Debunking common myths about Electric Vehicles
According to a recent survey, Canadians have “notable knowledge gaps” about the cost and performance of electric vehicles, which may be holding them back from buying them.
That’s unfortunate, because it means many of us are missing out on the benefits – savings, performance, sustainability – that EVs offer.
So here’s a bit of reality about some of the most common barriers raised against electric vehicles.
They’re expensive: It’s true that EVs currently cost more to buy than comparable gas vehicles. However:
- Costs are coming down rapidly, and price parity – where comparable gas and electric vehicles cost the same – is expected within a few years
- Federal and provincial incentives can knock as much as $10,000 off the price of a new or used EV
- EVs are really cheap to operate (about 1/5 the cost per kilometer!); those savings rapidly offset the higher purchase cost of EVs
- EVs require far less maintenance than gas vehicles
Add up those four points, and the bottom line quickly becomes evident: EVs are cheaper to own and operate than gas vehicles.
Charging is complicated: Actually, it’s really simple. There are three types or ‘Levels’ of vehicle chargers:
Here’s a good summary, including a video.
(Note: Tesla EVs have a unique charging system and an exclusive network.)
There aren’t enough charging stations around: This is somewhat true, depending on where you are, as charging networks have not been expanding as fast as EV sales. The good news is that i) networks are being constantly expanded pretty much everywhere; and ii) functionally, 80-90% of EV charging happens at home anyway.
Chargers are hard to find: They’re actually very simple to find, even for a non-techie like me, with apps like PlugShare, A Better Route Planner or Natural Resources Canada’s Alternative Fuelling Station Locater.
EVs don’t have enough range: Over two-thirds of the 160 EV models and trims available in Canada today have ranges over 400 kilometers, which easily covers the daily requirements of most drivers. For example, the Hyundai Kona has a range of 415 KM; the Chevy Bolt has a range of 417 KM; the Kia Niro has a range of 407 KM. (See and compare all EVs here.)
EV batteries fail early and are expensive to replace: All EV batteries are warranted against failure or serious degradation for at least eight years or 160,000 kilometers; experience to date suggests they last significantly longer than that. Replacing an EV battery would be comparable to replacing the engine or transmission of a gas vehicle: expensive, yes, but a very rare occurrence. (I spend quite a bit of time in the EV space and I have never heard of an EV battery having to be replaced at the expense of the owner. Under warranty, yes, but never at the expense of the owner.)
EVs aren’t really better for the environment because of their manufacturing footprint: It’s true that EVs take more to manufacture than gas vehicles – but that’s more than made up for by how efficient they are to drive. More in this past Green Ideas.
Hopefully the above points help fill some of those “notable knowledge gaps”! Please share, to help more of us understand the benefits of EVs, to our wallets and the environment.
Do you have any unanswered questions about EVs? Please hit reply and let me know!
In the news:
Not quite news, but relevant: here’s a really clear and convenient chart showing the relative costs and full life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of electric, plug-in hybrid and gas vehicles.
WOW: China’s emissions are poised to start declining in 2024, thanks to a surge in clean energy investments.
A new UN report warns that the planet is on track to warm by nearly 3 degrees C without aggressive actions. Here’s a quick overview of the key issues to be discussed at COP28, the UN climate conference starting this week in Dubai.
Quotable
“If there was a 60% decline in the human population, that would be equivalent to emptying North America, South America, Africa, Europe, China and Oceania. That is the scale of what we have done.”
– Mike Barrett, Executive Director of Science and Conservation at WWF