CNN: "Plugins on battery power can cost more than Gas per mile" grrrr

Electric Car Production
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This is a cry for activism… and a bit of a rant.

I made the mistake of stumbling by CNN over a bowl of granola this morning to find a soccer mom talking fuel economy. I tend to stop for a moment on these just to hear what they have to say. I should have stayed with current.tv.

This woman did point out that cars like the Yaris and such have enough room for most people and people don’t necessarily neeeeeed SUVs… but when queried about Plugin Hybrids, she dismissed them as costing more to charge than the gas they would use. “would you like some Ketchup with those lies?” I am guessing, she knew nothing about them, and when asked, did the thing that would make her look the least like an ■■■■■ in publics eyes.

Personally I don’t own a plugin, nor a hybrid, nor… a … car. I ride a bike, thanks. But I know someone with a Plugin, converted Prius, who gets fairly ludicrous fuel economy on pennies of off peak electricity. I’m working on an electric little truck.

But Repeated faux-news like this lessens public opinion on a fairly decent interim vehicle before we all go electric/air/and that seemingly holy grail of hydrogen… hmmf, I’ll rant on that another time, like fusion power.

My point:
Can a few people email CNN just to point out the error of this woman’s ways?
I will email who I can there, but who has two thumbs and little credibility?
This guy points to self There are some people here who have more knowledge, figures, numbers, experience…

Ultimately it would be nice to see them rescind a claim like this, but damage has been done.

The program was on this morning at just before 9:00 pacific time
with the caption on the screen “Best Cars”

I’d rather breath smug, than smog, thanks
-JP

Admin: feel free to move this to somewhere with more traffic or repost if you see fit. Repost elsewhere… whatever. Just woke up on the wrong side of the Therma-rest this morning.

I know I don’t post much, I live without internet at home, just happened to be in the city, at friends’

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its sad because people that aren’t qualified to know what they are talking about are saying things that make others frown upon stuff that can help.

if anything i suggest you write to CNN in response to that article (usually they have a respond to the writer button or something) and tell them whats up. it doesn’t take a genious to figure this stuff out… well apparently now a days… it just might…

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My mom and I were talking about similar things yesterday. I think it’s messed up how the media will spin the efficiency of hybrids or evs to make it sound like they aren’t a good idea. The one that gets me the most is the “it would take entirely too long to pay off the cost offset of an EV or hybrid vehicle”. Where have we gone wrong? I would think that the savings to our environment in the meantime would be worth much more than the extra up front costs. The only reason I don’t have my EV done yet is because I don’t have all the money I need saved up yet… it has nothing to do with the worry about cost offset.

[/soapbox]

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[QUOTE=hobbes28;2137]My mom and I were talking about similar things yesterday. I think it’s messed up how the media will spin the efficiency of hybrids or evs to make it sound like they aren’t a good idea. The one that gets me the most is the “it would take entirely too long to pay off the cost offset of an EV or hybrid vehicle”. Where have we gone wrong? I would think that the savings to our environment in the meantime would be worth much more than the extra up front costs. The only reason I don’t have my EV done yet is because I don’t have all the money I need saved up yet… it has nothing to do with the worry about cost offset.

[/soapbox][/QUOTE]

and about all the money not saved up yet… thats all because no available manufacture sells a full blown EV yet otherwise you could get financing through them… just like any other auto company.

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Huh.

This “Soccer Mom” probably doesn’t even know which side of her SUV pig the gas cap is located on, let alone the efficiency analysis of a Hype-Brid.

She sounds like a candidate for “Jay Walking” on Leno.

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there is this company that is a new full blown electric car only dealer but I do not think they will finance yet. www.milesev.com
I took out one of the cars for a test drive and now we are trying to purchase one but so far banks are saying yes until they see the car is completely electric then it is no sorry we can’t help you.

still trying though

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If my bank didnt give me a loan for something and my credit was good I would switch banks. They will give you a loan for a friggin vacation but not for an electric car. Dumb Bank your fired.

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I live in oklahoma and in my town electricity costs $.017693 per KWH. My gem e2 takes 5 KWH to fill. Basic math will tell you it cost 8.85 cents to fully charge it. It is suppose to give me thirty miles with that charge. Gasoline occasionally gets to $4.00/gallon here. My toyota truck gets 18.8 mpg. The tank holds 16 gallons. Basic math tells you the total range is 300.8 miles.

Considering fuel only. The gem costs 3.385 cents per mile while the toyota. At $4.00/gallon fuel costs are 4.7 cents/mile. 300.8/$4X16gallons = 4.7. A new gem costs approx 7500-8500. The savings is 1.315 cents per mile. Assuming tires, maintenance, insurance, and all other costs are all the same, i would have to drive my gem between 570,342 and 646,387 miles just to make up the cost of the gem.

For those that have an electric vehicle for around town and another combustion vehicle for long trips, i am afraid she is right. For those that have only an electric vehicle and live within the limits of the batteries, there is significant savings driving an EV since you would be buying a gasoline vehicle anyway. She was obviously referring to having two vehicles.
I fit into the category of having two vehicles, three vehicles actually since my wife has a car also. I am a treehugger as I assume all EV drivers are. I am happy with two vehicles, I am happier when I am cruising around town in my Gem.

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I spend an extra $25 per month on electric since I started to drive my Leaf. That’s for 1500 plus miles.It’s also in New York State (not noted for low energy costs). I’d like her to show me a petrol pig that can do that.