Bala isn't alone in his ire. A recent survey by J.D. Power of U.S. EV owners' experiences charging their vehicles at public stations found that customer satisfaction at both level 3 and the slower level 2 charges is on the decline. In fact, level 2 satisfaction reached its lowest point this year since the study began in 2021.
Yet EVs continue, if you will, to be on a roll. Electric vehicle sales reached an all-time record in the second quarter of 2023 with nearly 300,000 sold in the U.S. alone, according to Cox Automotive. The International Energy Agency expects to see a whopping 14 million EVs sold around the world by the end of 2023.
Which way to drive, then? Here are three reasons EVs aren’t likely to overtake gas-powered cars just yet.
Relying on charging stations isn’t great
The U.S. has an average of 104 gas pumps per 1,000 road miles compared to only 22 EV charging stations. This can make topping your battery on a long trip much harder than filling a gas tank.
Bala's experience also highlights the importance of regular maintenance and support at EV charging stations. Unlike gas stations, they’re often unmanned, which in the event of a malfunction forces frustrated customers to call the company running them for help — and they don't always answer, as Bala will tell you.
Kiss your credit card debt goodbye
Millions of Americans are struggling to crawl out of debt in the face of record-high interest rates. A personal loan offers lower interest rates and fixed payments, making it a smart choice to consolidate high-interest credit card debt. It helps save money, simplifies payments, and accelerates debt payoff. Credible is a free online service that shows you the best lending options to pay off your credit card debt fast — and save a ton in interest.
Explore better ratesThey’re not as green as you’d hope
A key selling point for EVs is that they reduce emissions over their lifetime. But creating electricity still generates emissions. In areas heavily dependent on conventional electricity generation, this benefit over gas-powered or hybrid vehicles may not be as great as you'd hope.
For instance, in Wyoming, EV-related emissions coming from the production of electricity run at close to 90% of hybrid emissions.
On top of that, their batteries don't last forever. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that today's EV batteries may last only up to 15 years in moderate climates and 12 years in extreme climates.
Lower towing range
If you like to use your vehicle for towing, EVs may not be for you. While models such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T are capable of towing, doing so will reduce the vehicle's range. Car and Driver found that towing a 6100-pound camper cut the range on both of these vehicles by nearly two-thirds.
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