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To those thinking electric vehicles (EV) are the future…think again. There are significant shortcomings to EV’s. Low mileage between charges…long charging times…the search for charging stations…high expense at initial purchase…huge expense when the battery has to be replaced…fossil fuel demand to generate all that electricity.
Some of that will improve as battery technology advances, but much of the world outside the United States is looking for better options.
Germany already has trains that run on green hydrogen. European car makers are developing hydrogen cars. AirBus and Rolls Royce are researching hydrogen as the power source for future aircraft. Rolls Royce makes the AirBus jet engines.
Universal Hydrogen is a California company that has already successfully flown turboprop passenger planes powered by green hydrogen. This represents great potential for the airline industry, one of the dirtiest when it comes to emitting greenhouse gasses. As yet electric planes are only a dream. There have been experimental flights on a small plane. Because of the heavy weight of commercial airliners, battery power is currently not practical.
To be sure, green hydrogen power is still in its infancy and most applications are still experimental. There are some bugs to be worked out. For example, hydrogen cars are noisy. But a hydrogen car can go up to 900 miles on one supply of hydrogen. The only exhaust from hydrogen cars is water out the tailpipe. The supply of hydrogen is unlimited, through the electrolysis of water, and the process generates no polluting emissions.
The EV’s are popular with some car buyers, but the drawbacks are significant. Most EV’s only get 300 or so miles before they need recharging. Recharging stations are being built across the country, but it still takes some searching and going out of the way to find one. Then if you need a full recharge you can be sitting and waiting for hours. Not a good alternative for drivers on cross country trips.
I drive between Florida and Dallas, Texas, on occasion. It’s about 1,200 miles and about 22 hours of driving time. It’s a two-day trip in my SUV, considering an overnight hotel stop. For an EV I calculated that trip would take a least three days, accounting for four recharging stops, each lasting several hours.
An EV might make sense if you only do short trips around town (think post office delivery vehicles). But don’t count on them for that family vacation road trip, especially if you’re towing a boat or a camper.
Then there is the expense of the batteries. They add significantly to the up-front cost of the car. And some research shows the life of an EV battery is less than 100,000 miles. When it comes time to replace the battery be prepared for sticker shock. The prices range from about $27,000 to over $30,000. Is it worth keeping the car at that point?
Many people today drive their cars well over 100,000 miles before they consider a trade-in, and at that point their gas-powered car still has trade-in value. What is the trade-in value for an EV with a dead battery? Are we looking at disposable cars?
Billions have already been invested in the electric vehicle industry. The Biden administration is all in on EV’s. But green hydrogen is still in its infancy. It will only get better. In my opinion the United States is betting on the wrong horse.
EV's, Are They The Wrong Horse?
Wow!This article is so off-base. Maybe you should write from experience or at least consult someone who has an electric car.