2019 Hyundai Kona Electric: Possibly 250 Miles of Range in a Real Crossover That Actually Exists

That and the reality that long trips are still a big question mark because the infrastructure simply isn't there yet to support EVs. And even half-hour quick-charging times for an 80 percent top-up won't be nearly fast enough if they get anything close to mainstream acceptance. There'll be too much competition for charging ports. Some people really want EVs for everyone but, as nice as some of them are, they're not even close to ready for primetime.

Good job summarizing the fears, which I share, but honestly there's not that much evidence for them. Early EVs with air cooled batteries could experience rapid capacity loss, but there's no reason to think a modern liquid battery will. There are Chevy Volts and Teslas with six-figure mileage and little or no loss. But yeah, until someone else has done the mileage you plan to in the vehicle and climate you plan to, it's hard to know. If you live somewhere that electricity is more expensive than gas, and you own your house, perhaps you should install solar: it could pay off regardless of what you drive. Charging on extended trips is of course is the tricky bit. Tesla is the only one to really solve this issue satisfactorily: other makes can use generic DC fast charge stations but Tesla stations charge faster, exist more places, don't require different payment methods, and a Tesla car will automatically direct you the next one you should use and tell you how long to stay there. That said, the issue is a bit of a red herring: if there's one or two fillups along your way, the extra time isn't that significant (plan to charge at lunch and it's irrelevant); and any trip longer than that is likely going to be taken by air if time really is an issue. I do think it means PHEVs are going to with us longer than some folks think: a) as a bridge technology they can quell these anxieties and b) it's a lot cheaper to slap 12-16 kWh of battery in an existing platform than 64 kWh, and yet that's enough battery that most of your daily driving can be done on electricity.

People lease EVs so that battery life which may or may not be as little as 80-100k like a Leaf, isn't a issue at all. The last I read the national average for electricity was 12 cents per KWH, but of course the average doesn't matter, it is what you pay locally, ditto for the price of gas. So if you live someplace where the gas price is high and the electricity price is low then they can have a significantly lower TCO.

@Steve Biro A 250mi range would cover 99% of most people's driving. So the charging infrastructure isn't a problem. With 99% or more of them never charging outside of their garage or the charger at their place of employment there will not be too much competition for chargers.

@Scoutdude "the national average for electricity was 12 cents per KWH, " In NM we must be toward the higher costs at 17 cents per KWH, in spite of all the Solar and Wind Farms, many of which stand idle much of the time. So in a residence that requires two separate AC units, a 5-ton central and a Mini-Split zone AC, this can drive elec costs to >$400 per month, easily. But for those who choose to own an EV, leasing is the best way to go, IMO.

Good job copying your summary from Fox News. /s My 12 Leaf cost $20/month to drive 800 miles/month, so a fraction of what you're talking about. The real downside is depreciation on non-Tesla EVs, so I'm glad my Leaf was leased.