Thinking of Buying an Electric Vehicle? WSJ Readers Weigh the Decision

It’s fun

In January 2020, I woke up one morning and checked to see what sort of inexpensive new cars were available in my area. The first thing that popped up was a brand new 2020 Chevy Bolt. I knew nothing about them other than it was being advertised by a dealer for $23,000. 

My wife and I took a test drive. Just for kicks, I put the pedal of this cheap EV to the floor, and we found our heads snapping back from the acceleration. We went back to the office and bought it right there and then. The absolute most fun car I’ve ever owned. Get in, push a button, and rocket around town without a second thought. Getting stuck in traffic is actually fun because I’ve got the air conditioning blasting and no worries about killing a polar bear. The increase to my home electric bill has been minimal.

Still, I’m not sure I would have been as happy if it was my only vehicle. We also have an internal-combustion-engine vehicle, a Cadillac DTS, which allows us to make high-speed, hyper-comfortable rides to Las Vegas on a whim and without having to map out a complicated recharging strategy. If you have an internal-combustion-engine car as a backup and look around a bit for a deal, EVs make all the sense in the world.

• Nicholas Pace, Palm Springs, Calif.

Is the grid up to it?

While I think that electric cars are a great idea for combating pollution, I have a concern regarding the stability of our electric grid. Electricity must be generated and then distributed. I have a hybrid vehicle and am quite pleased. I recently purchased a home electric generator for the possibility of the failure of the power grid. Now with that concern covered I would consider purchasing an electric vehicle in the future.

• Brett Kettelhut, Omaha, Neb.

Not enough range

I heard that EVs have way less range if it is cold out, and here in Jackson we regularly have days where the temperature never goes above 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Also it is more than 100 miles to the nearest city [Idaho Falls] where normal shopping exists. It means I could not go there and get home, most days in winter.

• Adrienne B. Ward, Jackson, Wyo.

Great in theory

The EV cars are a nice concept. However, until the charging infrastructure is in place and charging times are comparable with filling up at the gas station, it’s a no-go for me. Also, I’m more of a sports-car person and the current lineup of EVs is uninspiring.

Convinced by a cyberattack

I’m in a rural area, solar at home would be a snap. The errand range is 30-70 miles, round trip, I already have a diesel

Volkswagen

as a long-distance hurricane evacuator, I don’t even run heat or AC a lot. I’m looking at the Chevy Bolt, although I’m not looking forward to fighting with salespeople over outrageous markups and dealer hustles for unwanted add-ons. The Colonial Pipeline ransomware cyberattack, with all my neighbors fighting over gas-pump slots for their extended cabs in a panic, convinced me that EV is the way to go. My home solar would charge the car.

• William Buklad, Hudgins, Va.

Inconvenient for travel

I want to be able to travel when I retire. I am 75, so that’s soon (as I tell my wife). I am concerned about being able to conveniently plan a trip that can be modified en route if our preferences change on a whim. Rapid-charge stations remain rare. I will stay with gas for now.

• Steve Worth, Montgomery, Ala.

Maybe in five years

We have considered an electric vehicle to replace our 2012 Lexus SUV. So far, there hasn’t been a vehicle compelling enough to take the dive. We want a full-size SUV, but aren’t going to pay $100,000-plus, and we don’t want to worry about range and a limited service and repair network. I suspect we are five years away from a reasonably priced, large battery-powered SUV. Our Lexus should make it another five years.

• Jeff Maloof, Marietta, Ga.

Hot and cold

We visit a very old friend in northeast Wisconsin who’s in his 80s to check on him every three to four weeks. It’s about 220 miles one way, and we do this year-round whether it’s 80 degrees, 100 degrees or minus 10 degrees. So, with low or high temps, with AC or heater on, an EV range is cut by at least 40% if not 50% from the real range, which is when the charge goes from 90% down to 15%. Unless we hook up a trailer with a 50-gallon propane tank and a 24kW generator, and run a cable to the car, we can’t make it even one way with the best-range EV.

Love the tech

I ordered my

Tesla

in September 2021 and got it about five months later. I have always been fascinated with the technology aspects of the Tesla, but wasn’t sure it was practical yet. The deciding factor was the Colonial Pipeline-related gas shortages in May 2021 when I saw Teslas on the road not having to sit in line waiting for gasoline. My thought was, why not have a backup plan either way? So today I own a Tesla along with my internal-combustion-engine vehicle. It was nice parking the latter vehicle for the Tesla when gas prices soared in 2022, and I like using the internal-combustion vehicle when I take a trip to a rural area where I don’t have to worry about finding a charger. I think for some people purchasing electric is for the environment, but for me it was more about technology and having alternative fuel options.

• Bob Quandt, Franklin, Tenn.

Still waiting

I’m driving a 2016 Honda Pilot with 110,000 miles and looking to buy its replacement. I want a fully electric all-wheel-drive SUV because I appreciate being seated up high, having enough space for family/cargo, and being prepared for nasty weather here in Rhode Island. I have no interest in a hybrid vehicle, as it would have all the maintenance requirements of my current gas-powered vehicle that I can reduce with an EV. Range? It’s 173 miles to Yankee Stadium, so that’s the minimum. In terms of budget, I want to stay below the IRS $80,000 limit to qualify for the available tax credit. The new Mercedes EQB that Dan Neil just reviewed isn’t eligible for that credit because it’s built in Hungary, but I’ll take a test drive if I can find one nearby. Nothing else on the market fits the bill yet, though, so I may hold out a couple more years for the AWD Cadillac, or the VW Buzz, or maybe even the Canoo.

• Zac Pencikowski, Providence, R.I.

Almost ready

Simplicity and efficiency sum up my pro-EV reasons. I will now be able to buy a full-size pickup truck without the cost and guilt of driving a hugely consumptive vehicle. The high initial costs are offset by operation and maintenance savings. Range, charging times and availability/reliability of public chargers are holding me back from pulling the trigger. I am confident these three issues will be significantly reduced in the next five years but I would like to buy one before then, if for no other reason than to keep the momentum going.

• Don Getty, Nashville, Tenn.

High water, cold weather

My first consideration was range. I regularly drive 250-mile trips, and don’t want to be using the very last amp as I pull into the driveway. Two risks trouble me, too. I live in the hurricane zone and wonder about electric cars and high water. The other unknown is cold weather and how much temperature affects battery power. No one writes about that one!

• Lynn Jones, Mandeville, La.

No greener

Cost and practicality are the biggest hurdles to me buying an EV.  Despite Tesla’s recent price cuts, most EVs end up costing $60,000 or more, once options are added.  I usually drive well under 200 miles a week between commuting and weekend errand-running.  While an EV fits this application well, it’s an expensive way to cover basic commuting needs.  The several road trips I take per year would be a compromise between the significant travel time added because of charging stops and the hassle of renting an internal combustion engine car.  Then there’s battery performance in cold weather and battery longevity in general to worry about. The battery is not fully recyclable, and, in Missouri, about 75% of the electricity needed to charge the battery would be generated by coal. All in, an EV probably isn’t any greener than my 2017 Accord V6 and it’s definitely not as convenient.

• Ryan Craig, Kirkwood, Mo.

Perfect for seniors

I have been driving Teslas since 2016, something I never dreamed I would do (I am about to turn 80). I run mine on pure solar power except for road trips. I really like the quiet, the philosophy of mobility on solar power, and the ability to drive it like a gasoline car (the Supercharger network permits this). I am on my second Tesla, and my significant other just bought a Tesla as well. Autopilot and Full Self-Driving are just fabulous driving aids for older people.

• Frank Oliver Clark, Lincoln, Mass.

Fire fears

My biggest concerns are range, length of life of the vehicle and what do you do with the vehicle after the batteries are toast. (Can you replace the batteries at a reasonable cost?) Finally, I do have concerns about fires. I live on the coast. Will corrosion due to salt air take a toll on my vehicle’s battery life?

• Beth Hespe, Barnegat, N.J.

Let me count the negatives

Several key factors why I will not buy an EV at this point: 1) I cannot drive to my vacation home or any other longer-distance trip without having to make one or more “charge-up” stops that adds considerable time and inconvenience; 2) I have several friends that have EVs and they are not very reliable nor built well, often requiring repairs for basic items such as body sections coming apart, bumpers that do not fit correctly, etc.; 3) The trade-off of adding all of these charging stations with more and more cars using them will require more and more fossil fuels to be expended, thus adding to overall pollution and considerably stressing an already stressed electrical grid! I might in the future consider a hybrid once more makes/models come on the market. However, very few hybrids offer any significant or even modest mileage improvement.

I believe we should determine specific situations/environments where electric vehicles can make a positive net difference. This is a small example, but in our vacation development we have mostly switched over to electric golf carts, which have greatly reduced noise and the stink of the gas-powered carts. We need to act on a much broader scale such as changing our habits, driving less, driving smaller (consolidating trips), and producing more efficient gas vehicles (vehicles just keep getting bigger and bigger and we did not learn from past gas crises). I do not have any easy answers, but betting on electric vehicles alone will make matters worse as it scales up!

• Douglas Shurts, Whitehouse, N.J.

Learning curve

I still believe we are in the early stages of EV design and development. Many technologies in the present vehicles are transitional, with something better in the next generation. I am excited to get an EV for all of the reasons you read about. However, waiting one cycle may be more cost-effective and yield a better-quality product as the industry is on the steep part of the learning curve.

• Gregory King, Jamestown, N.C.

A no-brainer pickup

I recently bought a 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. I have been a truck driver since 2012, and an F-150 driver since 2015. Fuel costs for the pickup had become unsustainable, but the utility of it and the room for my family worked well for us. I was holding out for a hybrid truck, but the Lightning got announced and it was a no-brainer for me. I had been interested in electric vehicles for a long time, but with three kids this was the first that worked for our family. Brand affinity for Ford weighed into my decision along with fuel costs. My driving habits were important too. I rarely drive long distances, and when I do, it’s to areas densely populated with fast chargers. The federal tax credit was a major factor too. That helped offset the increased cost of the vehicle and made it similar to the price of a new gas-powered pickup.

• Matthew Van Stone, Wapwallopen, Pa.

Green? hardly.

It’s utterly impossible to generate and store enough green energy to support a massive influx of electric vehicles, until nuclear power plants are online to replace fossil fuels. I’m dissuaded by the environmental destruction caused by mining megatons of lithium, nickel, and rare-earth elements required to manufacture sufficient batteries both for the vehicles and the wind and solar backup. The traffic jams that would be caused by waiting lines at slow and insufficient charging stations, which will never be built in sufficient quantities in required locations. The cost and environmental damage of a total rebuild of electrical transmission lines both national and local to support the charging requirements of a massive switch to electric vehicles.

• William Maddox, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Too soon

I have been considering an electric car for the past year. While I am happy with the many options now available to me, it feels like every month, a new vehicle or technology is released that makes me hesitate to pull the trigger. Now I fear that a radical change will occur the week after I buy my electric car, allowing 1,000-plus miles or something like that.

• Jett Pine, Evanston, Ill. 

A great second car

We replaced my wife’s car with a Tesla Model 3 two years ago. We love it as a second car. As septuagenarians we bought it so we could stay relevant and on top of technology. It’s great fun to drive. We use our hybrid SUV for long trips so that we don’t experience “range anxiety,” but the Tesla gets used more and more. Charging the car at home, we have never had to visit a charging station and we haven’t needed any maintenance. Best feature for a retired old guy? I get to watch TV on the dashboard in the parking lot while my wife shops. “Take your time, dear, my

Netflix

episode isn’t over yet.”

• Stan Kaslusky, Palmyra, Va.

Ms. Gallegos is a news editor for The Wall Street Journal in New York. She can be reached at [email protected].