Hi !
I'm incredibly excited to share with you my first newsletter!
I started this because I found that most people that I speak with are interested in what is happening in the world from a technology standpoint but don't have the time to go out and find the information that actually tells them what's happening. Most of what comes across their desk is mainstream media drivel that has been re-created a dozen times depending on the publisher's political views.
My goal with this newsletter is to provide you with a look into what is happening in the world of technology, science, behavioural economics, human geography and more!
I'll share with you the articles and books that I'm reading and the interesting videos that I'm watching. I'll show you how companies are using science to break down your purchasing habits and how governments are using it to influence your opinions.
I will do my best to screen and research the information that I'm sending to you but remember that you can't believe everything you read on the internet. I'm NOT perfect!
The articles will be accompanied by my editorial take on what I think these changes mean for the everyday person and what their development may lead to.
So let's jump into it!
I received an email the other day that took an incredibly negative view on electric cars and the burden that it will place on our infrastructure:
Guest Article: The Electric Vehicle Scam - by Dave Messler (substack.com)
TLDR: our current infrastructure cannot support a move to all-electric vehicles.
- too expensive
- too unreliable
- rely on materials mined in China
- converting gas stations to charging stations is unrealistic
- A 12-year-old EV will be on its third battery
- On most suburban streets the electrical infrastructure would be unable to carry more than three houses with a single Tesla
I'd like to break down the authors' assumptions:
Too expensive
- Electric vehicle prices are decreasing rapidly as new entrants come into the car market. Xpeng (a Chinese car manufacturer) now offers an all-electric vehicle for $28,000-$38,000 USD.
- Electrek (another Chinese vehicle manufacturer) is now shipping their incredibly inexpensive vehicles to the United States at an all-in cost of $6,500-$8,500. Granted they have a 20-mile range and a max speed of 25 mph but we're still getting there.
Too unreliable
- I don't see anywhere in their article where they support this claim. I did though find an article from Driving.ca (Dragged down by Tesla, EVs are least reliable cars on British roads | Driving) that shows the lower reliability of EV cars vs petrol cars. The main argument was that software and electrical create the majority of the issues and that when EVs are in for repairs, they spend on average 2 additional days per year in the shop. EVs were on average in the shop for 5.1 days instead of 3. I wouldn't call this a massive increase or inconvenience for consumers.
- The current situation also doesn't take into consideration that there is a growing demand for mechanics that can work on EVs. With limited EV mechanics currently in the ranks of vehicle repair shops, it's no wonder that cars spend more time in the shop. As these repair shops shift to dealing with more electric vehicles, more mechanics will become skilled in repairing these vehicles and wait times will decrease.
Rely on materials mined in China
- Well this could be said for many of the things that we use on a daily basis but let's move past that argument
- Lithium is actually primarily mined in Australia and Chile (Lithium facts (nrcan.gc.ca)) and not in China.
- There are 3 new battery types expected on the market in the coming years (Three battery technologies that could power the future | Saft | Batteries to energize the world (saftbatteries.com)). Next-generation Lithium Ion batteries will have a higher capacity and greater temperature range making them ideal for flights and trains. Lithium-sulphur batteries will allow 4 times the energy capacity while being significantly lighter than current batteries making them ideal for spacecraft. Solid state batteries will be significantly lighter, smaller and safer making them ideal for EVs.
Converting gas stations to charging stations is unrealistic
- I agree with them here... it's also incredibly stupid!
- Unlike gasoline/diesel, electricity does not require massive, in-place storage capacity (the tanks under the ground at a gas station). EV charging can be placed anywhere, as it currently is. The assumption that you would need to drive somewhere to fill your vehicle is a ridiculous red herring.
A 12-year-old EV will be on its third battery
- Every battery in an electric car sold in the U.S. comes with a warranty that lasts for a minimum of eight years or up to 100,000 miles, says CarFax. For example, Kia offers a battery pack warranty for 10 years or 100,000 miles, while Hyundai provides a lifetime coverage of its electric cars' batteries. (Electric Car Battery Life: Everything You Need to Know (caranddriver.com))
- Unless you're driving 25,000 miles (40,000 km) a year, it is unlikely you'll be reaching those numbers. The average American drives approximately 14,263 miles per year giving them 6 years before their warranty would run out. The average Tesla sees the battery life go beyond 200,000 km which would allow 12 years of average driving.
On most suburban streets the electrical infrastructure would be unable to carry more than three houses with a single Tesla
- The average American uses 30 kWh per day. With multiple Americans per household, let's assume the average per house is 90 kWh per day. Adding a vehicle that uses electricity would not be a significant increase in this power usage.
- If the average American drives 39 miles per day (14,263/365) they use approximately 13% of an 85 kWh battery or 11 kWh. This results in a 12.2% increase in daily power usage given current battery standards.
- The article makes the assumption that governments or electricity corporations are not currently upgrading the power infrastructure around the world, which they are. (Power upgrades to boost UK charging’s infrastructure | Latest news (smarttransport.org.uk))
So overall, without even looking into the background of the authors (which is less than stellar in my opinion), we can say that this article is not worth the ink in which it is written (or kilobytes in this case).
I look forward to bringing you more of these newsletters. Please share the following link with anyone you think might be interested in reading more of this type of content: https://sendfox.com/wmilespickup
Have a great day!
Warren
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