It’s time to explain myself, and the reason for creating this site…
Let me start by explaining a comment I made in the ‘About Me’ page. There I said “I was seeking simplicity and reliability” when I switched from a plug-in hybrid (the Prius Prime, aka PHEV) to a battery electric vehicle (the Tesla Model 3, aka BEV).
Well, I’m a car (and motorcycle) guy through and through. I know internal combustion engines and how the American automobile has changed with each decade since the 60s. At 16 I took my PA driving test in my Dad’s ’65 Corvette Stingray Fastback. Sporting a big V8, 4-barrel carburetor, and 4-speed manual transmission, this was (by today’s standard) pretty simple stuff. Seatbelts, collision impact absorption, emissions controls and catalytic converters, fuel injection – nope. Just an overpowered, unsafe, fun to drive two-seater (with space in the back for 3 small children AND a spare tire – those were the days). What a great car!
Unfortunately, someone else thought it was a great car and stole it, so it got replaced with a Toyota Corona. Not quite the same…
Fast forward to 2020 and MANY ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars later when I bought my first PHEV, a 2017 Prius Prime Advance plug-in hybrid. I loved this car, and it’s completely at the other end of the spectrum from the Vette and the Corona. The Prius was a bit short on power, but VERY efficient! It’s also an extremely reliable car. The downside though is complexity, and cost of repair should anything go wrong (or if you get in an accident). The only issue I had with the Prius was that I rarely used an engine that I had to carry around just in case I might need it some day. And with about 32 miles of EV range, I rarely used the engine.
I thought, ‘what if I owned a car with a lot more range, would I still need an engine?’ So, I decided to simplify things a bit and ditch the engine. With 270-ish miles of ‘EPA range’, my Tesla Model 3 fit the bill nicely as a plug-in hybrid replacement. And this is where the whole idea of ‘drive the future’ came from. In short, hybrid technology that’s so prevalent today IS a great technology and checks a lot of boxes for many. Good fuel economy, little complication for the operator, readily available fueling stations, and reasonable cost of ownership (by today’s standards) are all good things. This is where hybrid ICE vehicle excel – today!
For those willing to accept a little more complication in their lives, PHEVs make sense for those interested in trying out EV technology without going all-in. My Prius Prime was such a car, and it gave me the confidence that I could live with a full electric BEV with little compromise. Still, BEVs aren’t for everyone. In a future post, I’ll discuss who should and who should not consider owning a BEV, hence those who should stick with ICE cars and trucks, hybrid or otherwise.
To finish out this ‘getting started’ page, I believe that sometime in the future BEVs will become a logical choice for many, not just a few as is the case today. I’ll be discussing several factors that must take place to get there. And for those taking the BEV plunge today, congratulations! You have stepped into the future and by doing so will help speed up the infrastructure and technological improvements necessary to make BEV ownership a sensible choice for many.