Replacing your fossil car with an electric car is a big step for many car buyers. No longer having to refuel at the garage without charging at home or in the garage is a change that may feel a little daunting. And at a higher level there are also massive forces that want to delay the introduction of electric cars.
All this means that myths and misconceptions about electric cars are born, which in some cases may have been true several years ago, but where many of them really are not true now.
1. It’s too expensive – a fossil car is cheaper!
Yes, purchasing a fossil car may well be cheaper than an electric car. But in the long run it is often much cheaper with an electric car. The problem is that many car buyers choose a car based on the purchase price and they do not look at the total cost of ownership, including the depreciation of value.
If, after all, an electric car is twice as expensive as a fossil car, it also means twice as much cash on a car loan. Then it feels tempting to buy a fossil car. But consider if you want to lease an electric car instead. Then no cash contribution is needed.
2. The range is too short …
In addition to the economy, the range question is probably what the electric car speculators are most discouraged about.
As the battery develops, the range becomes longer all the time. Several electric cars, such as the Tesla Model S and Renault Zoe, are also available with several battery sizes to suit different buyers and wallets.
Think about how often you actually drive more than the electric car can do in a day. Here it may happen that you have to think about your everyday life a little – do not turn upside down on it completely, and do not ignore going to cases because the range is too short. But you might be able to recharge while shopping in the mall or at work? The advantage is that you go quiet, climate-smart and comfortable.
After all, if you have to go longer, it is also possible. You just need to plan your charging a little. And Tesla’s fast charger network is great for long trips. Of course you can also go out in Europe on a long journey but instead of peaking the car on the autobahn maybe you can take it at a slower pace and load in small towns?
If you show people Supercharger map or Chargemap, people tend to become silent, as they are so many.
In some countries, it is easier to find an electrical outlet than a gas station.
3.The range gets even shorter in winter
Here, the views differ. Some people do not think the range in winter is that much shorter than in summer, while others do not agree at all.
“During the winter, our 15 miles is halved, which I think is pretty bad. Sometimes we turn off the heat and sit and shudder just to make sure we arrive,” one reader writes.
“You can explain that it is possible to drive 30 km without any problem in 20 minus degrees. Preheating is superb and chargers are available all the way up to the mountains,” another writes.
The average range in winter can be just over 30 percent shorter than in summer. The interior heating also consumes energy and in the severe cold, even the batteries are heated to keep them warm.
The most important thing is to preheat the car’s batteries and compartment before driving. Then the range is greatly extended
4. The batteries do more harm to the environment than a fossil car
This is an old myth that is not true.
One report which has been highly criticized showed that it can take many years for the electric car to “drive in” the emissions that occur when the batteries are manufactured.
In short, it can be said that the study does not take into account the fact that the fossil car must also be manufactured, which requires a lot of emissions, and that all values assumed are taken from what it is today, or several years ago. It does not take into account what is happening now with, for example, climate-smart factories and renewable electricity. And above all, a lot of energy is extremely clean – much cleaner than in the study.
Then we must remember that an electric car always has the potential to be even better, for example by refining production, using fewer metals in the batteries and by phasing out the old coal-fired power plants. That advantage a fossil car doesn’t. They will not be that much more efficient than today and above all, the production of fuel will not be better than today. A new fossil car manufactured today will contribute to air polution and hazardous working conditions in the production of oil for many people throughout their lifespan.
According to this study, an electric car emits significantly less during its service life than the corresponding petrol car. And the difference is increasing: electric cars are getting cleaner and cleaner. It takes about one and a half years for an electric car driver to “catch up” to a gasoline driver when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions.
5. They lose a lot of value and the battery capacity decreases already after two years
No, electric cars do not lose their value that quickly. The battery warranty that most electric cars come with does a lot for the secondary value. There will still be some decrease in value for an electric car, but it may make you keep the car a little longer. It is more climate-smart, and with updates, via the internet (like at Tesla, and hopefully also with other car manufacturers soon) it can feel quite modern to drive in a several-year-old car.
No one knows for sure how second-hand value will develop for electric cars, but it could very well be even more uncertain for fossil cars.
6. The government will recover lost fuel tax on a new electricity tax when enough people switch to electric cars
Well, that’s not very likely. Taxing electric cars high is probably the last thing politicians want to do. Quite the contrary: car owners who have a petrol or diesel car can receive higher taxes to speed up the changeover. When you charge your electric car, it will usually not be free – it provides tax revenue. When countries in the European Union lowers emissions, the risk for individual countries paying EU fines for dirty air is also reduced.
Air pollution costs billions of dollars and contributes to thousands of deaths each year. When the conversion to electric power is started early, they reduce costs. But there are ongoing investigations into introducing a kilometer tax – then you only pay for what you drive.
7. There is no electric car to suit my needs
Maybe not a few years ago, but now there are quite a few electric cars for different needs, and above all, charging hybrids are available in a great many designs. Here it is also a place to check your needs. “I must have a four-wheel-drive coupé,” someone might say. Why?
Many car buyers choose a car based on a few trips that are only done a few times a year. A mountain trip means that many people drive a four-wheel-drive combination with a towbar all year – even when they are sitting in the car on their way to work, which they do much more often than they go on a mountain trip.
The solution is to buy an electric car for the driving you usually do, and then rent a larger car when and if needed.
8. There is nowhere to charge
Yes, there is. Take a look at sites that show all the charging stations in a charger map. However, the chargers may not always be as well distributed. An issue is that many charging stations also have only a standard 220-volt outlet.
9. An electric car is slow and boring to drive
This myth actually lives on even though Tesla released both the Ludicrous update and the new P100D models that drive the cars crazy fast, and after the presentation of the super-fast Tesla Roadster. And the Porsche Taycan.
Although some electric cars are not as fast, an electric car provides instant energy and torque from a standstill. No internal combustion engine that needs to be turned up and no gearbox that has to do its thing. Many who have never driven an electric car tend to be impressed by the acceleration when they are allowed to test themselves.
10. It is too difficult to install the charging socket at home
If you have your own garage it is not at all complicated. With a charging outlet you do not have to worry about the electric car damaging the electrical system. If you live in an apartment it can be a little more complicated but it is definitely not impossible. Many housing associations and landlords know that there is a lot of talk about electric cars. And there are several companies that specialize in offering package solutions for associations that want to upgrade their garage.
11. The batteries are manufactured in an irresponsible way – therefore a petrol car is better
There are not only benefits of electric cars. The batteries require rare earth metals found in few places, where workers work under extremely dangerous conditions and where there is also child labor.
There is a certain truth behind this, according to a report from Amnesty. Some car manufacturers take the problems seriously, while others, like Renault, don’t do much at all.
But there is still a lot of work going on to solve the problems – and they might not be highlighted in the same way if the electric cars did not start to become popular.
• Firstly, car manufacturers are working on new battery technology that will reduce the need for rare earth metals.
• Second, reports such as the one from Amnesty make the problems come to the surface.
• Third, car manufacturers have now started a collaboration to produce batteries in a more responsible manner.
Fourth, fossil cars are hardly exempt from this type of problem. The production of gasoline and diesel has caused a huge amount of conflicts and created a lot of human suffering. These are problems that have not yet been solved, over 100 years after the petrol cars began to be manufactured. For electric cars, there is actually the potential to solve these problems.
