jlv said:
My underlying point is this: EVs will be niche vehicles as long as it takes more than 5 minutes to "refuel".
Today they work great local around-the-town cars. E.g., for commuter cars, where you go from home to work and then work to home, and have long enough times on each end to recharge. In fact, I'm doing that with my Leaf loving every moment of the way. I love that I'm not pumping out toxic exhaust, the performance of the car, and that I'm paying for fossil fuels anymore.
IMHO, the need for 20-30 minute recharges for any decent range will be a major disincentive to eliminating ICE. As I said, I can't imagine every taking a 400 mile trip in a car that required me to take multiple breaks. Maybe I'm in the 'niche', but my niche includes nearly everyone I know. This is why I think there is a need for some form of fast-refueling EV, and that's what I hope to be able to buy for my next EV.
I agree with you, and so does CARB (scary thought, huh?).
As I frequently tell anyone who's listening (and thinking), it's not how far the EV can go, it's what happens at the end of the charge that matters.
I too have to take frequent trips of >400 miles. Currently no EV does this in a fashion that neither I nor my family is agreeable with. On "my" frequent 650 mile trip, I stop once, shove burgers in the kids, coffee in the adults and gas in the tank and we're off in 30 minutes. Next stop is that checkered flag place on the GPS. I am quite comfortable with the current EV iteration, it's the perfect around town car. I can't even imaging driving an ICE car in these circumstances, save for the odd trip to get twenty or so 2X4's.
As far as trying to talk to "these people." Forget it. You won't make a dent. I bought one of the first Leaves made. When the thing's range started dropping almost immediately, I was told everything from "You're from BigOil, FauxNews, the Koch Brothers" (You Libs just slay me) or simply "You're driving it wrong." Add to the inherent fanaticism involved in the warped thinking that if you send some company a bunch of money you can still drive all over the place and consume resources and "Save the Planet," the inherent greed involved in the run-up of a certain companies stock and you're gonna lose every time.
I said Sayonara to the "EV Community" when they started grading your worth as a human being by not whether you were trying, but whether you were trying the "right" way. "My Leaf is better than your 'Compliance Car.'" "Oh, yeah, well I recharge MY car with Solar power." So I just drive my two EV's, tell anyone who asks that they're "Great!" for in-town use only and they've got some really sweet lease deals on them. Go check 'em out. And sometimes they do.
As for the rest of you, go measure your "Gids."