Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) as a whole are hard to characterize because there are so many approaches to combining gas engines and electric motors in a single powertrain. Should I worry about the electromagnetic radiation an EV gives off? Though EVs don't emit greenhouse gases, the electricity they pull from the grid often does. EV batteries are energy-intensive to manufacture, and there are humanitarian costs associated with mining the metals they rely on. If we only built cars and never drove them, Camaros, not Model 3s, might be the darlings of the environmental movement. ![]() Are EVs actually environmentally friendly? Drivers can somewhat reduce the range-zapping effect of extreme temperatures by scheduling their departures-all EVs have this capability-so that the cabin and battery are preconditioned while the vehicle is plugged in and using power from the grid. At 95 degrees, range was reduced by 17 percent compared with the 75-degree baseline. Testing five EVs in mixed-use driving with the HVAC systems running, AAA found that, on average, range dropped by 41 percent when the temperature fell from 75 degrees to 20. Because extreme temperatures can irreversibly damage battery cells, EVs will heat or cool the pack as needed to protect it. The further the ambient temperature deviates from the mid-70s, the more energy is devoted to keeping the cabin's occupants-and, in some cases, the battery-comfortable. How does the outside temperature affect range? Many utilities already offer cheaper rates to incentivize off-hour energy use, and every EV on sale today allows you to schedule charging-so you can plug in your vehicle when you park and delay charging until the lower rate kicks in. That's when extra generation capacity goes unused because demand is lowest. On the contrary, these companies have no problem supplying electricity to EV buyers-presuming most charge their cars overnight. The first suggests that the rising volume of EVs will demand so much power that utilities won't be able to supply it. Where will the electricity come from?ĮV advocates regularly bust two myths that our electric infrastructure can't support EVs en masse. Change is coming, and we plan to embrace it, critique it, and push the industry to keep making cars that enthusiasts of all stripes can love. And he wasn't necessarily wrong, but the hut gained market share anyway. When the first human built a hut, some caveman undoubtedly complained it wouldn't be as sturdy as his cave. You can stomp and moan about change, but it is inevitable. ![]() Stopping to charge for a half-hour every now and then on a road trip lessens the pressure to just power through to your destination. Accelerating onto the highway with all of that immediate torque at your foot is a blast. Which doesn't mean the new fun isn't as good as the old. After driving 11 electric cars for three weeks, we realized that EVs require a certain recalibration of what qualifies as fun. It can feel like something elemental is missing. When you've spent your years understanding engine purrs and roars as indicators of something very right (or wrong), chucking a quiet EV into a few corners can be jarring, and many of the canned noises automakers offer for false feedback are too alien to be cool. It will take a shifting mindset for traditional car enthusiasts to learn to love EVs. Love them or hate them, you'll be seeing many more EVs on the road in the next few years. According to IHS Markit, electric vehicles accounted for just 1.8 percent of the market last year, but analysts predict that number will rise to more than 10 percent by 2025. Ever since we started plotting the rally, automakers have unveiled more and more plans for more and more EVs of all shapes and sizes. Inject a little range anxiety into a trip and you have the makings of a fun tale. Last fall, when we were brainstorming stories for 2021, the idea of sending most of the staff on a long road rally in electric cars seemed perfect. Or a superhero movie twisting time and space to keep you wondering whether the good guys will get hold of the gems before the bad guy wins (again). Like a romance set on the decks of a cruise ship that everyone knows is about to sink. ![]() ![]() A good story always comes with a hefty dose of tension.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |