They Have Been Around a Long Time
Recently I happened upon some advertisements for electric vehicles from early in the last century. A few are presented below and they are followed by a link to the U.S. Department of Energy's Timeline History of the Electric Car.
Even Trucks
A recent Consumer Reports devotes much of an issue to a consideration of the EV market (hybrids are typically referred to as PHEVs - plug-in hybrid.)
"Automakers Are Adding Electric Vehicles to Their Lineups. Here's What's Coming."
By Ben Preston and Jeff S. Bartlett
Consumer Reports, July 22, 2021
"Plug into this: 100+ new EVs by 2024
The electric vehicle (EV) market is exploding, with almost 100 pure battery electric cars planned to debut by 2024. “These more affordable models have the potential to sway a significant percentage of the car-buying public toward buying an EV with their efficiency, performance, and lower ownership costs,” says Gabe Shenhar, associate director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. Take a look at our rundown of electric cars on the horizon."
In the Market?
Recently a friend stayed over and mentioned that she needed a new car and was considering an e-one, or hybrid. It was clear that none of us in the room new much about cars that run only on electricity.
Questions about charging them were answered recently in this good article: "If I Buy an Electric Car, Do I Need to Install a 240-volt Outlet?" Jason Tchir, The Globe and Mail, July 20, 2021. Here are some of the answers:
That 120-volt plug-in will charge every electric car. But if you drive long distances every day, it might become an outlet for frustration....
Charging can seem confusing, but it’s basically pretty simple. There are three levels of charging, from slowest to fastest...
Level 1 is a standard 120-volt outlet. That’s the standard voltage in North America. It takes the longest of all three.
Level 2 uses a 240-volt outlet. Depending on the car, you can get back about 30 to 40 km per hour.... If you’re installing a Level 2 charger at home, you’d need an electrician to install a 240-volt outlet, the kind used for dryers. Then you’d buy a dedicated Level 2 charger that you’d mount on the wall or a cheaper plug-in adapter.
“I’d say think about a $2,000 budget just in case there’s extra electrical work on the house that needs to be done,” Stanyer said. “Some manufacturers are starting to include a home charging package
Level 3 is also called Direct Current Fast Charge. These are public chargers that can, generally, get your battery up to 80 per cent full in 30 to 40 minutes....
Apparently EVs today have a range of about 400 km and the author notes that if you plug a 2021 Chevy Bolt, which has a 417 km range, into a 120-volt outlet, it’ll gain about 8 km in range per hour. [The Bolt EV has just been recalled again because of more battery fires.]
In an earlier article Mr. Tchir described in detail the planning required to drive a Bolt 415 kms from Vancouver to Kelowna (one has to factor in the temperature, since the batteries are affected by both cooler and hotter weather.) See: "Testing an EV's Cold-Weather Range on B.C.'s 'Highway Thru Hell'," G&M, April 29, 2021.
Where Can You Get a Charge?
One good place to get the information is here:
Enter a location to find a station where you can recharge or refuel your vehicle in Canada. This map will also show alternative fuel stations by using the drop-down menu.
Where Can You Learn More?
You can do some basic searching, as I did. Mr. Tchir seems to be the go-to man for EV information and he notes that often even the dealers' aren't good in providing it: "In Order to Increase Electric Vehicle Sales, Fill the Education Gap in Dealership Staff," G&M, July 22, 2021.
But even though Canada is finally seeing electric SUVs and trucks that would look at home in most driveways, there are plenty of potential buyers who wonder what it’s like to actually live with one.
Where and how do they charge? How much will their power bills go up? Will they still be able to go away for the weekend?
They’re not always getting answers at traditional dealerships.
In Toronto, you can learn more and take test drives at PLUG 'N DRIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CENTRE
What About the Tesla?
One now sees Teslas fairly often in London, but there is no Tesla Dealership. Where does one get them serviced? There are dealers in Ontario, but apparently these EVs don't need much servicing and some of it is done via the Internet. See TESLA.
Post Script:
This was prepared for the visiting friend, who says she is a reader of this blog. We will see. If she comments, I will help her purchase one of those used, burned-out Chevy Bolts.
Although gas prices are very high right now, gas stations are disappearing. For an old post about that, see: Gasoline Stations.
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