I recently had the opportunity to meet with a local freelance writer because of his interest in my electric car. He wanted to get a feel for the vehicle as a contrast to the only other electric vehicle he'd driven, the Tesla S. I loaned the vehicle to him for a while and when he returned it, his comments about the car were of interest to me and lead me to some new thoughts.
These experiences led me to realize just how different the electric vehicle is from the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. It's not merely the vehicle, but the infrastructure and habits of people who were raised with these ideals. I did not think that I would have a shift in my thinking about how to drive, but that anyone who changes to over to driving electric will need to make this change.
So to explain what I mean, I have created some bullet points below. These points will make note of the current way of thinking and the new way of thinking with an electric vehicle.
(1) Fueling
Traditional: Drive until empty, then refuel
Electric: Refuel at every opportunity
If you like exclusivity and convenient parking, buy an electric vehicle. Many businesses are installing charging stations in spaces that are as convenient if not more so than handicapped parking. And expect to do so wherever you go. You should expect to be topped off at the start of every leg of your trip.
(2) Range
Traditional: Unless driving out of town, you never think about the range
Electric: Every time you drive, you consider the distance and whether there is a charging station at your destination
Electric vehicle owners are much more conscious of the refueling points and distances that they travel. However, people who are renting an electric vehicle for the first time, although they are aware of the difference in the drive of the vehicle, are not always aware of the range until they're down to 2 miles remaining.
(3) Speed
Traditional: You ride the line of the speed limit on every road traveled.
Electric: You are acutely aware of your speed on freeways, rarely on surface streets.
It's somewhat common knowledge that ICEs perform well at constant speed. And so, gasoline and diesel cars tend to get better mileage on freeways. Electric motors have no performance degradation when required to change speeds constantly, but at very high speeds use a great deal more energy. It's also true that ICEs use a lot of energy at high speeds. And the difference in fuel reserve between electric and petroleum is apparent when this comparison is made.
(4) Cost
Traditional: You are acutely aware of the cost of fueling and maintaining your vehicle
Electric: You are proudly aware of the lack of the cost of fueling and maintaining you vehicle.
And here is the final point, people buy EVs for the cost savings.. The cost of fueling and maintaining an electric car is almost nil by comparison to a traditional vehicle. The monetary costs involved in traditional vehicles have shifted to things that you can control in electric vehicles. With gasoline and diesel you must pay the market price. With electricity, you can pay the market price or install solar and set your own rate.
Traditional vehicles require maintenance, this is still true for electric, but with about 1/10th of the involvement. EV owners really only think about brakes and tires, and less often than owners of traditional vehicles, because of typically lower speeds and less braking (due to braking regeneration).
Conclusion
The change of perspective that an EV owner will have is distinct. It is obvious, but not usually until after driving the EV for some time. It's not bad, it's just different. Not everyone is ready for the change and they must come on their own terms and their own time.
Meanwhile I'll be silently cruising down the road, nearly topped off, looking for my next exclusive parking space, that will refuel my car. ;-)
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