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I'm much less optimistic about the future of EVs as I was a couple years ago (when we bought our Kia EV6).

It seems like I see more news recently, like this, of companies reversing their position and pivoting back towards ICE vehicles, and it's depressing.

I blame infrastructure, and our inability to roll out broad infrastructure across the US.

There are too many people with range anxiety, and lack of infrastructure isn't helping, and improvements haven't been enough to keep up with our goals to pivot toward EVs.

Alternatively, battery technology could advance to improve range without (as much of) a need for broad infrastructure rollouts, but that's also not happening fast enough.

I still think we'll get there, eventually. But I don't think we'll get there as fast as many of us want to -- or were optimistic for in 2022 -- unfortunately.

6 comments

I could buy an EV.

Or I could (and did) buy a hybrid. Now I get good fuel economy, don't need to install a home charger, and have no range anxiety. You hit the nail on the head - infrastructure and charging speeds need to improve before I go all electric. Sure, it's possible to road trip with an EV, but I'm used to 10 minute stops for fuel and bathrooms.

We still plan to buy an EV as a second car. It will be our commuter / city car to complement the hybrid road trip car.

It's just short-term thinking of managerial class running companies like Ford or GM, not lack of infrastructure.

Thanks to Tesla U.S. has pretty good charging network. And it's very cheap to build (relatively speaking).

During the years that Tesla was investing in world-wide charging network despite loosing money, GM and Ford had plenty of profits they could have invested in that obvious un-blocker of EV adoption.

They didn't but that's on them and their management. The state (what you call "us") doesn't need to be involved. If Tesla alone was able to build and fund U.S.-wide network, if every other car company in U.S. chipped in, charging network could have been several times bigger today.

It'll be several times bigger, it'll just take few more years.

The real blocker is lack of good EV cars, priced competitively. Chinese have those which is why EU is now panicking and creating additional, punishing tariffs on Chinese cars, to protect their mis-managed car industry.

And it will work for a few years, until Chinese build factories in Europe and crush European car makers anyway.

The sales numbers don't back this up. GM slowed their EV rollout and is working on hybrids because people aren't buying EV's at the same rate they expected.

Just an anecdote, but I'm more optimistic than ever despite news like this. I live in the middle of nowhere, northwest Iowa, and I see more EVs than ever. The town where I buy my groceries has two Tesla charging stations and one Electrify America station, in a town of 15k people.

This will have no context for anyone reading this, but seeing a Tesla on the drive to that town would be such an interesting sighting that I'd point it out to my wife each time. Now I spot so many of them (along with the occasional Rivian, Kia or Bolt like my own) that I stopped so I wouldn't bore her. :P

ICE vehicles (especially trucks like the F-150) will always have a place out here , but EVs have exploded from my pov compared to just a few years ago.

I'm not sure that there is much in the way of a durable technology advantage when it comes to batteries and electric drives.

If it is the case that it works fine to buy those parts of a vehicle from a supplier, it doesn't make sense to switch before the technology matures.

I'm Tesla owner for 4 years. In the place I live I see EV's on every block, every big parking lot, and right now EV are getting much cheaper. And it will be even Cheaper.

Tesla Model 3 is cheaper compared to gasoline Toyota of comparable trim Today.

I'm not sure what really can stop next wave of EV's that will be powered by cheap prices.

A little OT, but how do you find the EV6?

I've loved it, for the most part, especially compared to ICE vehicles.

We've had some minor issues with the heat/AC/heat pump, and a number of recalls that are sometimes hard to schedule fixes for. Tires seem to not last as long, but that's apparently common with (heavy) EVs. Other minor electronic annoyances that fixed themselves either with recalls or software patches.

The other concern is that it seems like it's hard to get repairs done, either due to parts shortage, or lack of experience. Fortunately we've not had any need for repairs yet, but I've heard stories about that being a problem for some (and may not be unique to the EV6).

Our other vehicle is still an ICE vehicle, but I'm hoping when it's time to replace it, we can get another EV. But lack of infrastructure may mean we get another ICE vehicle for longer trips.

EDIT: interesting post to get downvoted on.