How Car Enthusiasts Are Adapting to Electric Vehicles

Just for the heck of it – what else is a motoring journalist going to do with their time? – we typed “Electric cars – yes or no?” into a Google search to see what the consensus seems to be on the wisdom of switching to electric.

Judging by the internet – and let’s be clear here: never base your opinions on what the internet is saying – it seems as though public opinion is still in the “no” category. But that’s not what some of the biggest automotive voices are saying, with John Hennessey, Joe Rogan, and Jay Leno all making the switch and adding a Tesla to their fleet.

This is a pity, as there are several very good reasons to consider at least opening yourself to the realm of possibility that electric vehicles are not a challenge to your masculinity or your standing in society. We explored a few…

They’re Great As A Daily Driver

Calm down, calm down: No one is suggesting you replace your gas models and switch over completely to electric. However, some families are finding it makes sense to have an electric vehicle like the Tesla Model Y as their daily driver, especially if said vehicle faces a lot of stop-and-go traffic.

The WSJ reports that, with a few exceptions, most Americans are spending longer in traffic than before as commuting times increase. According to Axios, the average travel time in a city center for a car driver is 11.6 minutes (per six miles). New York was the worst of the lot at 24 minutes, while Oklahoma City was best, at just 8.4 minutes average.

Even the most die-hard ICE fans will begrudgingly admit there are some serious advantages to commuting to work in an EV. This is where electricity excels, after all. The stop-and-go mayhem that is peak hour traffic produces far more wear and tear on an ICE than it does on an EV. Regenerative braking and engine-free idling? Yes please.

There are many reasons why EVs are great in traffic.

• Instant pull-away You know the story: Electric motors have maximum torque available to them at zero rpm, providing instant pull-away from standstill. This makes EVs fun to drive and leaves internal combustion vehicle drivers sitting with their mouths wide open when you pull away from them.
• Possibility to use 100% renewable energy While working from home, you can charge your EV from solar energy during the day.
• Low maintenance With an average of 20 moving parts, EVs are much more reliable and far cheaper to maintain compared to the 2,000 parts in an internal combustion engine vehicle.
• Single pedal driving Regenerative braking – when you lift your foot off the accelerator, the vehicle eventually comes to a complete stop. Single pedal driving is convenient in traffic and saves brake pads.
• No tailpipe emissions EVs have zero tailpipe emissions. Say no more. Keep in mind that the overall car is not emissions-free. Mining the minerals required to build a Hyundai Ioniq 5’s battery is a dirty business.
• Saves you time Granted, charging time versus filling up time, the EV is slower. But it takes a few seconds to plug in your EV when you get home, and then you can walk away, leaving it to charge overnight. Filling up at the gas station takes a lot longer.
• Regenerate energy on downhills What you may not have known is that an EV uses the potential energy that is created by driving down hills to charge its battery pack while simultaneously braking.
• Kind to the environment Running an EV is kind to the environment as, at the very least, it avoids engine and gearbox oils.
• Saves on fuel running costs Even if you’re using grid power to charge, the electricity cost of charging is still approximately a quarter of the cost of gas.

It’s the Lease You Can Do

The fear for anyone buying any cutting-edge electronic item these days is no sooner have you got the device home, you’ll almost immediately scroll through your phone and discover that they’re already working on a newer model or, that it’s already no longer the most up to date.

The same can be true of vehicles, which – let’s face it – are almost more electronic than they are mechanical. One of the biggest advantages of leasing then, is that you can return the leased vehicle at the end of your deal and upgrade to the very latest tech. That’s not quite so easy to do if you bought it.

A second advantage is that you could qualify for tax credits, even though you don’t own the vehicle. This isn’t guaranteed, mind you, but it’s worth asking about because some on the ball leasing companies do include this into your deal. And leases are getting extremely cheap. Fiat’s strategy for the 500e is leasing, which works out at $199 per month.

Related

The How-To Guide Of Leasing A Car In The US

If you’re not looking to put down big bucks to buy, leasing a car is a great option

How frustrating is it when something breaks/stops working in the days or month after the warranty expires? Another advantage of leasing is that this is unlikely to be your problem. With most leasing contracts being just two to three years, chances are slim you’ll have these sorts of issues. If something stops working, take it back and get a replacement at no charge.

There’s also an outside chance that you could end up making a small profit from your leasing deal. If your vehicle depreciates in the standard way over the two to three years, its expected value (which is estimated and set at the start of the lease) will decrease. That’s standard.

If, however, its actual value goes up, you could offer to buy the vehicle (check the buyout clause in your contract) and then resell the vehicle at the higher valued price, thus earning yourself a small profit. Consider it a reward for looking after a leased vehicle so well. Granted, this isn’t common, but it’s worth considering if the situation arises.

They Can Be Fun

One of the major criticisms EVs get from gearheads is that electric vehicles “just aren’t fun.” In truth though, most of this criticism comes from people who simply don’t like the idea of electric vehicles and have certainly not sat inside one. The truth is somewhat different and many who give it a go are instantly converted.

Yes, there’s the lack of noise, the lack of torque ‘jerks’, stick-shift changes are gone and vibrations are gone. And if you consider those things fun, then yes, some fun is gone.

But you know what is fun? Instant torque. In fact, once you’ve experienced it, it’s very hard to go back. This is because electric motors have torque instantly – some compare the feeling to being on a roller-coaster. Internal combustion engines, on the other hand, need to build revs, and so there is always a slight lag as they go through the gears. EVs have also made horsepower more affordable. A Tesla Model 3 Performance goes from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, while the Model S and X Plaid are the only 1,000-hp cars you can buy for less than $100,000.

And EVs are smooth. How smooth? Well compare triple distilled whiskey versus that concoction your neighbor once tried to make in his garage. That’s the difference.

Related

The Unsung Hero Of 2024 Was An American-Made EV

Internal combustion purists beware, a domestic EV shone brightest on the American car market last year.

They Save You From Putting Miles On Your Gas Car Collection

For those who have both and feel the pinch from driving your gas-guzzling beauty around for errands, you know the feeling. Your special vehicle is more suited to cruising along a coastal road with the wind in your hair or on a track where you can fully explore what they offer. An electric vehicle, however, is much more suited to everyday chores.

Keep your gas guzzler, classic sports car or muscle car for the weekend, reducing wear and tear.

High-Profile Enthusiasts Are Making The Switch

Of course, these days, facts can be discounted as mere window dressing, so if you really want to win over the populace, you need a few celebrities to weigh in, backing up your opinion. Luckily, there’s no shortage and in the case of EVs, even a few previously reluctant purchasers have been called over to what they previously considered ‘the dark side’.

Joe Rogan recently took ownership of a newly revamped Tesla Model S and has had great things to say on his platform. A recent convert, it was only when Tesla CEO Elon Musk sat him down for a chat that he changed his tune, and he’s now said to be particularly impressed by the pure acceleration and tech.

Related

Joe Rogan’s Car Collection Proves He Is A Card-Carrying Gearhead

Joe Rogan is a TV presenter, comedian and UFC commentator. Oh, and the biggest podcast host on the planet. He also some amazing cars.

Jay Leno, who famously owns nearly 300 cars – most of them gas-powered – has also had his say on the matter. “To me, I think the EV will be the savior of the cars like this [gas cars, classic cars] because these classic cars; they do use more gas, and they pollute, but their percentage gets smaller and smaller. If everyone is driving an EV, there’s not so much pressure to get gas cars off the road. I consider it a good thing.” Of course, Leno has shared his thoughts on electric vehicles before, saying that he predicts that there will be children born today (this was in 2019) who will most likely never have ever ridden in an internal combustion car by the time they’re 18. “I have a Tesla Model S. That’s the future. I think electric will be the future,” he said.

Even high-performance vehicle manufacturer Hennessey, whose founder once swore he’d be steering well clear of EVs, has seen the light, revealing his plans for the world’s first six-wheel-drive, fully electric Hyper-GT – codenamed ‘Project Deep Space’.

“Hennessey has spent more than 30 years building some of the fastest and most exciting vehicles in the world,” said CEO John Hennessey. “This mantra will continue for our next 30 years by introducing the world’s first fully electrified, six-wheel-drive hyper-GT. We believe that ‘Deep Space’ could be the world’s quickest accelerating four-seater from zero to 200 mph!”

Sources: InsideEVS, USnews, IOL, USAToday