{"id":21982,"date":"2022-01-14T09:13:08","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T14:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=21982"},"modified":"2022-01-14T09:13:08","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T14:13:08","slug":"snowstorm-of-misinformation-a-consumers-guide-to-shoveling-out-of-ev-falsehoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2022\/01\/14\/snowstorm-of-misinformation-a-consumers-guide-to-shoveling-out-of-ev-falsehoods\/","title":{"rendered":"Snowstorm of Misinformation: A Consumer\u2019s Guide to Shoveling Out of EV Falsehoods"},"content":{"rendered":"
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My Tesla Model Y charging at a public charging station the morning after the recent snowstorm in Virginia.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

EV misinformation has reared its head again, but this time it seems to be stuck spinning its wheels in the snow. You may have seen a recent <\/span>Washington Post<\/span><\/i> editorial<\/span><\/a> that expressed some concern about electric vehicle (EV) performance in cold conditions and falsely claimed that vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) are better. Prompted by a false anti-EV meme that\u2019s been circulating on the internet (about a worried Tesla driver stuck in Virginia\u2019s recent 48-mile snowy traffic jam), the editorial is sadly based on the author\u2019s longtime bias against EVs\u2013rather than on EV facts or science.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be fooled by skepticism towards unfamiliar tech. Electric vehicles not only keep pace with gas-guzzling cars in the snow\u2013in some ways, they\u2019re even better.<\/b><\/p>\n

So, here are some key points for consumers to consider when you\u2019re knee-deep in this type of EV misinformation this winter season (from a car guy who grew up dealing with snowy winters in New England, but now lives in Virginia, and drives an EV\u2026 even in the snow):<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. ICE vehicles are <\/b>just as likely<\/b> to run out of gas as EVs are to run out of charge<\/b> in unforeseen instances like a days-long traffic jam or debilitating weather events. Regardless of whether you drive an EV or ICE vehicle, you can just as easily forget to top off before heading out or, as everyone in that incredibly rare traffic jam experienced, be stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. In fact, in many ways you are less likely to fail to reach a destination in an EV rather than an ICE vehicle. My EV is tuned to carefully monitor its charge level and range in real time. That means it will immediately notify a driver if a destination is outside of your range and recommend a charging location.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. EV battery tech is getting better every year especially in cold weather.<\/b> The \u201cnew\u201d heat pump that the editorial author is suspicious of has actually been in use in Teslas for two years now and it is a proven advantage in cold weather. A cold, dormant EV will have a harder time maximizing the usage of its battery charge because cold temperatures slow down the chemical processes that occur in the batteries. However, the warming of the batteries by either the heat pump or just\u2026 driving the vehicle\u2026 will get the batteries up to temperature and minimize any negative effects of the cold (worth noting: if you hit a traffic jam on the highway, your batteries are probably already warmed up\u2026 because you were just driving on a highway). And if you\u2019re still worried about EV drivers being more likely than ICE vehicles drivers to break down and beg for blankets in the snow, check out this Tesla owner\u2019s actual test of cold weather performance of EVs (as well as his opinion about this same WaPo editorial), <\/span>in this incredible video<\/span><\/a> (TL;DW: his Model X could last 28 hours in those cold conditions at comfortable internal temps and his Model Y could last 36 hours so\u2026 either one could have lasted through that disastrous traffic jam with charge to spare).<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. When infrastructure and grids start to shut down because of climate or other major circumstances, drivers of every type of vehicle suffer.<\/b> That means, you can equally depend upon (or fear for) both an EV or ICE vehicle in the same \u201cextraordinary conditions.\u201d When gas stations run out of gas or lose power, a disabled ICE vehicle is going to have a hard time getting going again. That\u2019s the same for an EV when all charging stations go down or are too scarce. During an event like the one that occurred recently in Virginia, cars were being stranded and abandoned, EV and ICE vehicles alike. When the time came, they were all getting towed away. And it is certainly amazing when AAA Roadside Assistance can show up with a gallon of gas for an ICE, but what about EVs? Well, AAA seems to be testing out an answer to that very situation <\/span>right now in Portland, Oregon<\/span><\/a>. What\u2019s clear is that your vehicle, regardless of what powers it, is only as good as the infrastructure that supports it. Our transportation infrastructure is fundamental to keeping us moving and that is where our focus should be right now. That\u2019s why the investments and initiatives in the currently debated Build Back Better legislation are important\u2013they are only going to strengthen the reliability of current and emerging modes of transportation for everyone. <\/span>BONUS FACT:<\/b> The Build Back Better legislation also includes important support to research and curb climate change so as to hopefully minimize future \u201cextraordinary conditions\u201d before they become\u2026 ordinary.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. My EV handles pretty great in the snow.<\/b> As someone who grew up in New England, I was very accustomed to throwing sandbags in the back of my truck when it was the winter season. My truck-driving buddies and I always had to weigh down our vehicles and help redistribute the weight to combat fishtailing. So, driving around a pretty well-distributed, heavy vehicle like my Tesla is pretty awesome when I know it’s a matter of equally-applied friction that is going to get me to the grocery store to get that gallon of milk or off a highway to get home in the snow. And all those classic winter accessories from snow chains to winter tires\u2026 yeah\u2026 they have those for EVs just like ICE vehicles if you want that extra measure of support.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. The \u201cprice and total cost\u201d of an EV is not the same as an ICE vehicle\u2026 <\/b>it\u2019s better<\/i><\/b>.<\/b> It\u2019s understandable that for several years Teslas were the mark of someone with money to spend. However, that time is quickly melting away. Tesla understands that the only way to truly disrupt the automotive market is to make an affordable EV. That\u2019s why its introduction of the Model 3 and subsequently the Model Y (the vehicle I own) were pivotal. Right now you can purchase a Model 3 for just over $46,000 USD. Other EVs are competitively priced as well. By comparison: a new Chevy Bolt starts at just over $32,000 USD; a new Ford Mach-E starts at around $44,000 USD; and Ford\u2019s newest and very popular EV, the F-150 Lightning starts at just under $42,000 USD. Every one of those price tags are all less than <\/span>what Americans paid for a car last year on average<\/span><\/a>! And if you purchase an EV from an automaker that entered the EV market more recently than Tesla, then you could very well be <\/span>eligible for a discount<\/span><\/a>. However, that\u2019s just the price\u2026 not the \u201ctotal cost.\u201d If you consider two major categories of total cost, it becomes clear that EVs already deliver a massive advantage for consumers:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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