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We drive our EV about 2800 miles/year. If the car was using gasoline and got 30 miles/gallon we would pay about $46 in yearly tax if we were in CA. They should figure out a fee that is more fair and replaces lost gas tax revenue.
That's why no one is arguing against EVs. What we're arguing against is the idea that because it works for some people, then it will work for everyone. You drive 2800 miles/year. Why even have a car at all? I drive that much a month and know folks who drive that much a week.
Just like the idea that 40 miles a day is all you need. That wouldn't cover my daily commute. And plenty of my coworkers commute that much one way. Too many folks don't understand just how big this country is.
That's why no one is arguing against EVs. What we're arguing against is the idea that because it works for some people, then it will work for everyone. You drive 2800 miles/year. Why even have a car at all? I drive that much a month and know folks who drive that much a week.
Just like the idea that 40 miles a day is all you need. That wouldn't cover my daily commute. And plenty of my coworkers commute that much one way. Too many folks don't understand just how big this country is.
I'm not arguing for or against them either, but rather against a flat fee of $100 for example. I even said what works for us wouldn't work for everybody. If the purpose is to replace lost gas revenue then do so with something that does just that.
As far as your "Why even have a car at all" question, nothing other than my wife's work place, is within walking distance. Yesterday my family went to a movie at the mall. That's probably 6 miles or so away. We wouldn't walk to there, or the grocery store which is at least a couple of miles, or any number of other places. We also have another car that gets driven about 5500 miles a year.
i understand that i will someday own and drive an electric vehicle (maybe it will even be a shared self driver) but the thought of installing charging equipment in my cluttered garage stresses me a little.
Depending on how much a person drives, the vehicle's range and how quickly they need to charge they might not even have to install any equipment. Overnight charging on a 120v outlet could be enough.
If charging equipment is deemed necessary, it is not large or cumbersome. It's typically just a small box on the wall.
Are they heavily subsidized, even more so than here? .
Yes, heavily is the correct word. First, all EVs are exempt from 25% VAT and any car tax. That makes for huge savings. EVs are also exempt from road toll, can use free public charging and carpool lanes).
Base price:
Tesla Model S P100D:
US: $135,000 (cash price without tax credit)
Norway: $136,400 (cash price)
BMW M5:
US: $102,600
Norway: $198,160 (high weight/CO2 tax + 25% VAT)
And what happens when someone who owns an electric car in Atlanta wants to drive to Pittsburgh? Charging stations aren't all over. Charging also takes for longer than filling up the gas tank. Where many people live, electric cars just aren't practical.
We're comparing a country smaller than California. You really need to compare a country roughly the same size as the US. Then there's our population and where that population is. We're spread all over the place! And don't forget Hawaii and Alaska. How do electric cars handle the salt over time? The cold? Battery recycling is also a major concern and issue. These aren't issues that will go away on there own or any time soon.
I can drive a Tesla from Miami to Great Falls Montana and always be in range of a Supercharge station along the way.
It's just a reminder that the world is quickly moving towards electric and autonomous. A word here, a whisper there. Overtone Windows. Building crowd acceptance. there will be more and more of this coming.
In this case, it's more indicative of the infrastructure and social/political climate in Norway. I suspect there will be certain countries in the coming years that will gravitate more towards EV but they will be in the minority for a long time.
Lets look at some facts: Norway is about the size of Montana. Towns are close together, so people don't travel as much as they do in the USA. For us, to get to any town big enough to do a shopping trip is 100 miles round trip one way, and 180 miles the other way.
In winter, with our temperatures, range for an EV falls by 60%. Add in the electricity for the heat needed, and it falls some more. Go up big hills or mountains, and it falls some more.
People could not go shopping, without laying over getting the batteries charged. One direction of 90 miles includes some steep mountain driving, and with cold weather and need to use a heater, you could not even get to that city where would be the only place to recharge.
Electric cars are so impractical for us, I have only seen two Prius cars that were driven by tourists in the summertime. Not one Tesla registered in the state according to DMV. They are fine for city commute, and in warm weather areas of the country, but are not really made for year around use in a big part of the nation.
People in big cities do not think about: Most people in much of the country, cannot afford to drive something only good for a few months a year, and have a large SUV or Pickup for bad weather conditions. So we drive midsize and larger SUVs and Pickups, that we can use year around. One person will commute in one. A whole family or friends will go somewhere in one, in comfort and luxury. Tall people like myself, can sit up in comfort where we cannot even get in a lot of cars on the roads today. We tall people feel too many companies are building cars for midgets, and other short people, and to heck with people our size.
Lets look at some facts: Norway is about the size of Montana. Towns are close together, so people don't travel as much as they do in the USA. For us, to get to any town big enough to do a shopping trip is 100 miles round trip one way, and 180 miles the other way.
Norway is a long-shaped country. If you live in Northern Norway the driving distances may be quite long. Most people in the US live in urban areas, just like in other Western countries. Teslas, and other EVs, can be used in cold climates. Decreased range was more of an issue with the first generation EVs.
Distances from city to city in Norway:
Oslo - Bergen: 6 h 50 min / 257 mi
Oslo - Stavanger: 7 h 11 min / 343 mi
Oslo - Trondheim: 6h 16 min / 307 mi
Oslo - Tromsø: 21 h 19 min / 1,080 mi
Nothing wrong with an EV, I thank Tesla for being one of the first (at least in this scale) to make one that looks nice, and not some goofy looking car.
An EV does not work for me now, but maybe in the future it will, but I am more interested in the hybrid approach than a pure EV, and I think hybrids are a good bridge between gas and electric. Running only EV would limit my driving style now, and while someone can say "I went to point A to point B just fine" that is fine if a very defined path, but what if I want to deviate from the defined path?
I look at the area I live in in Miami, just using Tesla's site, and there are no destination chargers and no superchargers in my area that I can access, I would have to make a bit of a drive to access one. I could not imagine planning out a long distance trip like this, especially if it was a vacation and I would want to possibly alter my trip as I go.
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