Head to head towing gas vs electric

[mbsieg]

The only proof I needed is your towing experience you posted.

I do a towing trip like that once about every 10 years. Moot point.

Staying overnight in hotels to charge your truck when a diesel truck could have made the whole trip on one tank without stopping. How did the hotel costs figure into your MPG?

The trip was still cheaper than driving a gas or diesel truck.

Not to mention the waste of time in a hotel instead of driving to your destination. You can defend it all you want but the proof is in the dismal sales numbers

I keep posting links and proof sales are up and you guys keep saying they are down. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid.

even after government subsidies and laws aimed at shoving it down everyone throat.Let us know how you did on the resale value when you get rid of it.

Will be a long time before I get rid of the truck. I really enjoy it.

 

[Melensdad]

Sales are not down.
Rate of growth is down.

 

[m1west]

Just for the sake of comparison...
A Tesla battery of average size holds the same heat as 2 gallons of gasoline. The car can go nearly 300 mile in perfect conditions. 200 miles in winter conditions.
So how far can an ICE car go on 2 gallons of gas?

ICE cars waste 70% of the heat in the fuel

Sales are not down.
Rate of growth is down.

Lots are full and dealers dont want to sell them because no one is buying them. Ice cars may cost some fuel as heat loss but electricity is also lost in conversion. I have direct experience with that with a solar system I built for the cabin using Lithium ion batteries. The inverter eats a lot of power even if your not using it. When the battery starts degrading and your charging more often to go the same distance, what does that do to the miles traveled costs? or when you need a new battery for 20k and have to pay to get rid of the old one. I read an article where a guy drove a Tesla for something like 600k miles, I'm paraphrasing a bit but went through 10 motors and several batteries doing it. For a road truck 600k is nothing and go well over a million miles on the OE, Dodge diesel pickup trucks will nearly match that. Im not saying that it will never work but its not ready to work right now. For some an electric golf cart would fill there needs running the grocery store down the street, for others it will never work. There were electric cars available a 100 years ago when the automobile was in its infancy with range nearly that same as todays EV's and no one bought them then either. Hybrid is a different story.

 

[NorthernRedneck]

Your golf cart reference got me thinking that I've been doing a mini comparison test for years here.

At camp, we have a battery operated golf cart. (Not a fair comparison I know) and a gas powered golf cart at home. The battery one at camp has been a pain in the a$$ to keep going. I'm constantly changing out faulty batteries at $300 a pop and I'm on my third charger. Yet I make 3 trips across the campground and back and it has to sit for a few hours to charge. My gas powered cart at home hasn't left me down once. I filled up the fuel tank for $25 last spring and it's still sitting at about a half tank. If it wasn't for the electric one having a rear seat and stiffer springs, I'd leave it at home and take the gas one to camp for something more reliable. I need it for mobility and need it ready to use at any time. Not sitting on the charger dead.

 

[jerryrodan]

Honestly I think it is an infratructure issue.

Not enough natural gas lines there and the lots are so small that propane tanks and not practical solutions. Fuel oil is the next best solution.

In my area it's about 50/50 natural gas versus propane. There are quite a few outdoor wood furnaces, but those are still a small % of the actual heating sources. But the main reason people choose propane in my area is very simple, they are not on a road that has a N.G. line. I got really lucky, when my road went in a farmer to the north wanted N.G. and the source was from the south, so the line, very conveniently for me, runs in an easement along my road. But my neighbors to the east and west have propane, while my neighbors to the north and south have N.G. So it is with fuel oil in much of New England.

Absolutely, infrastructure plays a pivotal role in heating choices. The availability of natural gas lines often dictates the prevalent choice between propane and fuel oil. Your fortunate connection to a natural gas line highlights how proximity to infrastructure can impact these decisions. It's interesting to see the diverse heating solutions based on regional circumstances. Stay warm and informed!

 

[jerryrodan]

Agree 100%

There are probably SOME states or areas where the home charging is coming close to gas prices, I had seen a few articles about that, but just like the diesel powered (I suspect diesel supplements utility power but the article didn't say that) Tesla station, I don't think that is typical

So from the efficiency standpoint, electric beats ICE. From a cost to drive standpoint, EV typically beats ICE assuming you can charge from home the vast majority of time.

This is why many who own EVs consider them to be a supplement to their ICE vehicle, or their 2nd vehicle. Most EV owners, according to a recent article I saw, but don't have the link for, would not buy only EVs as their only vehicles. As I was recently shopping, I saw the ability to use an EV as the lovely Mrs_Bob's vehicle but not so much for mine, so again, a very practical 2nd vehicle. Seems like there is a desire for EVs and a need for ICE, and many families who can afford the upfront cost would consider owning 1 EV in their family fleet.

Your insights highlight the nuanced considerations in the transition to EVs. The balance between efficiency, cost, and practicality often leads to EVs being a supplementary or second vehicle for many owners. It's interesting to see how individual needs and preferences shape the integration of electric vehicles into family fleets. The evolving landscape of transportation offers diverse options catering to different requirements.

 

[NorthernRedneck]

A friend of mine out in Alberta shared this screenshot of an alert he just got. Makes me really want to switch to electric. What happens when the temperature drops to -40 and stays there for a month straight?