Are we ready for an EV Tacoma?

People who don't currently own EVs and live in Northern climates cannot fathom how shitty they are in the winter.

 

Saw one the other day with a dark color wrap. It was coming the opposite direction. Funny thing, from the front it looked like an ordinary vehicle. Even with the full light strip illuminated since some Hyundais and other makes I think VW have a similar style DRL or marker lights. Kind of like the Cybertruck isn't even outrageous any more.

 

I have range anxiety and would never buy an EV as my sole daily driver…

 

We don't tax the rich here, they're off limits

And yeah never gonna happen, private contractors in cahoots with corrupt officials take all the money and run and nothing like the CA high speed rail ever gets built. It would definitely take some cars off the road though for sure.

 

Model Y

 

I think some of our reservations about EV charging and range are due to ICE habits. We refuel ICE once a week (or so) or when they are low. With an EV you plug in every night so you start off every day with a full "tank". You should never have range anxiety just going to/from work or running weekend errands.
If you are going on a trip, you probably plan in advance so a little extra effort to locate a charger for when you plan on eating or taking a larger break doesn't seem too difficult. And you'd probably be starting with a full "tank". I usually don't think of topping off my ICE the night before a road trip, but an EV would easily get topped off.

With some not necessarily inconvenient habit changes I think most of us could make an EV work now. With vehicle and infrastructure changes that will be here within the next few years, it will be even easier. The 3s 0-60 times from Cybertrucks, Rivians, Hummers is impressive. I don't need to accelerate that quickly but the instant torque would certainly be enjoyable. Looking forward to the future not dreading it.

 

We had a '23 Model Y performance, biggest POS vehicle I've ever owned, it lasted 11 months before we punted! Resale was crap as well, if I didn't get the $7500 in tax credits I would have really taken a bath, I would reconsider that decision if I were you.

 

Written like someone who has a driveway or garage at their home for anytime charging. And lives in an area which doesn't experience winter. And enjoys low cost of electricity with no brownouts.

 

It was actually pretty nice. Instant heat, no warm up required.

 

I could see this conversation going political or otherwise downhill fast. Without reading what anyone else has said... No, I will never be interested in an EV Tacoma.

 

20-30% decrease in range. 50-100% increase in charge times.
Yeah. Wicked nice.

 

Honestly it was a decrease in range similar to my gas and diesel trucks given the increased fuel use from cold weather warm up, dense air and less efficient winter fuel blends. Charge times aren’t longer unless you plug in without driving anywhere and the battery is completely cold. That doesn’t have any effect on AC charging speeds (home/business charging, level 2) just on DC fast charging used on road trips. Luckily you don’t get to a DC fast charger without driving and warming the battery in 95% of the cases.

 

If you have a garage its fine in the winter, you just plug in when you get home, it warms the battery slowly and charges slowly.

For a battery to match the demands of a mid sized truck we just dont have the space yet. It would have to take up under the bed.

It's coming, but Toyota is definitely resistant to it.

Oddly for me 95% of the time an EV mustang would suit nearly everything I do. I have a 15 minute commute and have a garage. But when I want to go visit family I'd have to trade vehicles out, or if I want to tow my dirt bike to the mountains etc.

 

Your experience differs from mine. Greatly.

I have 2.5 years worth of consumption data for my wife's BEV.
Warm/Hot half of the year, 3.5mi/kwh. typical.
Cool/Cold half of the year, 2.5mi/kwh.
Climate-controlled garage for departure side of round trips.

Estimated range drops from ~290-300 to ~200-210

Public charge rates are very difficult to accurately quantify, however it is not unusual for a pump which will typically hover around 150kw in prime conditions during the middle of a charge cycle(20-80%, to drop down to 50kw in winter. And that's on a vehicle with the ability to run up to 270kw.

 

Admin here instituted a new EV fee here which went into effect today. I forget how much, since I'm not impacted by that fee I don't care or need to know how much.

 

Yeah we tried the EV experiment with a Model Y. Hard pass for us until maybe another decade when range and charging gets WAY more advanced.

 

Same, except with a Model 3. The wife got it in 2021 mostly because it allowed her to shorten her daily commute by 20-30 minutes (could use HOV lane solo and free of charge). That exemption stopped being an option as of today. We've been discussing it for months, and we'll certainly be replacing it with a hybrid rather than an electric, because having to plan even a daytrip around charging the car sucks.

Also, for whatever reason, it often makes me nauseous (I don't get motion sickness in other vehicles) and also has some effect on the dog (she's perfectly fine in every other vehicle we've had her in, but she constantly whines when the Tesla is moving at low speed or stationary).

 

Hell yes I’d buy one. It would be the perfect supplement to our other vehicles for the city. Even better if it’s scout/slate/maverick sized

 

Once all the exclusive privileges and incentives go away so does much of the appeal of operating an EV. The exception being people who like what an EV offers
performance and tech. I also read recently that BMW has told customers to park certain EV models outside.

I look at an EV the same as any other appliance. I don't want or need an overly complicated washing machine to wash my clothes when the old technology works just fine for the task it was engineered to complete.