Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh
I think the reason people ask what the payback is of an EV, or even hybrids for that matter, is because EVs/hybrids use a alternative technology to provide a service that is already served with a very well-established infrastructure and low cost total ownership. Added on top of that, EVs are highly range limited and re-fuel challenged. So there is naturally a need for one to determine the value of adopting a new technology to do something that is already done very well. In the choice between leather vs. cloth neither choice determines a drastic difference in usability of the device.
The choice between a 335i and a Camry is a matter of preference of dynamic performance quality and perceived social status (supplanted by "green" cars saving the plant for some people). Turbos don't limit vehicle performance as does an EV drivetrain. But for me, a person who likes to get 250,000 mile out of a car without major component replacement (engine, trans, etc.), turbos are a not a benefit in my view. Any savings in fuel cost get washed out by increased maintenance cost and inconvenience of down time.
If EVs offered the range and rapid refuel capabilities of a petro-powered automobile, at or near the same price, the consumer would flock to them. Most people, in my opinion, don't appreciate the value of the smooth and quite drivability benefits of the EV drivetrain, as outweighing the increase cost and lost practicality of the technology.
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I'm not sure most people appreciate "dynamic performance quality" either, and given the premiums of BMW options (often adding $10-$15K to the base price of a given model) the increased cost of EV isn't as dramatic as one might imagine. I can't argue with the loss or practicality, but as the tech improves that loss will be diminished greatly. Indeed, with my Volt I achieve 87% of the value of a pure EV w/o the compromise in practicality already.