By Hugh Holland
Rapid escalation in the frequency, severity, and cost of extreme weather events in Canada and around the world demands immediate action on many fronts. One change that will affect most of us is adapting to EVs (electric vehicles).
Fifty-two per cent of Canada’s carbon emissions come from the oil and gas production sector and the transportation sector. Every global manufacturer of transportation and mobile equipment is fully engaged in the development of zero-emission products. The gasoline engines in light-duty vehicles and mobile equipment are being replaced with battery-electric systems. The diesel engines in heavy-duty vehicles and mobile equipment are being replaced by hydrogen-electric systems. Our oil and gas sector has all the expertise and resources needed to become a major player in the production of clean electricity for BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) and clean hydrogen for HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles). Hydro Quebec and Newfoundland-Labrador Hydro already have contracts to export green hydrogen to Germany.
Many countries including Canada have mandated that zero-emission vehicles must comprise 60% of sales by 2030, and 100% by 2035. To facilitate the transition, Canada will rebate $5,000 off the price of buying a qualifying EV. Some people still have concerns about electric vehicles, but those who have already made the change find the concerns are manageable, and the benefits outweigh the concerns.
The main benefits of EVs are the elimination of harmful emissions, a 70% reduction in energy cost, and a healthier and quieter community. The Fuel Consumption Guide published annually by Natural Resources Canada rates every vehicle sold in Canada for annual energy cost and CO2 emissions based on the average use of 20,000 km per year or 55 km per day, and prevailing energy costs. (The link and some sample NRC data is included at the end of this article). The data below shows energy cost savings for comparable vehicles:
| Honda Civic (Gas) | $1,775 | Cadillac XT5 (Gas) | $2,813 | Ford F150 (Gas) | $3,000 | ||
| Kia EV6 EV | $540 | Cadillac LYRIQ EV | $702 | Ford F150 EV | $918 | ||
| Savings per year | $1,235 | $2,121 | $2,082 | ||||
| Savings per month | $103 | $176 | $173 | ||||
| 6-year savings | $7,410 | $12,726 | $12,492 |
The most common concern is EV charging. Most EVs come equipped with an onboard charger that can be plugged into any standard 120-volt outlet. A seven-hour charge provides an average of 55 km (34 miles) while charging for 14 hours will get you approximately 110 km. If you add 110 km per day but only use 55 km, you will accumulate 330 km in 6 days for a trip on the 7th day. For occasional longer trips, most owners will want to access faster 220-volt chargers and public DC fast chargers that can now add up to 125 km (78 miles) in a 10-minute coffee break.
Single-detached homes can easily be equipped with a 240-volt charger, but 50% of the people in Ontario live in multiplex dwellings and will face the dilemma of wanting the benefits of an EV but being unable to charge it. Most existing multiplex dwellings and office buildings will require more complicated retrofits to their electrical systems, and that will take some time. BC rebates $350 for single-detached home chargers, up to $1,400 per charger for apartments and condos, and up to $2,000 for workplaces. Ontario needs to do more to facilitate the adoption of EVs.
Meanwhile, until building electrical systems can be retrofitted to accommodate 240-volt chargers, what is needed is a practical no-cost way for condo associations to enable members to enjoy the substantial energy cost savings of EVs, and to maintain the saleability and value of their condos. Condo owners should be allowed to use the many existing 120-volt outlets in and around parking areas, in return for paying the condo association upfront for the annual energy cost of the EV ($549 for a Chevrolet Bolt). This could be an employment perk for employees in office buildings. Some reassignments of parking spots may be required. Most vehicle owners will also need to access public chargers occasionally, but this will satisfy everyday charging needs for most people with just a bit of simple accounting until permanent solutions are implemented. Here are some examples to show how a temporary solution could work.
Example A – The owner drives 20,000 km per year. Condo electrical is renovated by 2029
Trades Honda Civic for Kia EV6 and keeps it for 6 years. Saves $1775 x 6 yrs =$10,650 on gas
Pays Condo $540 x 6 years = $3,240 + buys 1/3 rd of energy outside = .33 x $540 x 6 =$1069.
Net savings with EV is $10,650 – ($3240 + $1069) =$6,341 or $1057 per year or $88 per month
Example B – The owner drives 30,000 km per year. Condo electrical is renovated by 2029
Trades Cadillac XT5 turbo for Cadillac LYRIQ EV and keeps it for 6 years. Saves $2,813 x 3/2 x 6 yrs = $25,317 on
gas Pays Condo $702 x 6 years = $4,212 + buys ½ of energy outside = .5 x $702 x 6 years = $2,106
Net savings with EV is $25,317 – ($4,212 + $2,106) = $18,999 or $3,166 per year or $264 per month
Example C – The owner drives 40,000 km per year. Condo electrical is renovated by 2029
Trades Ford F150 for a Ford F150 EV and keeps it for 6 years. Saves $3,000 x 4/2 x 6 years = $36,000 on gas
Pays Condo $918 x 6 years = $5,508 + buys 2/3 rd of energy outside = .66 x $918 x 6 years = $3,635
Net savings with EV is $36,000 – ($5,508 + $3,635) = $26,857 or $4,476 per year or $373 per month
An interesting observation is that the benefits of owning a zero-emission EV increase with the size and utility of the vehicle, and the distance driven per year. Condo Boards, office building owners, and homeowners should be thinking now about upgrading their electrical systems. From now on, it will be increasingly difficult to sell or rent a condo or an office that cannot accommodate its resident’s or employee’s EV charging needs.
To initiate a temporary solution, condo owners would apply to their board by submitting a form stating their estimated usage per year, and the NRC fuel cost for the intended vehicle. 20,000 km per year is the national average. Some will drive more, and some will drive less, so condo revenue will average out.
This proposal satisfies the following requirements and could help to resolve a major looming dilemma.
1. Provides a temporary solution and time for a Condo Board to tender and implement a permanent solution.
2. Protects the saleability and value of condos for those who need to sell before a permanent solution is done.
3. Enables condo residents to enjoy the benefits of an EV whenever their current vehicle is due for replacement
4. Enables condo boards and residents to contribute to the mitigation of climate change in a timely manner.
5. Supports Ontario’s biggest industrial sector.
Data from the Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption search tool:
Hugh Holland is a retired engineering and manufacturing executive now living in Huntsville, Ontario.
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Personally i think canada should consult with scotland and england and maybe denmark about how to run sucessful wind generating. But i forget no one wants the ugly towers around, same as cell phone towers.
Yes…Terry McCaffery, I did actual know that coal powered electricity was phased out. Just testing to see if anyone was paying attention! Since it was phased out and natural gas is being used instead, the spike of natural gas prices is not to be ignored. Previous information about how our electricity use decreased in the past, might be accounted for by our increase in natural gas usage. It was much cheaper than electricity for a while.
In response to Nancy Long’s comment, Ontario phased out it’s last coal-fired generating plant in 2014! I agree that nuclear power generation must be in the mix along with wind and solar sources for future electrical demand in our province!
Mac Redden…I’m not sure where you get your information. Or misinformation! Here in Ontario, I believe that some of the coal powered electrical generating plants are operating. How can this be sustainable for the environment. Nuclear is another option and the government seems to be expanding that now. From my point of view, micro hydro-electric and community nuclear electric generation is the future.
Mac Redden: I wonder if the number crunching kinda misses the point. There are people who will never drive an EV. Here in Canada, there are people who can’t afford them. In other countries, there are few who could ever afford them. So, unless some incredibly munificent benefactor supplies the vehicles, crunching the numbers is just a math exercise.
You can say “Gas burners pay the tax so EV owners get FREE “fuel.” But in reality, it won’t matter if you’re paying 2.4 cents/ kw for hydro or $2.00 /litre at the pumps, if attempts to curtail global warming fail, we will all choke together. A moot point that you saved a bundle on the way out.
Just the opinion of someone who wonders if man will ever save himself.
Utilities know EV charging will not collapse the grid.
Even if all cars, not just new ones, suddenly switched to EV they would only use half the excess power available every night when demand drops 30%.
Only 8.2 kWh average per day to run an EV 20,000 km a year at 15 kWh per 100 km.
Peanuts. Your daily home usage varies more than that.
Excess power is why there is a new 2.4 cent per kWh overnight rate.
Less than $100/year to “fuel” an EV at that rate. Totally covered by the carbon tax rebate.
Gas burners pay the tax so EV owners get FREE “fuel.”
“won’t all these new electric cars the government is forcing us to drive overload the grid and blow transformers across America? The answer is, simply, “No, it won’t.”
Search “Public Utilities: Will All These New Electric Cars Crash the Grid?”
Many articles like that.
Even in California where EV adoption is very high.
Search “Even with mass adoption, electric vehicles increase demand on the electrical grid only slightly”
“California works to meet its goal of transitioning all new passenger vehicle sales to electrics by 2035, some skeptics are raising concerns about whether the state’s power grid is up to the task.
The short answer is yes.”
Electric vehicles seem to be the future. However, my concern is the electricity grid and how we can possibly keep the electrons flowing for them all. If all gas powered vehicles on the road today were changed to electric there would not be enough fuel for everyone. Are we looking at having small nuclear power plants in every community?
We were in England, Scotland and Greece in May, and if there is any full scale conversion to electric vehicles, it wasn’t obvious. There were electric vehicles, a good number of them taxis, but I only saw 1 charging station and it looked nothing like what I see here in Huntsville.
In the Plaka district of Athens where we stayed, the streets were originally designed, I imagine, for walking or the odd one-horse chariot, going only one direction. Yet the locals seem to be able to get through. And there is a solid row of vehicles already parked . They drive through, folding car mirrors in at the same time.
The average age of vehicles in Greece must be at least 10 years older than here at home. I imagine there must be lots of other countries that have the same problem when it comes to the wholesale conversion to electric. Countries such as Greece have problems enough coming up with the money to keep the country afloat. So will the EU be expected to pay for this mass conversion?
In England, the cost of charging vehicles has doubled in 2 years. Like everything we know of, the price will go up. I can’t name anything that has steadily decreased in price over the years. Stuff will be made easier and cheaper, but eventually the price will go up.
I read that there is about a 1000% premium for charging on the street in England. Charge at home for 2 pound, 60 pence ( about $4.40) or on the street for 41 pounds ($70.00). And if you don’t move when the battery reads ‘Full’, you are charged an ‘idle’ fee.
This is what I saw and read; the data is from a thisismoney.co.uk.
Will everybody with an old gas guzzler have to move to Alberta? Out there they still want to dig out the dirtiest tar on earth and sell it to the world. And are indicating that if they dislike a federal plan, they will disregard it. A la Quebec.
I think there will be a lot of hitches and glitches before this energy conversion is sorted.
Stephan Hill, according to US National Transportation Safety Board statistics, gasoline powered vehicles are 60 times more likely to catch fire than EVs. Almost all vehicles involved in a fire are written off, whether they are powered by gasoline or electricity.
You are correct in saying that batteries are too heavy for large commercial vehicles and heavy-duty mobile equipment. That is why all global manufacturers of those products are turning to zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell power.
When the EVs catch on fire, let the owners pay for the cost of putting them out. Most fire departments are simply letting them burn as a result of the difficulty of putting them out. This means a complete loss, who is going to pick up the cost of increased insurance? Commercial vehicles will require 2 8000lbs batteries, the cost for 30 tractors to be charged can not be measured as the grid will not sustain the draw. I am not against EV vehicles; however much better charging solutions need to be addressed, as well the safety.
Mr Zychowski……Suggesting that Mr Holland’s statement which you quote, is “CATEGORICALLY FALSE” is in itself quite wrong.
This is a product I would think of you not substantively knowing the facts and as a result Google a single article which supports your preconceived notions.
While Mr McKitrick,is not wrong in his initial reading of the data from Canadian National Fire Database, his conclusion is wrong. In the last 40 years, 3 years 1981; 1989; 1995 standout as large fire years. Indeed, the three were twice as damaging as the remaining 47 years averaged. As the CNFDB point out then the resultant regression then is not statistically significant (i.e. McKitrick is wrong about fires peaking 30 years ago).
Further you will find that without statistical trickery, 2021 was the absolutely the most damaging fire season in Ontario’s history (and as near as I can determine Ontario is “indeed right here in Canada” as claimed by Mr Holland and which you called “CATEGORICALLY FALSE”).
Lastly As of June 18th, Ontario has 35% more forest fires than the last 10 year average and 3 times the number in 2022 ( a particularly moderate year).
Peter, We are living with the boiled frog effect. You can always find exceptions to the trend on any of the many specific examples of climate change. But global energy consumption and carbon emissions keep going up and the life of proven finite fossil fuel reserves keeps going down. So we are heading for both a climate and energy supply catastrophe if appropriate action is not taken. These are not emotionally driven ideological arguments. These are facts observed by scientists who have dedicated their lives to the subject. We ignore their warnings at the great peril of our grandchildren.
Peter Zychowski, today June 18 is 101 F for several days in Houston Texas and there is a snowfall warning in central BC and 400 wildfires are still burning across Canada. Several insurance companies are no longer issuing home insurance in California do to extreme weather concerns.
Again with the misinformation, Hugh.
“Almost every day, new records are being set for wildfires, floods, hurricanes etc. somewhere in the world and indeed right here in Canada.” THIS IS CATEGORICALLY FALSE.
As Professor McKitrick, points out below, do the research, don’t rely on emotionally driven, ideological arguments made by Mr. Holland et. al.
https://financialpost.com/opinion/truth-about-forest-fires-up-in-climate-change-smoke
“There is no shortage of misinformation on this subject.” There can be on most any subject. Someday we may know, but right now……! It’s a crap shoot. Read the comments above and you’ll circle ’til you see your own tail lights.
But 2.4 cents @kwh! Does Hydro 1 know? I’m pretty sure our electricity is being subsidized right now in Ontario. To the tune of some $6B per year. Is this electric vehicle conversion still economical when that ends? Just a query; I’m sure I could get a few opposing views. No thanks.
“Cheap Chinese EVs are coming.” Is that good or bad? Is that the world pricing itself out of the market, where only the Chinese are producing vehicles? They will have to be cheap with no one working. Even self checkouts in local stores. I don’t work for the store, so I don’t use them. But where will people work when everything is automated? How cheap is cheap?
And do we really think we can convince ourselves, that people, the very same sort of people who have created the problems we see around us, are capable of cleaning up the mess and rectifying these difficulties? When we know it won’t make anybody any money! Try to sell that concept to a multi-national. People cause pollution; if not with oil and gas, then we’ll find another way: and announce that we are solving the problem.
It is difficult to feel anyone really cares about this planet of ours. The amount of hot air and straight BS involved is disconcerting and sad.
The song says ‘sitting in the garage won’t turn you into a car.’ And all this talking isn’t clearing the air and saving the land. Everybody has to do something! Let’s all argue about what.
Just an opinion.
Another good article Hugh!
Simply search “2.4 cents per kWh” for Ontario’s Ultra Low Electricity Price announcement.
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1002916/ontario-launches-new-ultra-low-overnight-electricity-price-plan
Available in a few areas of Ontario now. Within 6 months everywhere else.
So less than $100/year to run an EV at that rate.
Totally covered by the carbon tax rebate.
Hydrogen has many, many problems as listed.
Much, much higher cost than electricity to go the same distance is #1.
Higher cost even than fossil fuels so it’s not going anywhere. No one is going to switch.
Huge volume to store hydrogen is also a big problem.
There is no getting around that one.
Tesla electric semi is 500 mile range now.
Out of 83,000 lb max allowable for an EV semi the battery weight means only 7,000 lbs less max cargo.
Diesel engines, transmissions, radiators, exhaust etc etc are also not lightweight.
Most routes are not long haul any more.
Most loads are limited by volume not weight anyway.
Battery energy density keep rising every year.
Search “World’s largest battery maker announces major breakthrough in energy density”
and Search “CATL announces very energy dense battery for passenger aircraft”
500 Wh/kg.
That one is in production this year
So existing electric aircraft like Eviation Alice can go twice as far.
500 nm at 250 kts.
$3 billion and hundreds of them are on order.
1200 Wh/kg coming up by Argonne Labs..
That would mean 1200+ nm range at 250 kts.
1200 Wh/kg means a useful energy density approaching half that of fossil fuel after you correct for the massive difference in efficiency.
Jet fuel is 12,000 Wh/kg but jet engines are only 20% efficient so only 2,400 Wh/kg useful energy.
“Electric Planes Are Coming Sooner Than You Think”
Denmark and Sweden have announced plans to make all domestic flights fossil fuel–free by 2030.
Short range electric aircraft exist now.
Half of flights are 500 nm or less.
Long range aircraft will be hybrid. Electric around airports to reduce noise and emission then jet fuel for long range. Not hydrogen.
Huge battery improvements makes the upcoming aircraft range many times existing batteries.
HUGE cost savings to buy and operate is why airlines have ordered 100s of them worth billions.
Electric aircraft are cheaper to buy because jet engines are extremely expensive compared to motors and batteries.
Those are all electric not hydrogen aircraft.
Hydrogen isn’t going anywhere for vehicles.
Peter Zychowski, there is no shortage of misinformation on this subject. But you can be sure that when ALL GLOBAL MANUFACTUERS of vehicles and mobile equipment, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, decided to invest hundreds of billions in electric and hydrogen powered products, they did their homework on what is possible for supply of minerals, electricity, hydrogen, etc. The typical replacement cycle is 10 years for light-duty equipment and 20 years for heavy duty equipment. The first replacement cycle will build slowly over time. All subsequent replacement cycles will use mainly recycled materials, just like gasoline and diesel equipment is recycled today. The recycle industry will want to survive.
Mac Redden, battery electric technology is 60% more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines and is clearly the best way to replace gasoline-burning LIGHT-DUTY vehicles and mobile equipment, and even some applications of heavy-duty equipment such as city buses, urban delivery vans, and transports that run on predictable short runs. Beijing has 400 BE busses, Edmonton has 50 BE buses, Durham region just ordered 25 BE buses. GM is now building BE urban delivery vans for Fedex, etc. at their Ingersoll Ontario Plant. The new Tesla semi truck is designed for short-haul applications. Battery weight simply takes too much away from payload for long haul and very HEAVY-DUTY applications. That is why Daimler, Hyundai, Caterpillar, Komatsu, GE, Rolls-Royce, etc have developed products with hydrogen-fuel-cell power plants for those types of applications. Yes, hydrogen powered equipment will be more expensive to make and operate, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER VIABLE WAY TO ACHIEVE NET-ZERO EMISSIONS for those types of applications at this time. That is why Germany has contracts with Hydro Quebec and Newfoundland-Labrador Hydro to supply clean hydrogen made in Canada by electrolysis of water. Japan is leaning toward hydrogen because that small island nation with a very high population density lacks opportunities to make clean electricity. They can import hydrogen, but they cannot import electricity.
The cost of NOT CHANGING will be much more expensive than the cost of CHANGING. Almost every day, new records are being set for wildfires, floods, hurricanes etc. somewhere in the world and indeed right here in Canada. The insurance industry is concerned that home and building insurance may soon become unaffordable for those types of events. So, if you lose your house or business building to a fire, flood, or tornado, you will be, to use a colloquial term, SOL
Peter Zychovski, there is no shortage of misinformation on this subject. But you can be sure that when ALL GLOBAL MANUFACTUERS of vehicles and mobile equipment, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, decided to invest hundreds of billions in electric and hydrogen powered products, they did their homework on what is possible for supply of minerals, electricity, hydrogen, etc. The typical replacement cycle is 10 years for light-duty equipment and 20 years for heavy duty equipment. The first replacement cycle will build slowly over time. All subsequent replacement cycles will use mainly recycled materials, just like gasoline and diesel equipment is recycled today. The recycle industry will want to survive.
Mac Redden, battery electric technology is 60% more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines and is clearly the best way to replace gasoline-burning LIGHT-DUTY vehicles and mobile equipment, and even some applications of heavy-duty equipment such as city buses, urban delivery vans, and transports that run on predictable short runs. Beijing has 400 BE busses, Edmonton has 50 BE buses, Durham region just ordered 25 BE buses. GM is now building BE urban delivery vans for Fedex, etc. at their Ingersoll Ontario Plant. The new Tesla semi truck is designed for short-haul applications. Battery weight simply takes too much away from payload for long haul and very HEAVY-DUTY applications. That is why Daimler, Hyundai, Caterpillar, Komatsu, GE, Rolls-Royce, etc have developed products with hydrogen-fuel-cell power plants for those types of applications. Yes, hydrogen powered equipment will be more expensive to make and operate, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER VIABLE WAY TO ACHIEVE NET-ZERO EMISSIONS for those types of applications at this time. That is why Germany has contracts with Hydro Quebec and Newfoundland-Labrador Hydro to supply clean hydrogen made in Canada by electrolysis of water. Japan is leaning toward hydrogen because that small island nation with a very high population density lacks opportunities to make clean electricity. They can import hydrogen, but they cannot import electricity.
The cost of NOT CHANGING will be much more expensive than the cost of CHANGING. Almost every day, new records are being set for wildfires, floods, hurricanes etc. somewhere in the world and indeed right here in Canada. The insurance industry is concerned that home and building insurance may soon become unaffordable for those types of events. So, if you lose your house or business building to a fire, flood, or tornado, you will be, to use a colloquial term, SOL
We have a 2018 volt which was the hybrid chevy made and we have been very happy with it. The first year i kept track of how much it cost us to use it, now we did no long trips. But it was used everyday to drive to work or to do groceries etc. Also in the time we have had it ive only had it stuck in the snow once and that was december 26th last year. For the first year we had it we paid 1600.00 approx. For fuel, between gas and electric chargeing it at night. We also have our own charger. Also for those who are nervous about finding chargers there are apps that show where they are and even what the cost of use is.
Mac Redden has quoted 2.4c / kwh for off peak electricity.
On my latest bill I’m paying 7.2c /kwh (off peak) PLUS delivery, regularity charges and HST less a rebate approximately equal to the HST for an average rate of around 15c / kwh.
That’s a whole lot more than 2.4c / kwh!!
Is anyone actually getting electricity for anything like 2.4c / kwh?
Thanks for the article Hugh. It is really important that politicians and the rest of us understand how to best prepare for the changes that are coming.
This change can be amazing if we prepare, or difficult and scary if we don’t.
“GOOD QUESTION” Ross Carlin !!!
I was in Montreal a few weeks ago and my friend was showing me one solution that the city has implemented on urban residential streets with condos and townhomes that can’t have their own chargers (they only have street parking, and the cable would have to cross the sidewalk – which they can’t do). They have installed level 2 (240v) chargers along the streets so that there are two parking spots with chargers available on each block for residents to use overnight for charging when they need it. Level 2 charging (especially off peak time) is extremely cheap. Good start! Other towns and cities are adding chargers to light poles or hydro poles near street parking for the same reason. I live in Huntsville and have been driving a Chevy Bolt since last September and I love it. We installed a level 2 charger in our garage, so we rarely have to charge anywhere else. We get a range of over 400km in the summer, and at least 250km in the winter.
Question: if we get rid of all the gas vehicles and pumps, where will we put them?
Let the uninformed climate change deniers with gas burners pay the carbon tax so you can get FREE “fuel” for your EV with the carbon tax rebate.
Rebate is up to $1,544. Depends on province.
The carbon tax rebate pays the entire yearly cost of “fuel” for an EV, road tax if any ($150/year EV road tax in Saskatchewan right now), and helps to pay off the EV.
On top of the $5K federal and some provincial EV rebates. $12K total rebates in PQ for example.
Oil production is extremely dirty. Long before it’s burned in any vehicle.
Watch the video “EV or Gas, What Pollutes More?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oVrIHcdxjA.
Zero cobalt or nickel needed for existing LFP batteries used in half of Teslas, some Ford Mach Es and upcoming Lightnings and most Chinese EVs.
Zero lithium, cobalt or nickel needed for upcoming sodium ion batteries. They lose less range in the cold than ICE vehicles so will be the default for Canada.
Cheapest, no fire issues, 3X+ life, faster charging and best for the environment.
In production and EVs in China right now. Everywhere else asap.
“How Sodium-Ion Batteries May Challenge Lithium” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQE56ksVBB4
The grid is ready for EVs right now so long as most continue to charge overnight at low rates when demand plunges 30%..
Zero increase in peak power demand so zero upgrades are needed.
With V2G EVs can prevent outages due to demand not cause them.
Even if all cars, not just new ones, suddenly went EV they would only use half the excess that exists right now.
Electricity cost goes down for everyone, EV or not, as EVs are added to the grid.
Simply economies of scale like many items.
Search “EVs have shown to put downward pressure on electricity rates.”
“Real-world experience from utilities with a relatively high penetration of light-duty EVs shows that EV charging brings additional utility revenues that vastly exceed the costs to generate and deliver the additional energy.”
Search “Electric cars make utility bills cheaper for everyone, new research finds”
“They bring lots of revenue to utility companies, but don’t cost much to provide energy to. Since utilities can’t reap unlimited profits, EVs help push rates down.”
Hydrogen isn’t going anywhere.
It’s is a really bad GHG when it leaks.
Leakage, storage and almost total lack of infrastructure are other problems.
Electricity infrastructure already exists. Fill up at home.
Hydrogen is a climate-heating gas, with a 100-year global warming potential that is about 11 times greater than carbon dioxide.
Search “For hydrogen power to be a climate solution, leaks must be curbed”
Most of it comes from fossil fuels. Electrolysis is very inefficient which is why it’s not used much.
6X more expensive than electric.
“A two-year-old project to run 51 hydrogen buses in the French city of Montpellier and its environs has been cancelled for being too expensive after elected officials realised that electric buses would be six times cheaper to run.”
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are much more expensive to buy and much more expensive to operate so they aren’t going anywhere.
Search “Head To Head: Nikola’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks Vs. The Tesla Semi” for some numbers.
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/08/06/head-to-head-nikolas-hydrogen-fuel-cell-trucks-vs-the-tesla-semi/
When are ev owners going to pay road tax? Currently they pay nil highway and road maintenance costs money currently it’s being paid at the pumps this isn’t right for a number of reasons .
This column is so riddled with errors, ideology and misinformation it’s not worth reading.
EV’s require 6X the amount of mineral inputs. Really dirty stuff like lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, magnesium, etc. They must be driven for over 200,000KMs before breaking even on their carbon emissions.
A strong case can be made that society should NOT transition to EVs – they’re too dirty and too costly.
Moreover, the “Green Colonialism” exhibited by the far-left is truly shocking. They despise mining and want to shut down and ban all mining activities at home yet advocate for EVs. As far as I can discern, Mr. Holland and fellow climate doomers are A-Ok with cobalt mining in the Congo, or nickel mining in Indonesia. So long as the costs of the mineral exploitation required to the fulfill the EV fantasy is borne by the developing world, it’s all good.
Reject the delusions of the Climate Doomers. These people haven’t read the books; haven’t done the work. They’re the first to say “Look at the science”. The science clearly shows that their schemes and fantasies are ineffective costly, delusions that do nothing to help the environment and make us all poorer.
If we had real leadership in this country we would make the corporate world adopt Hydrogen for all commercial applications. With the billions in cash that they are hoarding currently. This would allow the general public(us ) time to switch from oil and gas to electric for the general population while they upgrade the grid to handle the supply chain to achieve such a massive feat.
Wouldn’t that be better than buying stock options and driving prices higher. Or we could all buy stocks in ESG companies and hope for the best. That’s reassuring as hell.
It costs less than $100/year to run an EV at the new 2.4 cents per kWh rate in Ontario.
Instead of every week or two for gas.
Totally covered by the carbon tax rebate.
Let the gas burners pay the tax so you can get FREE “fuel.”
EVs are plunging in price while ICE vehicles continue to rise.
Hold onto your old car for a few years if you can.
“Electric Vehicles Tantalizingly Close To Price Parity With Gas Burners”
“Say goodbye to the US car market as we know it: Cheap Chinese EVs are coming.”
Cheaper than the ICE equivalent without incentives.
“More Than Half of US Car Sales Will Be Electric by 2030”
600 and 900 mile range EVs announced by Toyota.
Far higher than the median ICE car range of 400 miles.
New EV batteries not affected by the cold and can charge much faster also announced.
Aptera EV may not need to be charged at all.
Hold onto your old car for a few years if you can.
EVs are very rapidly improving and dropping in price.