EVs are advancing at a record pace. The median EV range reached 270 miles for 2023 models. That’s 13 miles more than 2022MY vehicles and more than enough to cover the average weekly commute for US drivers.
Automakers are developing new tech and materials to enable electric vehicles to travel longer and more efficiently.
According to EPA data, the median EV range hit 270 miles for ’23 model year vehicles. That’s nearly 200 miles more than where it was ten years ago (82). It’s also plenty for an average weekly commute in the US.
The average US driver travels around 37 miles per day, according to figures from the Department of Transportation.
With an average of 259 miles driven weekly, most EVs have plenty of range to cover your weekly commute. And for homeowners, waking up to a full charge beats stopping at the gas station.
I’m pleased to see progress in the technology, clearly it’s more robust & thought out than it was initially, but these pro-EV articles are all happy-talk; they refuse to acknowledge the many pitfalls, “gotchas” of EV ownership that give consumers pause.
Regarding this article’s point, 270 miles range. Okay. That’s when it’s brand spankin’ new. I don’t care about its range during the first month of ownership, I care about its range 3, 4, 5 years from now. Which will be significantly less. I Google & I see countless happy-talk articles about how battery deterioration is 2-3% per year. I’m not buying it, maybe that’s the best case scenario with the gentlest use.
Which brings up how we use cars. Range is HEAVILY dependent on usage & conditions. I see (usually ICE) vehicles ripping & revving around, quickly. You do that dumb shit in an EV & your range will tank. Is it very, very cold out? Cut your range by a third, maybe to be safe assume it’s cut in half. So much for that 270 mile range. With range being so volatile, it’s a dishonest talking point.
EV battery replacement cost is insane, so the people saving a buck on the front end will be screwed on the back end (pun intended) when they have to shell out serious money to replace a worn out battery on an older, crusty EV that’s also falling apart in normal wear & tear ways.
Let’s forget about range happy-talk & batteries, let’s talk EV tires. This would be a big deal for rural types & people with longer commutes. They say Tesla tires are good for only good for 30K miles on average, even 18-20K miles “depending on driving & conditions”. The cost per Tesla tire is at least $300 & doesn’t include labor/install costs. Compared to my ice tires, IIRC I got a set of 4 for $720 & free install, and they’re rated for 80K miles. Let’s be generous & say a set of 4 tesla tires, install is “only” $1300. 150K miles on a Tesla, 4-5 sets of tires, that’s $3900-$5200 in tires & wasting hours of your time. Vs ICE car, I’m on my 2nd set of tires, $720. Again, the people buying secondhand & the people who put miles on cars get absolutely screwed. They don’t tell you these things.
To be completely fair, I have oil changes that the tesla doesn’t have. I have owned & operated my car for 140K miles, virtually zero issues aside from normal minor wear & tear. I try to be a good boy 😇 and change my oil (myself) every 5K miles with a high quality synthetic & a WIX filter. Let’s exaggerate how much that costs me, let’s say $25 per oil change, 28 oil changes. That’s $700 thus far in oil/filters.
That’s a little depressing! But a $9K used ICE car, plus $700 in oil, plus $720 for tires, & let’s be stupid hard on myself (140K miles / 30 mpg = 4667 gal gas x $3.7 per gal = fuel cost) $17,268 in fuel costs. Add it all up…total cost of ownership for 140K miles, 5-6 years of driving, $27,688. Those figures are super harsh to myself, it’s certainly less, plus insurance & tags bullshit costs. That’s less than buying a new 2024 Tesla Model 3, their cheapest model, starting at $39K. Obviously that’s not including the tax-rape & fees associated with buying new, that’s not including the cost of insurance for that fancy car, aforementioned tires & costs of “fuel”/electric for 140K miles of commute. That’s just a number of easy to cite difficulties I’m aware of.
It doesn’t save dollars, it doesn’t make sense. Hertz car rental company is dumping all their EVs, citing high collision/damage costs. Which idk I think that could cheapen up with time, I’m scared of the maintenance & cost of ownership type costs. That’s a known, you will be made to pay. As an aside, you can get a Hertz used Tesla Model 3 for “as low as $20K”, who knows the wear & tear & mileage on it. People tend to not give a shit about treating rentals nicely.
If you’re rich, if you exist in the city you work in & your daily commute is like 20 miles round trip, if you like it & you’re going in with your eyes open…by all means. Buy an electric car. But it’s not a smart buy for the poors, the working men with long(er) commutes in cold climates that need a cheap but reliable daily driver.
As for me, I’ll take my ~$30K-$35K TCO shitbox ICE car, with costs spread out over 5+ years of safe driving. 🙂
Kind of assuming the cost of batteries is going to remain constant or go up.
One can expect it to remain constant enough, for the foreseeable future. I’m not going to buy a used electric car today, in hopes that the battery prices will be significantly lower in 2027.
They’re working on better, cheaper batteries. Iron batteries, hemp batteries, salt batteries. But I need to see them, be able to buy them first.