problem
EV's tend to be more expensive than their ICE counterparts
None of the cons above affect me, but I thought I would mention them as they are legit concerns.
So why did I move completely to BEV's? For me, it wasn't about saving money, but the ability to charge at home, almost no maintenance, and the crown jewel, PERFORMANCE
. When I test drove a Polestar in 2022, put my foot down, everything turned white, my head began to spin, I was doing 90 before I could take a breath, and I said HELL YEAH! and was sold. But it wasn't just that it went fast, but it did it so effortlessly, smooth as glass. Imagine driving 80 on the highway, and it's like you are floating. And when you put your foot down, it's like you have unlimited power at your command. Then Polestar offered a performance upgrade for $1200 that boosted the HP to 479 and the torque to almost 500 ft lbs, upping the 0 to 60 to 3.1 seconds and I was in heaven. You can never go back from that. Ask @patgilm who is on his second Plaid.Since then, I've leased an Ioniq 5, and now I own two Tesla's. Through constant software updates, both Tesla's have only gotten better. Every time I think they can't make it better, another update comes that does.
So why would I go back to ICE? I can fuel at home way cheaper, at my convenience. None of my cars except my Sienna need much maint. I can travel anywhere there are Tesla super chargers, it would pretty much take me the same amount of time if I took my Sienna or rented a gas car. I have a drive train that is smoother than any ICE, and I have instant power and torque on demand, and on top of that I average about 124 MPGe for the Y and 136 MPGe for the Model 3.
In concluding this, I am not knocking ICE, I'm just stating reasons why I have no desire to go back. I've gone to the dark side, and not even Luke Skywalker can bring me back
. Anyway, this was my attempt to explain why I've gone BEV, and any comments are welcome, agree or disagree
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,377
Likes: 618
From: IL
Lexus Champion
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 11,261
Likes: 1,599
From: FL
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 26,038
Likes: 4,323
From: Alberta
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 19,731
Likes: 3,769
From: California
Basically like a drug commercial, I have to quickly read out the fine print stating that taking this drug may blind you... or worse
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 26,038
Likes: 4,323
From: Alberta
That range loss was in city driving, and car parked and kept warm for awhile. For freeway steady state driving not sure what the range loss would be but this is where a gas car is better a bunch of normally wasted heat gets utilized. On the flip side starting a gas car in the bitter cold is rough assuming the car will start at all. Many don't, and ironically have to plug in a block heater.
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,542
Likes: 664
From: SC
I've posted something similar to this before, but I thought I would just do a follow up. You know, we are not supposed to talk about ICE, or ICE vs EV in this sub forum, but since this is being discussed a lot, I thought I would weigh in and discuss why I decided to go full BEV, pros and cons of the BEV platform, and why I will likely never buy another gas powered vehicle. Before I get into that, I just want to say to my fellow CL members that I am not anti ICE, I come from ICE with 40 years of exposure to many different vehicles. When we had our San Antonio office, I used to rent everything from Chargers to Mustang GT's when I traveled there. I have a friend who has an M3, and one that has an M4 Comp, which I've driven several times and I even reviewed last year. So I have a lot of respect for ICE platforms, and don't look down to anyone who chooses ICE over BEV, to me it doesn't really matter. Anyway with that out of the way, I'll discuss what I have found to be the pros and cons of owning a BEV. Please keep in mind, I live in California which is the BEV capital, so my views are based on my experiences. So with that...
Pros of BEV ownership
Instant torque, power on demand
Smooth, quiet acceleration, no transmission to get in the way
Virtually no NVH, quiet at any speed
OPD (One pedal driving) makes driving much better, gives better control and allows brakes and rotors to last over 100k. Plus the heat is converted to energy and sent back to the battery through regen
Very little maintenance, no oil changes etc
Almost no moving parts to wear out or break
Super efficient, most EV's get over 100 MPGe
Can be charged at home cheaply
Huge network of superchargers available to Tesla's and non Tesla's
Even the most basic EV has a drive train smoother than most V8's
Con's of BEV ownership
Range is less than most gas cars
Extreme weather can effect range
EV's that rely on non Tesla supercharging have to plan for longer trips
If you don't have the ability to charge at home EV's can be a challenge
Living in an area without super charging infrastructure or limited infrastructure can be a problem
EV's tend to be more expensive than their ICE counterparts
None of the cons above affect me, but I thought I would mention them as they are legit concerns.
So why did I move completely to BEV's? For me, it wasn't about saving money, but the ability to charge at home, almost no maintenance, and the crown jewel, PERFORMANCE. When I test drove a Polestar in 2022, put my foot down, everything turned white, my head began to spin, I was doing 90 before I could take a breath, and I said HELL YEAH! and was sold. But it wasn't just that it went fast, but it did it so effortlessly, smooth as glass. Imagine driving 80 on the highway, and it's like you are floating. And when you put your foot down, it's like you have unlimited power at your command. Then Polestar offered a performance upgrade for $1200 that boosted the HP to 479 and the torque to almost 500 ft lbs, upping the 0 to 60 to 3.1 seconds and I was in heaven. You can never go back from that. Ask @patgilm who is on his second Plaid.
Since then, I've leased an Ioniq 5, and now I own two Tesla's. Through constant software updates, both Tesla's have only gotten better. Every time I think they can't make it better, another update comes that does.
So why would I go back to ICE? I can fuel at home way cheaper, at my convenience. None of my cars except my Sienna need much maint. I can travel anywhere there are Tesla super chargers, it would pretty much take me the same amount of time if I took my Sienna or rented a gas car. I have a drive train that is smoother than any ICE, and I have instant power and torque on demand, and on top of that I average about 124 MPGe for the Y and 136 MPGe for the Model 3.
In concluding this, I am not knocking ICE, I'm just stating reasons why I have no desire to go back. I've gone to the dark side, and not even Luke Skywalker can bring me back. Anyway, this was my attempt to explain why I've gone BEV, and any comments are welcome, agree or disagree
Pros of BEV ownership
Instant torque, power on demand
Smooth, quiet acceleration, no transmission to get in the way
Virtually no NVH, quiet at any speed
OPD (One pedal driving) makes driving much better, gives better control and allows brakes and rotors to last over 100k. Plus the heat is converted to energy and sent back to the battery through regen
Very little maintenance, no oil changes etc
Almost no moving parts to wear out or break
Super efficient, most EV's get over 100 MPGe
Can be charged at home cheaply
Huge network of superchargers available to Tesla's and non Tesla's
Even the most basic EV has a drive train smoother than most V8's
Con's of BEV ownership
Range is less than most gas cars
Extreme weather can effect range
EV's that rely on non Tesla supercharging have to plan for longer trips
If you don't have the ability to charge at home EV's can be a challenge
Living in an area without super charging infrastructure or limited infrastructure can be a problem
EV's tend to be more expensive than their ICE counterparts
None of the cons above affect me, but I thought I would mention them as they are legit concerns.
So why did I move completely to BEV's? For me, it wasn't about saving money, but the ability to charge at home, almost no maintenance, and the crown jewel, PERFORMANCE
. When I test drove a Polestar in 2022, put my foot down, everything turned white, my head began to spin, I was doing 90 before I could take a breath, and I said HELL YEAH! and was sold. But it wasn't just that it went fast, but it did it so effortlessly, smooth as glass. Imagine driving 80 on the highway, and it's like you are floating. And when you put your foot down, it's like you have unlimited power at your command. Then Polestar offered a performance upgrade for $1200 that boosted the HP to 479 and the torque to almost 500 ft lbs, upping the 0 to 60 to 3.1 seconds and I was in heaven. You can never go back from that. Ask @patgilm who is on his second Plaid.Since then, I've leased an Ioniq 5, and now I own two Tesla's. Through constant software updates, both Tesla's have only gotten better. Every time I think they can't make it better, another update comes that does.
So why would I go back to ICE? I can fuel at home way cheaper, at my convenience. None of my cars except my Sienna need much maint. I can travel anywhere there are Tesla super chargers, it would pretty much take me the same amount of time if I took my Sienna or rented a gas car. I have a drive train that is smoother than any ICE, and I have instant power and torque on demand, and on top of that I average about 124 MPGe for the Y and 136 MPGe for the Model 3.
In concluding this, I am not knocking ICE, I'm just stating reasons why I have no desire to go back. I've gone to the dark side, and not even Luke Skywalker can bring me back
. Anyway, this was my attempt to explain why I've gone BEV, and any comments are welcome, agree or disagree
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 68,789
Likes: 4,086
From: Maryland
The other thing that holds me back from going BEV is just availability of models that I want to buy. For the most part EVs are still "quirky" and different looking and I'm not somebody who likes quirky or different looking. I want a vehicle that looks just like every other kind of car on the road. Like the Lucid Gravity, its not something I would ever choose for myself, its kind of odd looking...I don't love the little square steering wheel, etc. I like the Tesla Model S, but I wouldn't want any of the other models. The Hyundais are too quirky. BMW IMO has the right idea where they all look the same, but BMW's styling in and of itself is a challenge ICE or EV.
Like I have said before, if they made an EV S Class that looked just like the gas one, I would have that. the i7's styling held me back more than any fear over going full EV. I have hope the next round of Mercedes EVs are going to be a lot more normal looking.
EV E Class test mule:
The full EV Range Rover also really appeals to me because it is identical to the ICE RR:
Like I have said before, if they made an EV S Class that looked just like the gas one, I would have that. the i7's styling held me back more than any fear over going full EV. I have hope the next round of Mercedes EVs are going to be a lot more normal looking.
EV E Class test mule:
The full EV Range Rover also really appeals to me because it is identical to the ICE RR:
EV ftw!!!
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,036
Likes: 603
From: Lake Ontario
The other thing that holds me back from going BEV is just availability of models that I want to buy. For the most part EVs are still "quirky" and different looking and I'm not somebody who likes quirky or different looking. I want a vehicle that looks just like every other kind of car on the road. Like the Lucid Gravity, its not something I would ever choose for myself, its kind of odd looking...I don't love the little square steering wheel, etc. I like the Tesla Model S, but I wouldn't want any of the other models. The Hyundais are too quirky. BMW IMO has the right idea where they all look the same, but BMW's styling in and of itself is a challenge ICE or EV.
Like I have said before, if they made an EV S Class that looked just like the gas one, I would have that. the i7's styling held me back more than any fear over going full EV. I have hope the next round of Mercedes EVs are going to be a lot more normal looking.
EV E Class test mule:
The full EV Range Rover also really appeals to me because it is identical to the ICE RR:
Like I have said before, if they made an EV S Class that looked just like the gas one, I would have that. the i7's styling held me back more than any fear over going full EV. I have hope the next round of Mercedes EVs are going to be a lot more normal looking.
EV E Class test mule:
The full EV Range Rover also really appeals to me because it is identical to the ICE RR:
https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/20...nadian-pricing
