I am like JWA and come here to learn about EV and hybrid technology. I plan to own a hybrid within the next 5ish years and possibly an EV if they can get into a category that makes it worth it for my own personal use.

Regarding the negative/denigrative criticism or the fanboi comments focusing on EV's... My humble opinion is that this place would be a ghost town and boring if the only posts were "OMG I LOVE MY EV" or "THAT POS IS A POS". As long as the posting FTE member is abiding by the FTE Guidelines, then they should be able to post whatever they like.

That is just my opinion though and I have my own, just like everyone else.

 

Well like most threads there's always some off topic discussions and this one is no different so some here's additional feedback.

I think we all are learning about these EV's especially the Lightning with Tom's truck and other sources, and now since trucks are entering into the EV market, I've became even more interested in this aggressive transition. You mention the "headline clickers" but this headline was an eye opener that perhaps you missed. With the layoff it's easy to connect the dots on whats going on and can't help but wonder if we have the tail wagging the dog scenario going on.

Ford to Fund Its EV Efforts in Part by Laying Off 8000 Workers (caranddriver.com)

 

Sorry for missing this last night.

Winter performance is a big reason I’ve been driving EVs for the last few years, and the Lightning does well with one caveat. My previous two EVs had heat pumps that were able to heat the cabin much more efficiently than the resistive heater in my Lightning. It takes between 3-6 kW to stay warm when it gets down below 10º F, which makes a meaningful dent in range. The ‘24 models have a heat pump which should make a meaningful improvement, but the Lightning’s battery is big enough that it’s not a problem unless I’m traveling.

Mine is the XLT model which has the same center stack as higher-trim ICE trucks, and it did a fine job. I haven’t heard complaints of touchscreen problems in the higher-trim trucks with the 15” display, so I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. If you prefer buttons for HVAC, heated seats, and others, you’d need to find something lower than the Lariat trim.

I haven’t taken this one to a scale, but I’ve weighed previous trucks and door sticker math has always been accurate. 8,550 GVWR - 1,914 lb payload = 6,636 lbs. She’s porky; almost 2,000 lbs more than my dad’s ‘23 Supercrew STX. Ride and handling is noticeably better than the ICE trucks, though. The 50/50 weight distribution and independent rear suspension makes a big difference.

Speaking more generally, I’ve never been worried about other people driving my stuff. If anybody on here is in the Twin Cities area, let me know. We’ll hook up the boat and go for a drive. If you’ve never driven or pulled with an EV, I think you’ll be surprised.

 

Well regardless of what any of us want to believe, it is true. It is only eleven short years until 2035.

These 9 States Are Banning the Sale of Gas-Powered Cars - CNET

 

I’ve never lived in any of those states. Maybe true for you?

None of those policies will survive a future where the 100% use case isn’t solved. Long-distance towing isn’t solved today, and I don’t know that it will be in ten years. Those rules will change in a hurry if technology doesn’t meaningfully improve. I’m the last guy to bet against innovation, though.

 

This is precisely why I take my hat off to early adopters of anything new especially anything to do with new technology. Y'all are the ones that'll feel the growing pains 1st and likely hurt the most.

 

I'll bet those in the other 49 states never thought the day would come that traffic lights would be as prevalent as they are today. It always starts with one, then grows.

1912 — As automobile traffic increased, American policeman Lester Wire designed the first electric traffic light. It was first installed in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 5, 1914, at the corner of 105th and Euclid Avenue.

Traffic signals: A brief history | Washington State Magazine | Washington State University (wsu.edu)

 

I helped my 71-year-old mom buy an EV9 last December. I told her that today is the worst that it’ll ever be, and it only gets better from here. She absolutely loves her car and can’t stop talking about how nice it is to charge at home. She’s got some anxiety over road trips and charging, but public charging in New England has meaningfully improved over the last few months, and there are projects in the works all over the state.

My latest trip to Texas was the easiest trip I’ve done. My biggest planning concern was finding the cheapest chargers, not about finding enough to get me there with my reduced towing range. Tesla’s rates were 25% cheaper than almost everyone else, and I expect that competition will have a big effect as more of us shift to the cheaper and more reliable option.