I91裸聊视频檝e had my eye on an electric car for a while now. I91裸聊视频檝e driven four Honda Civics into the ground (and past 300,000 miles) and was intending to do the same, until I met Sarah Bond. Sarah is in grade 11 at Pen High. She91裸聊视频檚 learning to drive in an electric car, specifically a Nissan Leaf, and she91裸聊视频檚 an electric vehicle (EV) enthusiast, with the facts to back her arguments. You should know that Sarah is so enthusiastic, her teachers had to ban the topic of EV91裸聊视频檚 from further papers or presentations!
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Sarah91裸聊视频檚 family has three vehicles: A 2013 Nissan Leaf, A 2019 Tesla Model 5, and a gas-powered truck to tow their RV. Sarah says that her family tries to do things that are good for the environment: they take glass to the bottle depot to be recycled, they compost in their yard (they do not yet have urban chickens but her mom wants to get chickens).
However, Sarah says the biggest reason they own two electric cars is because they are a good value. She told me a story about their last vacation: when they bought the Tesla, it came with six months of free charging, so they carefully planned to get maximum value for those six months. They took a vacation, driving down to San Diego, charging for free along the way and staying with relatives. The charging went completely without a hitch, but afterwards her father calculated how much it would have cost without the free charging. From Penticton to San Diego charging costs $80 CAD one way. They really didn91裸聊视频檛 need the 91裸聊视频渇ree charging91裸聊视频� to make the trip.
From Penticton to San Diego charging costs $80 CAD one way.
I asked her about the car they had had the longest, the Nissan Leaf which was purchased used five years ago. What kind of repairs had they done? Sarah said 91裸聊视频淭ires and windshield wiper fluid91裸聊视频�. I found this hard to believe. What about recalls? My Honda has had several in the last five years. Her mother confirmed: No repairs, no recalls.
91裸聊视频淏ut this is why you have to buy an electric91裸聊视频� Sarah explained with enthusiasm 91裸聊视频測ou may think it would be better to have a hybrid, but electric engines are really simple. They are cheaper to drive and there are hardly any repairs 91裸聊视频� you don91裸聊视频檛 have to change the oil.91裸聊视频�
You may think it would be better to have a hybrid, but electric engines are really simple
Sarah91裸聊视频檚 dad elaborated: 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 no pistons, there91裸聊视频檚 no rings, there91裸聊视频檚 no muffler, there91裸聊视频檚 no clutch. In fact the engine is so simple, it doesn91裸聊视频檛 take up much room. The Tesla has a surprising amount of storage91裸聊视频�.
It91裸聊视频檚 not just the engine itself that is better designed. In a combustion vehicle we take for granted the continual war between acceleration and braking. In my conventional Honda it would be most efficient to drive across town without stopping (although it might result in a trip to visit Sarah91裸聊视频檚 mom at the hospital). New EVs take the superiority of an electric engine and go one step further by adding regenerative braking: slowing down for a light actually charges the batteries.
Sarah91裸聊视频檚 father tells this story: (Note that in place of a fuel gauge, EVs report the range 91裸聊视频� how far they can drive on the current charge.)
91裸聊视频淲e drove this year to Lost Moose Lodge [2200 ft/635m elevation above Penticton ??]. When we got there the Tesla was down to a range of 40 km. By the time we returned home, regenerative braking brought that up to 80 km91裸聊视频�.
Sarah chimed in: 91裸聊视频淲e drove to up to Apex this winter, arrived with an 11 km range, and back home that night we had 80 km.91裸聊视频�
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I asked her about day-to-day charging. Sarah said 91裸聊视频淲e have a normal charger [i.e. Level 2, 240 volts which which requires the same wiring as an oven or a clothes dryer] and the Tesla came with an adapter so we can charge that too.91裸聊视频� But as a matter of fact they don91裸聊视频檛 do much charging at home. Sarah91裸聊视频檚 mom works at the hospital, where there are free EV chargers, so when a vehicle needs charging, Sarah91裸聊视频檚 mom uses it to get to work.
Sarah says they drive from Penticton to Vancouver (420 km) several times a year, something that would take planning in the 2013 Nissan Leaf. 91裸聊视频淲ith the Tesla, there91裸聊视频檚 one quick stop [at the Hope Supercharger] for lunch, which we would do anyway91裸聊视频�.
Sarah91裸聊视频檚 dad ended with a stern warning: 91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 go test drive a Tesla unless you are ready to buy.91裸聊视频�
Missed last week91裸聊视频檚 column?
Dyer: DIY energy audit with solar bonus material
About Kristy Dyer:
Kristy Dyer has a background in art and physics and consulted for Silicon Valley clean energy firms before moving (happily!) to sunny Penticton. Comments to Kristy.Dyer+BP@gmail.com
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