Gas prices

Regarding the "feel" of V8s versus EVs, I had my doubts. Until I took a ride in a Mach-E GT. Holy schnikes that thing is fast. And they can pump exhaust sound through the speakers for those that miss the noise.

Playing fake engine noise through the speakers is one of the most cringe 'features' ever to happen. Unless it's done right as it's own unique thing (like Hans Zimmer working with BMW on their EV's to create their own sound/experience). But in any normal case, so dumb and nothing like the real deal and needs to die along with the overuse of piano black inside car interiors.

Anyone who thinks the insane instant torque and acceleration of an EV isn't more fun to drive doesn't own an EV. It never gets old. There's no combustion engine equivalent in the ability to instantaneously, at any speed, overpower another car (unless it too is an EV, natch). And the two I have "only" do 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.

Too bad you can't drive over 200-250 miles without a re-charge? Whoopie you have acceleration. You want acceleration, buy a muscle car. Be a man.

Who honestly drives over 250 miles routinely in a family car? Obviously for that one person, an EV isn't for them but I would guess the majority of people aren't making long trips often enough to exclude an EV from purchase. I originally did not want to make the jump to an EV because of the inability to travel far without having to charge, then it dawned on me that I rarely, if ever, need to drive that far. So little that if a circumstance did come up and I couldn't just fly, I would rent a car. So I imagine for the average person, nobody needs to go 300+ miles in a single trip once a week. The whole "But the milage!" argument is dumb. Will it get me to work and the store every day? Good enough for me!

Jeff said:

And the two I have "only" do 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.

This is kind of one of the reasons I’ve neglected pulling the trigger on a model 3 yet. I can’t/don’t want to afford all the stuff I want. If I get one, I’m going to have it for many years, so I want to make sure it has things I want, so I don’t regret or wish I had upgraded to the faster motors, better wheels, autopilot, etc. I never like to buy the base model of anything, but I also don’t like to customize after the fact, if that makes sense.

That was my weekly commute mileage at my last position. In SoCal it's not all that unusual, I knew people in our dept that their commute was twice that. The university was installing charging stations on all the campuses when I retired a year and half ago, the ones at Scripps Institute of Oceanography (my last posting) were always in use.

BlueGemini said:

Too bad you can't drive over 200-250 miles without a re-charge?

I don't get that much more out of my gas car without the need to re-fuel so I'm confused at the problem here?

Can't take the whole clan across country on a good old family vaca if you can't recharge the car. Everyday use sure once everyone can afford and have installed a charging station at home. And again still takes fossil fuels to make electricity.....even with 60% of the plants using fossil fuels we are till using them....

Jeff said:

Anyone who thinks the insane instant torque and acceleration of an EV isn't more fun to drive doesn't own an EV. It never gets old.

I suppose it might be fun but I don't floor it in my Hyundai Sonata so why would I do it in an EV? That is what I have never understood about the marketing aspect of the EVs. Why do they continuously tout the crazy low 0-60 times? That just doesn't mean anything to me and likely to most people. If my Sonata in ECO mode is good enough for me then the acceleration of the EV is wasted on me. I know that is not a reason to get an EV but how often do you "punch it" on your daily driving to make this of importance?

BlueGemini said:

Can't take the whole clan across country on a good old family vaca if you can't recharge the car. Everyday use sure once everyone can afford and have installed a charging station at home.

Curious - how many of those cross country trips do you think the average person makes? And why wouldn't you rent a minivan to go on a trip that long?

I thought we all wanted EV's, so same applies to an EV mini van......get rid of gas!!! After the pandemic more and more families re taking old fashioned road trips and camping. Do they make a EV RV yet? Just curious..... my guess is NO.

Nobody is proclaiming we should get rid of gas, nor that every car needs to be electric by next week. You do realize this is a long process and everyone is ok with that right? We didn't switch from horses to cars overnight nor are we going to do that with EVs. So most of your arguments on here really aren't making much sense. This is a process to change for the better. I have faith that you'll understand that someday soon.

You have more faith than I do.

BlueGemini said:

Too bad you can't drive over 200-250 miles without a re-charge? Whoopie you have acceleration. You want acceleration, buy a muscle car. Be a man.

Another sexist comment like that and you're done here.

And try reading. I explained that one of my friends spent an entire year road tripping around the US in an EV.

You know what, you're a troll. You're not interested in truth. This "man" is done.

I know people who pretty much fly anytime there is a drive more than 4-5 hours. That's never been my family. We take several 500+ mile trips a year to see our kids. And usually take at least one 1000+ mile trip a year. And drive them all. I could rent a car for those trips but no interest in doing that several times a year.

We can go about 500 miles on a tank. 5 minutes at a gas station gets me another 500 miles. No idea how far 5 minute charge gets me in an EV.

One vehicle has about 4 more years left in it. Though its the long hauler so unlikely we will replace it with EV. Other will be replaced in about 7 years. EV likely on the table for that one. More infrastructure will be in place. We shall see.

So he shut down a pipeline that wasn't built yet, that wasn't going to supply oil to the US anyway? The purpose of the XL pipeline was to carry oil to Texas for refining for export to other companies. It wasn't going to used domestically.
As for the drilling on federal land.....There are currently 9000 granted oil leases on federal land in various states of regulatory approval. It takes lots of time and frankly the oil companies aren't really in much hurry to use them, There's already not enough refining capacity to deal with the domestic oil. They're perfectly happy with their big profits on what they have now.

Gas/oil is a global commodity. So even if it wasn't consumed in the US, increasing the global supply would still create downward pressure on prices. I think the bigger issue for the Keystone pipeline project that was canceled is that it wouldn't have been completed yet. And from what I have read, the oil is still flowing in Canada but is using other transportation means.

True for leases. You don't get a lease signed today and start producing oil tomorrow.

But ultimately I never feel sorry for politicians who get blamed for bad events outside their control when they are so quick to take credit for good events also outside their control. Lie in the bed you made.

Jeff said: And the two I have "only" do 0-60 in 4.8 seconds.

I honestly thought Tesla's did better than that. I assume battery upgrade/options or different models? I thought mid 3's honestly from various videos and such online, but I don't pay close enough attention.

Mine will do 0-60 in 4 seconds flat (I have hit 3.9 personally) and it is wild ride, for sure. However, add in the sound of the exhaust screamin' and the sound of those gears slamming is just icing on the cake, not to mention the exhaust burble, crackle and pops when down shifting or the RPMs hang up a bit higher. It's wonderful.

If you are planning a trip in your EV, here is a tool to help you plan. Kind've hard to not be able to plug in.

Apparently I wasn't just seeing things, as California by far has the most chargers. Here is the top 5 list of charging stations by state (source):

California: 13,658
New York: 2,656
Texas: 2,176
Florida: 2,068
Washington: 1,561

I'm really looking forward to what Ford is going to bring to the table in the next few years.

As far as vehicles in general go, I wonder what percentage of the buying population are like me? I see them as a means to go from point A to point B. That's pretty much it. I couldn't care less how fast it goes from 0-60; I mainly care about it's safety, reliability, cost, and it's likelihood to last as long as I need/want it to.

And no, that's not a slam against the gearheads amongst us.