mikemu30

Interesting video here:

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/08/2...lectric%20cars

E46CT

I don't mind the government stuffing good stuff down our throats. EVs, Mandatory Vaccinations, Regulated Food & Meat/Poultry, Seat belts, bring it on! Conserve our safety, health, and security!

And yeah years, the government target is 2030. So 2021 to 2030 would mean "years." But most automakers now have a complete suite of EVs ready for final stages of development, if not already out. Hummer EV, Jeep EV etc. Already, to me, gas cars are starting to seem dumb. And this is coming from a strong DIYer, former track junky/racer etc.

mikemu30

They're dumb until you want to take a long drive. I get it and I'll be on board once the infrastructure is there. Watch the video - seven minutes of entertainment.

bc6152

Well I plan to buy and use ICE cars as long as I can. There's no shortage of gasoline but sure as hell is for chargers...

E46CT

I thought about that... but for me 99% of my commuting is shorter than 10 miles. And often times when I do want to go on a long drive, I end up renting a car anyway cause it ends up being a road trip etc. But even then you can still charge on long drives--how many go on trips and stop somewhere to eat and have refreshments? Most if not all of the new cars promise a healthy charge in 20 minutes. Trust me I had all these same criticisms before. Should've seen me argue against electric cars.. i was nasty before. but it's starting to solve problems on its own... as i'm sure happened w/ gas cars back in its day.

E46CT

Yeah gas is nice for convenience. But chargers are popping up more and more and is becoming the norm. Mankind moves forward right? I mean we don't use gas powered cell phones or toothbrushes. only makes sense things eventually go electric =p

lesz

There is no question that Toyota/Lexus have been slower than most other manufacturers to embrace electric powered cars. While the RAV4 Prime and the recently announced 2nd Generation NX plug-in hybrid are a step in that direction, other manufacturers have multiple fully electric powered cars and more plug-in hybrids available.

Toyota has, at the same time, been the industry leader in hybrid technology, and they also seem to have put their money on hydrogen fuel cell technology for the future.


Having owned my first hybrid vehicle for just under a year, I'll probably never again buy a vehicle that is fully powered by an internal combustion engine. Since the weather warmed up in the spring, I've averaged 52.5 mpg, and I'm not inclined to want to give that up. At the same time, I agree that we (or, at least I) are not ready for a fully electric powered car. Before that will happen, the charging station infrastructure needs to be expanded to a much greater level, and battery technology needs to continue to develop to allow for lighter weight batteries with the capability of storing more power to allow for longer range between charging. And, for me, I get my electricity from a rural electric cooperative. The cooperative's rates per kwh are quite high, and most of their electricity is generated from burning coal. So, for me, a fully electric powered vehicle would be neither cost effective, nor would it be helping the environment.

That said, the charging infrastructure and battery technology are developing rapidly, and I'm confident in predicting that, by the end of this decade, most people will be buying fully electric powered cars. In the mean time, I'll be happy to continue driving a hybrid, which is, for me, a nice transitional step toward owning a vehicle fully powered by electricity.

bc6152

Watched the video Mike. It illustrates exactly what people are afraid of with electric cars. No long distance without stopping - sometimes overnite - and who wants to wait 8 hours for a charge? Then there's the fear of not finding a charger in time and getting stuck. I've seen videos where people are carrying a GAS generator in the trunk to charge their car when it runs out of juice. Not for me... I'll take gas, fill up in 5 minutes and be on my way. Not to say it's not coming but it will be a long time before it really works...

E46CT

Re 5 min gas fill ups, don't forget w/ EV if you charge in your garage every night, that's like adding "gas" every night. Imagine never having to go to a gas station cause you keep "gas" at home and add a cup or two to make up for what you used? That would take you from a 5 min fill up to a NO fill up meaning no need to even visit the gas station but for the rare time you go on a road trip.

Just presenting unique ways to think of things. I think people will eventually get used to it.

mikemu30

I get it - the short commute or daily local driving like my wife mostly does and EV makes loads of sense. But we also take plenty of trips and I would hate the stress of watching the power gauge depleting and not knowing where the next station is nor how long it will take to charge. Maybe PHEV for her next car but I'll keep an ICE for a bit as my daily driver and on the sidelines for longer trips.

mikemu30

Yep - I think it puts it all in persepctive.

mikemu30

Five minute fill-up is drama? Cmon now you're kidding. And that charge in your garage isn't free. I work with someone who recently bought a used Model S and he is a bit surprised how much his utility bill has increased.

lesz

For those who are concerned about having trouble finding a charging station with a fully electric powered vehicle on longer trips, that is when a plug-in hybrid could well be a nice compromise and bridge between a car powered solely with an ICE and a fully electric vehicle.

For shorter trips, you might never have to make one of those "5 minute" stops at the gas station, and, even on longer trips, you will only be making fewer than half as many of the "5 minute" stops at the gas station as you would have to make with a fully gas-powered car.

For me, I'm still not ready even for a plug-in hybrid, but for many, depending on the kind of driving they do and the cost of buying electricity from their electric service provider, a plug-in hybrid might be a great transitional step beyond that of a regular hybrid on the way toward a fully electric-powered car, and I'm glad to see that Toyota is making the RAV4 Prime and that Lexus will be selling the NX plug-in hybrid.

mikemu30

I'm definitely all ears on the plug in hybrid concept. If the next gen RX offers one, I will take a hard look.

lesz

I'd be willing to bet that there will be a plug-in hybrid version of the RX (and the Toyota Highlander) at some point in the next few years.

The good news about plug-in hybrids is that, as battery technology improves in the next few years, the battery capacity should increase, and weight should decrease, resulting in longer fully electric range.

The bad news about the plug-in hybrids and, specifically, the RAV4 Prime, is that, even before the current chip shortages that have affected all cars, demand has exceeded supply by a wide margin. Toyota dealers had long waiting lists to get a RAV4 Prime, and those who have been able to get them have paid as much as $10,000 over MSRP (or more). I'm confident in guessing that the situation will be similar with the NX plug-in hybrid.