The development of fully electric cars is continuing at breakneck speed and few would now doubt them as the impending replacement of the internal combustion engine cars. Electric cars are now nothing like the poor showings of the first generation of the Nissan Leaf just ten years ago.
Emerging they may be, but that doesn't mean that they've completely trumped traditional vehicles just yet. There remain a variety of reasons why not to buy a fully electric car. Here are ten 10 ways EVs remain inferior to ICEs.
10 Lingering Range Anxiety
Not everyone can afford a high-end electric vehicle like a Tesla or a Lucid Air (which come with impressive ranges). Many of the more affordable electric cars still come will a short range.
For sure range anxiety is easing year by year, but as of now if one is looking to do longer trips off the beaten track, range will continue to be a major source of concern.
9 High Up-Front Costs
While we may be reaching the much-vaunted tipping point where the total lifecycle cost of an EV is actually less than a combustion engine, we remain far off from when the upfront costs of actually purchasing the vehicle balance out.
EVs are expensive, while they may be much cheaper to maintain, most folks just don't have that sort of money just lying around in the bank. To entice more people to buy them, the price needs to continue to fall further.
8 Rare Earth Metals
The power source of combustion engines is far from ideal, as oil is often coming from troubled regions of the world. But the rare earth metals in battery packs are also acutely bad, sometimes coming from even worse places in the world.
EVs use lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Cobalt is possibly the worst, with much of the world's production coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo with is very unstable.
7 Charging Times
Yes, the Superchargers can replenish around 80% of the charge in a battery now in as little as 20 minutes. But still, that is not 100% and not as quick as refueling with gasoline.
Plus, often it's the higher models that are quoted, and many people can't afford those. Additionally, if you charge your car at home, you are unlikely to have a supercharger.
6 Cost Of The Powertrain
The problem with the cost of an electric vehicle is its powertrain. For a normal internal combustion engine, the cost of the powertrain is only around 18% of the overall cost of the vehicle, but on an EV that rises to 51%.
51% is massive, and in order to make EVs more affordable in the future, the cost of the powertrain must come down by quite a lot.
5 Depreciation And Battery Life
EVs are facing fast depreciation. Most of the cost of the vehicle of the electrical vehicle is in the battery. But the battery doesn't last forever.
Batteries degrade, and they tend to degrade faster than their combustion engine counterparts. The lifespan of a car battery is around 10 years, much less than an engine.
4 Extreme Temperature
If you have ever left your phone in the direct sun or had your phone outside on a particularly cold day, you may have noticed your phone switch off or the battery suddenly drains.
The lithium-ion battery in the car is a little different. While it may be shielded from the direct sun, the extreme cold weather will significantly adversely affect the short-term performance of your battery.
3 Fast Pace Of Development
The very fact that EVs are developing so fast is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, new tech is great. On the other hand, your brand-new, cutting-edge EV is likely to be obsolete in just a few years.
Consequently, it may be difficult to offload and sell your old EV as by as there will be so many better models coming on the market. Unlike combustion engine vehicles whose technology is mature.
2 Lack Of Charging Infrastructure
It is true that the likes of Electrify American and Tesla's Superchargers are sprouting up all over the place. But at the same time, this charging infrastructure still has a long way to go before it is servicing the nation like gas stations are.
Ten years from now charging infrastructure is likely to be abundant everywhere, but for now, it remains lacking.
1 Lack Of Variety
This last point is probably the one that is likely to be overcome the soonest. At the start of 2021, there were few, if any, electric pickup trucks, sports cars, or full-sized SUVs available. By the end of 2022, there will be dozens, with many more on the way.
However, if you want to buy a new EV right now, your choices will still be limited.
In summary, EVs have come a long way, but at the same time, there is a long way for them to go before being comprehensively better than combustion engine cars.