EV Right Wing freak out currently (California)

[Johnny2X2X]

Across the inter webs right now, and on FOX News, you're seeing Cons freak out over California adopting a policy of no new internal combustion engine vehicle sales by 2035. As if that's some how radical. It's not even a little bit progressive considering Mercedes, GM, FORD, VW, and most other major manufacturers have plans to stop producing ICE vehicles by 2035.

I've found providing links to major automakers pledges to stop making ICE vehicles b 2035 completely shuts the critics down.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/business/gm-zero-emission-vehicles.html#:~:text=General%20Motors%20said%20Thursday%20that,trucks%20and%20sport%20utility%20vehicles.

California is not doing anything radical, they're simply making rules based on where the industry is going to be at in 2035. Nationwide, you're going to have trouble finding new ICE vehicles to buy in 2035.

And grid infrastructure will need to be upgraded, but know that most charging will occur in off peak times in people's garages. And the huge infrastructure deal that just passed is going to do a lot to meet the grid demands of the US moving to an All EV vehicle fleet over the next couple decades.

And California just had the most severe heat wave in history and their grid didn't go down. And they didn't mandate no charging of EVs, they simply requested people not do it for a couple hours of peak time along with people turning the ACs to 78. We have 13 years to improve the grid enough to support a transition to all EVs.

[Turbineguy]

1. What worries the right wing

is that there will need to be some progress instead of coal fired steam cars before this becomes a reality.

[Johnny2X2X]

3. Not just RWers

There are many posts here saying our EV goals won't work because of the grid.

We have 13 years before the manufacturers stop making ICE vehicles. And even at that point it's not like used ICE vehicles won't be on the road for many more years. This is a gradual transition. The power grids are being upgraded, but what's also lost on many people is that the vast majority of charging will be in off peak hours at night. California has well over 1 million EVs on the road and just had temps over 110 degrees for a week over much of the state and the grid held up just fine.

[Turbineguy]

5. Upgrading the electrical grid,

finding more water.

Lot's of opportunities for problem solvers.

[ripcord]

8. Except for the fact that they asked people not to charge their EVs

When you announce the ban on ICE sales one week and then tell people the grid is going to be overloaded and not to charge their vehicles the next week of course people are going to be skeptical.

[Liberal In Texas]

11. And the thing is, EVs really don't use that much electricity.

About as much as running a hair dryer.

Since I bought a PHEV and charge it all the time, we haven't noticed any change in our electric bill.

One of the things I wish the car makers would do is to start to put solar panels on the roofs of the EVs so they can charge up some when parked for like 8 hours when someone is in an office working.

[Unwind Your Mind]

12. Except it was only for a five hour window

Easy enough to plug in after that time. In fact, we proved ourselves willing to be helpful. Last Tuesday the state sent an emergency alert to reduce power. We all ran around and shut things off, resulting in a significant reduction in a short time.

We are pitch in and do our part types here

[ripcord]

14. It is about the optics

I'm honestly not sure we will be able to meet the requirements of so many EVs along with the increased temps that will continue. Parts of California that haven't experienced really high temps before now are using a metric buttload of power to stay cool in the face of the new reality.

[Unwind Your Mind]

16. I don't see it that way

I see progress being made in many areas. New heating and cooling systems that use less energy are just one example. This is a time for action, worrying about optics is a waste of energy 😉

[Johnny2X2X]

18. The tax credits for energy efficient homes are a huge deal too

As soon as they are available I will be adding insulation to my home. That increased efficiency alone for me would more than make up for the increased use of adding an EV to my garage.

Biden has taken a very holistic approach to this. The plans are smart, and they are time phased. California is not doing anything radical, they're just following where the auto industry has said they're going. I don't get the negativity around CA's plans going out 13 years. As if we didn't just pass a massive bipartisan infrastructure bill to improve the grid.

[Johnny2X2X]

15. It was an insane heat wave

And they asked people refrain during a few peak hours, probably most people didn't even comply. It was a request, not a mandate.

And banning ICE sales is not really a right description. It's more like, following what the manufacturers will have available for sale in 2035. We're talking 13 years, and then even after 2035 people will still be buying used ICE vehicles or even importing new ICE vehicles from other states if they are even available for sale there.

If the grid wasn't going to be able to handle it, do people think the car makers would be phasing out ICE vehicle production altogether? They're investing everything in EVs, they know the grid will support it when needed.

What's going to be interesting to see though is what happens to gas stations in 2040 or so. There will be a much smaller need for them. And they aren't going to be replaced by EV charging stations as the vast majority of charging is going to occur off peak hours at night in people's garages. And yes, parking garages in cities and even street parking spots are going to have outlets at them to charge your vehicle if that's where you park it over night.

[Gore1FL]

31. They asked them not to charge them during peak hours.

My electric company does that for my air conditioner.

We absolutely need to upgrade the grid and add green capacity, but Californians could charge their EV's overnight without issue during the heat wave with the existing infrastructure.

[Wounded Bear]

2. K & R...nt

[TheBlackAdder]

4. In the early 1900s, Horse farms & Carriage companies filed lawsuits to stop Horseless vehicles. 🤣

.

Just kidding, but this is the level of lunacy they have reached.

.

[Johnny2X2X]

6. They filed suit against seatbelts

The automakers said seatbelts were government over reach and they shouldn't be required to install them.

At least this time the automakers are leading the change. It's the most exciting time in a 100 years to be an engineer in automotive. There are millions of engineers globally designing and improving the new technology. When you look at how far EVs have come in just the last 15 years, the next 15 years are going to be even more exciting and innovative. Average range by 2035 is going to be 250 miles. Peak range will be 1000 or more miles. You're going to get to a point eventually where you only charge your EV once a month, and then once every few months.

The ball is rolling quickly on this technology. And the US's massive investments under Obama into the technology are a big reason.

It's incumbent on the industry and its supporters to dispel EV myths. Even here I read myths often, for instance I've read here that battery life is very short and replacement is $30K. Battery life is 21-35 years and replacement is $10-13K.

[usonian]

7. The sun rose this morning. RW'ers are freaking out.

It's their "job" to do so.

Let's see their gratitude journals.

NOT

[Liberal In Texas]

9. Same people that will only buy and use incandescent light bulbs.

They're a backwards lot.

[tinrobot]

10. Those big EV batteries will actually help with the power grid.

The new F150 Lightning and a few other new EVs can use the battery to power the house. If there's a power shortage, those homes could take themselves off the grid to save power.

Or, just like with solar, they could even feed it back to the grid. I believe Tesla is currently doing a trial where they pay owners to sell electricity back to the power companies during peak usage times.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

13. Our grid barely survived this heat wave and we received phone alerts

urging people to reduce their power usage to prevent rolling blackouts. Those alerts did seem to help, and blackouts were averted.

But we will need to make upgrades as the transition to electric cars accelerates.

[bif]

17. Currently? Pun intended?

[moose65]

19. It's amazing

I've seen a few things posted on Facebook. People are saying that California is going to "force" people to buy EVs. I've even seen some comments on here, saying basically the same thing. Not true at all.

Yeah, I've tried to reply by saying something like, "Yeah, I am sure the buggy and whip manufacturers warned people about those horseless carriages, too."

Who knows what will be available to us in 13 years?

[Johnny2X2X]

20. It is amazing

How universal EV criticisms have become is amazing. No matter what forum you're on, even here, you'll hear the same myths over and over while people ignore the reality of EVs and the reality of what is being done to support them in the future.

It's really an incredibly effective propaganda campaign funded by the oil and gas industry. It's being fed by naturally occurring resistance to change, but it's just remarkable how it's taken on a life of its own. Everything from price, to range, to service, to reliabilty has myths associated with them.

[DBoon]

21. I've noticed that too

The only thing I haven't heard yet is that EVs cause cancer. Maybe that's next.

[Johnny2X2X]

22. On another website

I had someone arguing batteries cost $30K to replace and need to be replaced on average every 6 to 7 years. And everyone was agreeing with that poster. When I provided actually evidence that battery life is 20+ years and costs $10-13K it was dismissed and everyone just kept repeating the $30K every 6 to 7 years without a shred of sourcing.

And price too, everyone just keeps repeating $65K for a new EV factoid, when there are a ton of options under $35K and the price is coming down all the time. Heck, my friend just bought a used Tesla for $40K and it's amazing.

[Happy Hoosier]

23. Remember when wingers were buying incandescent lightbulbs by the case?

Always remember that they are regressive idiots. It's up to people like us to look beyond our noses and press forward. We will sometimes be wrong. Then we correct, and press ahead again.

[Johnny2X2X]

25. And that was also around myths

Myths that even had me for a bit. LED lights give a different color and aren't as bright etc. etc. When LEDs were being made in every sort of hue of white that incandescent bulbs were in. Soft white, warm white etc. etc. and are in fact brighter.

All LEDs do is last 10 times longer or more and use 7 times less energy. They're more durable, safer, and even healthier for the eyes. They're better in every conceivable way, yet there's a decent chance someone responds to this comment about how they hate LEDs.

LEDs are everywhere, every business, office, and factory uses them exclusively because they save so much money. If you're ever in any building outside your own home you're seeing with LEDs and don't even know it.

EVs are still an emerging technology, but they're superior to ICEs in most ways already and are well on their way to being superior than ICEs in every conceivable way within the next decade. Performance already crushes ICEs. Safety is better. They are simpler and on their way to being more reliable, less moving parts. And yes, they'll be cheaper soon too as it takes less hours of labor to build them. Range is going up almost exponentially and we're going to get to a spot eventually where you're charging your car about as often as you change the oil on an ICE vehicle. It will eventually be 3000 miles a charge.

[moose65]

26. That was ridiculous

I love LED lights. Longer lasting, cheaper to power, and they can be set to a million colors. I have LED strip lights on my deck and can change them to fit the season. No more putting up Christmas lights like Clark Griswold!

[PufPuf23]

24. Good for California (and the ban is not until 2035)

Happy to be a native of and current resident of California (though can only afford now as own home and live rural near my hometown. Currently drive a 2017 Jeep Patriot, bought in 2017 and considered my last vehicle.

Before saw effective date of 2035, my first thought was that California was destined to have the most and best conditioned classic gasoline powered cars (like Cuba only 21st century) on Planet Earth. Rural California is much different economically and socially (and politically) than urban California. But there are many liberal and progressive rural California residents.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

27. I want enough solar panels to make up for the next guy not having any.

[Captain Zero]

28. Should bring down jet fuel prices and

Make flying cheaper.
My guess.

[Ron Green]

29. Well, flying (especially trips shorter than about 400 miles)

ought to be phased out and replaced with rapid rail travel. The subsidy for commercial air travel has gone on too long and has brought us to this unsustainable state.

[unc70]

32. Rapid rail and electric airplanes

Electric planes for "short" flights will be at AA, UA, et al in the next 4-5 years.

[Initech]

30. Eh let 'em freak out.

These same idiots think that children’s cartoon characters are grooming kids to be sexual predators. I wouldn’t read too much into it.

I think it’s great personally. The less we rely on fossil fuels the better!