I took my CT up to DC from Miami and back this winter. Going up, only needed to fill up in northern Florida near Jacksonville, top part of South Carolina near Florence and then just into Virginia and only needed half a tank from there to DC. It's just over a 1000 mile trip from where I live in southern Miami. Did not even hit $100 for gas total going one way either way.

I still think it is going to be awhile for EVs just like with any technology.

Where I hear about EVs the most on a daily basis is usually someone who wants to move to where I live (apartment complex) and they want the association to install a charger, not realizing who will pay for it and also why one parking space in particular should be entitled to it. Luckily, management has said no every time it gets brought up and state there is plenty of charging stations nearby. However, the EV owner usually states the just do not want to wait and want to sleep while the charging is going on, management's reply is that no one is stopping you from sleeping in your car while you get charged.

 

I've used several of them in the Bay Area, I've never seen one out in the last 3 months. I think it's mostly the 350kw chargers that have issues, the 150kw chargers are usually fine. As I mentioned, there are some bugs they need to work out with the 350kw chargers. That or they don't have enough of them and everyone rushes to those chargers...so they are overused

 

The non-Tesla chargers in California are better maintained because they are used more frequently. The ones in the middle of the country that are barely used don't get any love and cause all the bad rep. I wouldn't worry about EV charging in California. I wouldn't road trip a non-Tesla EV outside of California though...seems risky right now.

 

Although a lot newer townhouse/condo complexes in Silicon Valley have chargers, they are everywhere here, grocery stores, malls etc so you don't really need them there. Level 2 chargers are really not that expensive. I'm going to be installing one in my backyard, it's around $600 for good one

 

I'm totally not worried about traveling anywhere in California. I've mapped out all the EA chargers from Northern Cal to my brothers house in Eastvale (near Corona), and there are plenty of them, and from reviews they seem to be well maintained

 

Sure there are losses, but you're just making stuff up. I did an almost exactly 130 mile drive in January with a 300 mile EV and arrived without sweating it.

 

You know Och is generally a pretty smart guy, I have a ton of respect for him, but his information on EV's is a bit "selective". I did a 150 mile round trip in my Polestar, I was at 95 percent when I started the trip, reached my destination with 69 percent, and got back home with 38 percent left, no stopping at any charger. Average speed was 75 mph, a lot of uphill. On the way back it was 38F, and the car had 5 passengers

 

Thanks, lol.

It is selective as in "worst case scenario", much like the EV brigade on here is selective as in "best case scenario". Either way, for long trips EVs are inconvenient, I suspect most wealthy EV owners will also have a second ICE car for long trips.

 

What I write about is actual real world daily use. I don't hide the shortcomings, which I know there are plenty of. I just report the facts, good or bad. And I mean it 100 percent, I think your a smart guy with a lot of experience and knowledge, and therefore I have a ton of respect for you

 

In California. People in Russia reporting 60 mile real world range.

 

And I acknowledge that in colder weather EV range is decreased, especially if the older style non heat pump heaters are used. But cold weather also causes havoc on ICE vehicles. When I was in Toronto Canada the oil thickened and I couldn't start my rental car. Also a lot of cars with Direct Injection have issues with fuel dilution in colder climates if you don't drive the car enough miles so the engine warms up. I have friends that own Civics (in colder climate) and the injectors fouled and had to be change at 60K. So yes, EV's do suffer range issues in colder weather

 

The issue is what car are you talking about? I guarantee you that a Tesla won't just get 60 miles of real world range in freezing temps and that is the predominant EV in the United States (and its not even close). You mention 40% loss with a 400 mile EV? Which is it? A Tesla Model S with 400 miles will only experience about 20% loss due to its efficient heat pump system. Are you talking about the other 400 mile EV which is the Lucid Air? Pretty sure that thing is crazy efficient with a heat pump. I can't think of another 400 mile EV that gets 40% loss...or did you just make it up?

 

The problem is that extremely smart and logical people seem to allow bias to overtake their thinking when it comes to EV's. This is another realm where fake information is highly in play. In another forum I belong to someone posted a meme showing the Alberta Tar sands operation compared to a supposably Lithium mining operation showing that the Alberta tar sands operation was more "environmentally friendly". It turned out that the Lithium mining pic posted wasn't even a lithium mine...it was an Iron ore mine LOL.

 

Plenty of info on it just a quick google search away. The 20% loss maybe without cabin heating, 40% with cabin heating. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/co...ies-2019-02-07

The new Tesla heat pump design is a completely fail, it doesn't work in extreme colds. https://electrek.co/2022/01/12/tesla...failing-badly/

Ironically, global warming can't come fast enough, as it is the only saving grace for EVs.

 

Confirmation bias is nearly impossible to overcome. All I can say to that is batteries use materials that don't end up getting burned into vapour they still exist no need to mine them all over again.