Hate for electrics saddens me.

[TDinDC]

It seems like the popular thing to do. I’m convinced it’s a lack of understanding. Some people get angry when they don’t understand something.

While in England I got into a heated discussion about EVs with an Uber driver. The conversation went poorly. My wife was worried she would get a bad review by the driver and said it felt uncomfortable being in the car. I felt bad and apologize to her and promised I wouldn’t do that again. This guy was convinced electricity cost more than gas.

A favourite author of mine James Clear (Atomic Habits) has a great way of handling people like this.

imagine the time you would save by simply saying: you might be right…and moving on?

I know it seems ridiculous to agree with people like this but you must admit it’s a heck of a lot easier than arguing with them for 20 minutes or so about how they can’t wait for an EV to charge, how producing lithium batteries damages environment more than burning fossil fuel, they don’t have enough range, can’t afford the insurance., and the list goes on.

it’s quite liberating not to get into it with them. Let them fill up their gas tanks, you charge up your batteries, and we all move on.

You may be right!

Some technologies are better on the whole than others even if they are worse with respect to particular factors.

The harm caused by both ICE and EVs depends in part on things that are not necessarily in the control of the driver, like the harm caused by manufacturing the vehicle, the harm caused by developing the fuel source and the harm caused by consumables, and the harm caused when you have to dispose of components/vehicle. From my perspective, you have to consider everything when considering environmental and societal impacts.

With respect to noise, my 911 is glorious when I'm driving it. But when I walk around my neighborhood, I am embarrassed at the harm it must cause others as I hear other cars and how aggressive they sound when you are not driving them.

Also, it may be that one type of technology is "better" than another at the moment because the harm it causes is less material to our current circumstances than the harm caused by another.

I think we should be paying much more attention to weight and efficiency, and eliminating the need to drive altogether.

I do agree that most of the political debate and the simple black and white conversations about the topic are just silly.

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[optik382]

The economist cited in that article tried to have actions taken against me by the moderators of an economics email list for writing pretty much the same thing.
(I know that sounds absurd, which was also my reaction at the time.)

The difference between economist and engineering thinking. Electricity costs more per kWh/BTU than fuel, so heating your house with fuel is cheaper than heating your house with (resistance) electric. Start to factor in (and mentally internalize) just how much more efficient an electric motor is than an ICE engine, and how much more efficient a heat pump is than a resistance heater, and it's a whole different ballgame.

 

[Jonathan S.]

^ Perhaps, but also more like the difference between a sound economic analysis versus a promotional effort by an economics consulting firm in the guise of a comparison that misleadingly and inaccurately mixes together costs at the levels of driver vs society.

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