Prior to the Daily Journal’s current poll, one asking this essential question was conducted: Which do you prefer, electric vehicle or gas powered? Given the audience of the paper and the left leaning of the county’s politics in general, the outcome was interesting. The overwhelming majority said they’d prefer keeping their gas powered vehicle. I was included among those who chose that option.
Admittedly, I’m biased because my vehicle is a Toyota. According to guys like Scotty Kilmer, a YouTube car guru, my truck will run for hundreds of thousands of miles with little maintenance other than the occasional oil change, tune-up or brake job.
He’s almost correct. I’m actually on my second radiator. It’s also has a new water pump, timing belt and ‘A’ arms on the front end. None of those broke the bank, however, and my truck still purrs along. So why would I want to take on loan payments and a higher insurance premium for a new vehicle?
Even my wife’s car, which has been less reliable than mine, was worthy of some major outlay recently. Setting aside the EV issue for a moment, I was fine with repairing it because, as I explained to her, once you buy any new vehicle, it comes packed with hundreds of electronic components, each of which could cost more to replace than did the overhaul of her car’s engine.
By 2035, however, California looks to force everyone into EV’s by disallowing the freedom of choice to consumers. Last year, the California Air Resources Board approved a regulation titled, “Advanced Clean Cars II.” It applies a year-by-year tighter squeeze on cars and light trucks so that, by 2035, only zero-emission vehicles will be available for sale on car lots. The regulation comports with and codifies the goals put forward by Governor Newsom in his Executive Order, N-79-20.
What excuse does the governor and the un-elected CARB board have for stealing away our right to choose what kind of vehicle we wish to drive? Of course it is wrapped up in a “zero-emission” package, complete with a “green” bow. But are EV’s zero emission and how “green” are they?
While buyers of EV’s may think they have a zero-emission vehicle, in reality, there is no such thing. Just because a car or light truck doesn’t have a tail pipe does not make it zero-emission. The reality is, emissions are happening but somewhere other than the rear end of the vehicle.
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I can hear the response now: “You’re wrong Grocott. California gets its electricity from wind, solar and hydro. All of its clean.” Aside from that being not wholly true, the argument excludes much of the equation. Mining for the battery materials alone accounts for a huge carbon footprint, followed by the manufacturing and transport of both the battery and completed EV.
If you didn’t see how badly such a transport went recently with a ship on the North Sea, I’m sorry you missed it. The car carrier, “Fremantle Highway,” caught fire and belched huge plumes of black smoke into the atmosphere for days. In transcripts written by first-responders, the source of the fire’s ignition was a lithium-ion battery in one of the 498 EV’s on board, all of which were newly manufactured.
As more and more EV’s are produced, shipment of lithium-ion batteries will pose an ever increasing, serious risk. In the last five years alone, accidents like the one cited above have destroyed 64 car transports. As I’ve outlined previously, (Dog walking and EV’s), when an EV fire starts, suppression crews have little choice but to allow the inferno to burn itself out, despite all hazards, including to the environment.
When it comes to being “green,” the EV score card is truly no better than any other vehicle on the road. Some claim they are worse. When they are shiny and new off the showroom floor, everything seems great. However, down the road, when the battery no longer holds a charge and they need to be disposed of, what then?
Marin County boasts being a leader among California’s 58 counties when it comes to using an EV fleet. Their solution when their EV’s reach end of life service is to sell them at auction, passing on the expense of a new battery to the next owner. Depending on the vehicle, the cost could range from $3,000 to $16,000 for the battery, plus $2,600 for installation and recycling fees. That’s one way to recycle: Let someone else deal with it.
All this is not to say there aren’t issues with vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. No doubt there are. But we who drive them aren’t DUD: driving under the delusion (we’re saving the planet).
A former member of the San Carlos City Council and mayor, Matt Grocott has been involved in political policy on the Peninsula for 17 years. He can be reached by email at mattgrocott@comcast.net.
Thanks for another educational column, Mr. Grocott. A simple search for “problems with EV cars” will give you over 50 million hits. As the lead entry, at least on my search, is a summary: lack of charging infrastructure, range anxiety, charging speeds, affordability, battery degradation, dealing with extreme temperatures, coal and gas power stations, environmental impact of mining…
It’s obvious the virtue signaling from greenies for EV cars is falling flat (as the survey also shows). If this idiotic push to force mandatory purchase of EV cars is found constitutional, there will be plenty of business for auto mechanics. Actually, it might not be a bad idea, if it isn’t already happening, for auto mechanics to join together and buy an auto salvage yard, or two. There are plenty of spare parts in them thar road-unworthy cars. BTW, love the DUD acronym.
Those smugly driving their EVs thinking they are saving the planet also should be aware of the horrible abuse and exploitation of children and adults around the world that is a product of the mining required to produce those batteries. I couldn't sleep at night knowing I contributed to those horrors. But if the law in CA to ban the sale gas powered vehicles in 2035 holds, I plan to but the best gas car I can find in 2034 and hopefully drive it for the rest of my days!
It is wrong to assume all EV drivers are smugly driving around with delusions or virtue signaling. I own an EV and am aware of most of the issues you mentioned. I also am against government mandates for making everyone buy EV's. I like my EV because the lack of tailpipe emissions that I have to breath and smell. After being stuck having to go in to a gas station for decades, I like being able to avoid them and being able to charge at home, which is not that expensive. BTW, I wish people would stop idling their cars forever to warm up in the morning. I don't think this is necessary on gas cars built after like 1985.
Another interesting delusion is people not considering source of the investment in some of the so called “green companies.” Particularly Sovereign Wealth Funds that generate their capital from drilling oil.
For anybody who still runs a real company - that involves diesel 18 wheelers and container ships - get this EV nonsense out of here. Combustion vehicles are 10000X more reliable and cost effective than any weak EV that will inevitably fail when you need it most. When people are trying to limit your choice - you should probably question their intentions as well as the source of information.
Because I am one of those who will not likely get rid of my combustion driven car, I am nonetheless interest in the EV technology. Sometimes I stop by one of those public charging stations and start a conversation with the bored owners. Almost uniformly they are of the opinion that EV charging is a time-consuming pain unless one can do it at home. If not, because one has to rely on a public charging system, and you have to stay with your vehicle in most cases, they regret making the plunge. Reliability is also an issue because of the overload of electronics. And don't even begin to talk about range. Once fully charged the owners are thrilled and seem to have forgotten the hours sitting or standing around. Well, it is not for me, but who am I to tell others what to buy?
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Thanks for another educational column, Mr. Grocott. A simple search for “problems with EV cars” will give you over 50 million hits. As the lead entry, at least on my search, is a summary: lack of charging infrastructure, range anxiety, charging speeds, affordability, battery degradation, dealing with extreme temperatures, coal and gas power stations, environmental impact of mining…
It’s obvious the virtue signaling from greenies for EV cars is falling flat (as the survey also shows). If this idiotic push to force mandatory purchase of EV cars is found constitutional, there will be plenty of business for auto mechanics. Actually, it might not be a bad idea, if it isn’t already happening, for auto mechanics to join together and buy an auto salvage yard, or two. There are plenty of spare parts in them thar road-unworthy cars. BTW, love the DUD acronym.
Those smugly driving their EVs thinking they are saving the planet also should be aware of the horrible abuse and exploitation of children and adults around the world that is a product of the mining required to produce those batteries. I couldn't sleep at night knowing I contributed to those horrors. But if the law in CA to ban the sale gas powered vehicles in 2035 holds, I plan to but the best gas car I can find in 2034 and hopefully drive it for the rest of my days!
It is wrong to assume all EV drivers are smugly driving around with delusions or virtue signaling. I own an EV and am aware of most of the issues you mentioned. I also am against government mandates for making everyone buy EV's. I like my EV because the lack of tailpipe emissions that I have to breath and smell. After being stuck having to go in to a gas station for decades, I like being able to avoid them and being able to charge at home, which is not that expensive. BTW, I wish people would stop idling their cars forever to warm up in the morning. I don't think this is necessary on gas cars built after like 1985.
Another interesting delusion is people not considering source of the investment in some of the so called “green companies.” Particularly Sovereign Wealth Funds that generate their capital from drilling oil.
For anybody who still runs a real company - that involves diesel 18 wheelers and container ships - get this EV nonsense out of here. Combustion vehicles are 10000X more reliable and cost effective than any weak EV that will inevitably fail when you need it most. When people are trying to limit your choice - you should probably question their intentions as well as the source of information.
Because I am one of those who will not likely get rid of my combustion driven car, I am nonetheless interest in the EV technology. Sometimes I stop by one of those public charging stations and start a conversation with the bored owners. Almost uniformly they are of the opinion that EV charging is a time-consuming pain unless one can do it at home. If not, because one has to rely on a public charging system, and you have to stay with your vehicle in most cases, they regret making the plunge. Reliability is also an issue because of the overload of electronics. And don't even begin to talk about range. Once fully charged the owners are thrilled and seem to have forgotten the hours sitting or standing around. Well, it is not for me, but who am I to tell others what to buy?
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