Hailstorms And EVs
– By Lisa Rutherford –
I took a break from writing for a while to spend August on the road visiting family and friends. While visiting in northeast Oregon, our car got pummeled by hail in a storm that, after leaving our area, did extensive damage in Wallowa, Oregon. We got hit with quarter-size hail, but in Wallowa, the hail was baseball-size! That hail ripped off house siding, damaged roofs, killed animals, and did far more damage to vehicles than we experienced. But even the hail that hit us was enough to result in a repair estimate that caused the insurance company to total the car.
I was forced to make a tough decision. The Prius had been such a reliable car but given the car’s age and mileage, I decided to give the car to the insurance company, receive a good check for it, and start looking for a new car. I have lived by the philosophy offered in a previous article to cut spending during this inflationary period and was even careful on the trip. But now I was faced with a major expense during a time when inflation is high, there’s talk of recession, and car prices are through the roof, especially for electric vehicle (EV). I was forced to make a quick decision and the pressure was on because the availability of EVs, my preference, is very slim.
I was still in a quandary, though, because I’ve had mixed feelings about EVs. After working for an oil company for twenty years and now witnessing climate change effects, I want us on a new path. But problems with EVs when it comes to the metals needed to produce EV batteries, and the infrastructure needed to support EVs have been in the news. At this point other challenges are common: not enough public chargers, EV initial expense, limited supply, lack of public knowledge and acceptance. But remember that mobile phones were seen as something strange and challenging for some when they were new. Now they are ubiquitous and so we hope it goes for EVs. What was a girl to do!
Looking into the issue revealed that there’s conflicting information, which makes it even more confusing. However, most of the information I found was very positive about the EV future and what it will mean for our nation and the world.
EV sales in the U.S. have hit the 5% mark—considered a “tipping point” that helped to accelerate sales in Europe and other areas: “Once 5% of new-car sales go fully electric, everything changes—according to a Bloomberg analysis of the 19 countries that have made the EV pivot.” And, according to Bloomberg, by 2025, a quarter of new vehicle sales in the U.S. could be electric. The U.S. has joined Europe and China in moving beyond the tipping point established by countries before them. Latin American, African, and Southeast Asia countries have not achieved these EV goals. At this point, it’s uncertain if global miners for essential metals could keep up with that.
Every country that has crossed the EV tipping point has a program of federal incentives (similar to the incentives given fossil fuel companies for decades!) and pollution standards. The U.S. bodes well in this area.
Even conservative states like Georgia are realizing the benefits of EVs. Georgia has emerged as an “EV epicenter” according to a recent article. Their planned Hyundai and Rivian manufacturing plants and an existing EV battery factory make them wonder if they should follow progressive California’s lead and “go all-in on electrification.” It’s currently a new pillar for Georgia’s economy and some see it as the keystone of the state’s manufacturing future. Hyundai’s aggressive timeline for their new plant shows how the transition from internal combustion to electric cars is accelerating. General Motors plans an all-electric fleet by 2035 and Ford has new EV versions for most popular models including their popular F150 truck and the Mustang. Some in Georgia see embracing an EV future as not only good for their state but will also help achieve economies of scale, making EVs more affordable.
SWEEP (The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project) produced a report for our neighbor Nevada: Economic and Air Quality Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Nevada. SWEEP is supported by a variety of organizations including NV Energy, Rocky Mountain Power, Dominion Energy, NM Gas Company, the National Resource Defense Council, and the Environmental Defense Fund, making it a diverse group. Their 2014 report encouraged Nevada to adopt policies that would overcome barriers so that a greater number of people can acquire EVs. EVs reduce fuel costs and move consumption away from imported oil. The fuel savings produce more disposable income for use locally. With greater sales, fuel savings could produce thousands of Nevada jobs. Over the life of an EV, drivers can expect to save between $11,600 and $17,100 since the higher upfront cost for an EV will be offset by lower operating costs.
The report showed that air quality in Nevada would be improved by reducing emissions that would come from gasoline-fueled vehicles. Better air quality reduces respiratory ailments especially in at-risk populations such as children and elderly.
The SWEEP report identified states with robust EV policies and included Utah, amazingly, just behind Colorado. Utah’s $1,500 tax credit for the purchase or lease of an EV helped to double new EV registrations in Utah in 2013 over 2012. Since 2014 Utah’s hybrid/EV ownership growth puts it No. 3 in the nation with Salt Lake City’s growth at over 105% during that period.
The SWEEP report encouraged Nevada to offer rebates for EVs and the state now has $2,500 rebates for those who qualify. It also suggested improving their charging infrastructure. Just this month the federal government approved Nevada’s plan to install charging stations across the state, releasing $13.7 million in federal infrastructure funds to build along a 2,446-mile EV corridor.
This is good news for Nevada and those who travel through in EVs. But what about lower-income drivers? How does this EV transition affect them?
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT.org) produced a February 2021 report that presents an analysis of when lower-income drivers might benefit from electric vehicles. For years, lower-income people have suffered the ill effects of living near highways and other busy roads where emissions levels are high. Many low-income people don’t even drive cars and those that do spend larger proportions of their income on vehicle-related expenses. Opponents of climate policy have used inequitable access to EVs as a way to block policies that promote EVs. The ICCT analysis revealed that projected and rapid reductions in the cost of used EVs over the coming decade will enable access to EVs in the near future for this population and with cost savings that result in substantial benefits depending on location.
Elements or metals needed to build the batteries for these cars present a challenge. But for too long, we have relied on petro-dictators for oil. We should not rely on unfriendly nations for these elements, but with so much locked in China, we may have no choice.
In the final analysis, my study reassured me about my decision to buy an EV. As I signed the paperwork, I wondered how many people are buying EVs after global-warming events, resulting from fossil-fuel CO2 effects, totaled their cars as the hail did mine. The EV change is coming faster than any of us anticipated. I’m glad to be part of it.
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