When Will Enthusiasts Get Behind EVs?
[July 20, 2020]
It seems like EVs have lately become somewhat of a motoring culture touchstone. Much like wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately become politicized, it seems like EVs have likewise succumbed to tribalism, with the “true” enthusiasts staking their last claims for the defense and survival of the internal-combustion engine, with the militant environmentalists trying to force their zero-emissions will onto motorists, or so the predominant narrative goes.
A lot of ICE apologists and defenders have been short-sellers of Tesla stock, and vocal critics of Elon Musk, Tesla, and most other companies’ EV development efforts, or at least passive-aggressively disparaging of EV technology in terms of the range, true environmental cost, “coal-powered” EV trolling, or in enthusiast circles, excessive weight of batteries and its effect on dynamic performance.
As an admitted all-in apologist and convert to EVs, I have a few thoughts on this cultural current, being what I’d consider a fairly fully steeped “petrolhead” myself until recently. First off, I openly admit that EVs are not perfect, and currently have some disadvantages compared to internal-combustion counterparts. However, if you look at almost any other first-generation technology, the early iterations are often high-cost, relatively crude and unsophisticated (in retrospect), and compromised.
My gut feeling is telling me that the ICE defenders are still in the early stages of grief when it comes to the ascent of EVs, and the decline of the internal-combustion engine. They’re seeing fairly stock Teslas and EV conversions positively clobbering high-horse modified street cars at the drag strip, to which they reply, “Yeah, well, I only spent a fraction of that on my car,” or “Yeah, but I’ll bet you he has to re-charge after every run.”
The numbers don’t lie, and there’s no denying that Teslas, Taycans, and other performance EVs are undeniably quick from about 0-100mph. At higher speeds, the multiple transmission ratios of ICE vehicles work in their favor compared to the typically single-ratio EVs. But with an effective national speed limit of 65mph, how often are most people going to get into the triple digits outside of a racetrack?
I still think we’re at the stage where “Tesla” is synonymous with “EV” much like the Toyota Prius was synonymous with “hybrid” for many years. Hybrids are no longer the novelty they once were, and there’s a good chance the majority of cars in the decade ahead will be hybrids of one sort or another.
Whether it’s low-grade subtle jealousy of Musk’s personal fortune, a dislike for his geeky, sometimes arrogant personality, or whatever, some of the stated dislike and skepticism of EVs may be masked dislike and contempt for Musk himself. I’ve already witnessed it in some form from “Nikola Bros” coming to the defense of Trevor Milton and Nikola trucks while at the same time disparaging Tesla, the Cybertruck, and Musk. What will happen when GM comes out with the Hummer EV or Ford with the F-150 EV? Will the brand partisans come to the defense of their homegrown electrified heroes, or still pooh-pooh EVs in general?
Trevor Milton sees the need to spark enthusiast interest with his company’s offerings, partnering with the Diesel Brothers’ Heavy D for the Nikola Badger. (Image courtesy Nikola)
For those who have actually experienced the instantaneous, seamless torque of EVs, there’s little denying the satisfaction of the sensation, as opposed to the screaming mechanical racket of equivalent ICE vehicles to achieve the same measured performance. Sure, for now, that performance requires hundreds, if not thousands of pounds of batteries, and being plugged in for hours at a time.
But the objections of EVs being expensive, charging points hard to find, and taking too long to fully charge are issues that are diminishing in importance as improvements in battery technology, economies of scale, and infrastructure build-out are moving forward every day.
Sure, I get the nostalgic appeal of the unique growl of a Porsche flat-six, the classic rumble of a Chevy small-block V-8, a screaming Mazda rotary, or the pleasant blat of a classic MG or Triumph. EVs, by nature of the beast, will never be able to deliver that same level of experiential sensation. In a sense, it will be sad when ICE vehicles are a fleeting rarity on Sunday drives or car shows, when the sound of an exhaust or engine note is a rare treat, instead of an everyday annoyance (for some).
But the advantages of EVs are undeniable, and those advantages are only increasing by the day as the aforementioned issues of cost, weight, and charging availability are addressed. EV restomod swaps are still a fringe niche of the aftermarket, but could soon become as common as the ubiquitous “LS” V-8 swaps. Some love the idea of 1950s and ’60s classics silently whizzing by under EV power, others hate it. But they’re coming. It’s just a matter of how soon.
(Main image courtesy Tesla)
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