Why are people buying new ICE cars?

[GreenDriver]

I'm surprised, baffled, dismayed and so on by the new car buying habits of supposedly environmentally minded people in OR. I'm not talking about people for whom a Tesla is unaffordable, those looking to buy used, or people needing something not yet available in EV form. I'm referring to people who are buying NEW sedans or CUVs. "Ooh, I bought a Subaru/ some other ICE. I love it!". They talk excitedly about the gas mileage which is "great", especially with the "increasing gas prices".

It seems that they are not even considering a Tesla or a different EV. How can you be concerned about gas prices and excited about great mileage and not think about an EV? How can you be so oblivious to the change that is upon us?

Strange.

 

[jjrandorin]

Why do people eat sushi vs steak?

 

[HappyDude]

You still have to know you want an EV, hardly any efforts made to sell them to the general public.

I wouldn't feel too down, I see more electric vehicles on the road that ever before.

 

[Watts_Up]

I imagine that a large majority of people buy ICE cars because they have no clues on how to charge an EV.

The typical reaction I hear when some one walk in the street and noticed an EV parked, is to say some thing like: "Nice car... but where do you charge it?"

Those people believe that gas stations will be progressively replaced by electrical 'gas' stations where you just stop for few minutes to fill up,
and as long they don't see an electrical 'gas' station in there vicinity, they will not consider getting an EV.

They don't understand that you don't need to make a detour to find an electrical 'gas' station but instead your charge your car where you park it instead,
such at home, at work, on when parked a grocery store or a shopping mall...

The ideal situation is to charge at home, especially if you can charge at night using a discounted off peak rate.
This also imply that you have your own parking spot and unless you are a home owner, you need to get authorized by the landlord to install a plug.

Electric cars are very important to improve the air quality in cities, but people living in cities often don't own their home and rent a place.
So they don't want to pay to install a plug as they often don't stay at the same location for a long time,
or they don't have their own parking spot and park in the street.

However they don't realize that new EVs often have a bout 300 miles of range, which is very similar to many ICE cars,
so they don't really need to charge every day and, depending of their usage, charging the car once a week would be sufficient
and similar to what they are used to with their current ICE car.

 

[glide]

It’s not strange at all. EV’s are inconvenient and require people to make compromises when it comes to charging and service.

Not everyone wants to do that. Which is why we are allowed to make choices.

 

[Sukhshanti]

Lack of home charging was my major hurdle. I bought my first home 2 years ago, lived in condos and apartments before that where I would have never considered an EV

 

[BrianBigNFun]

aside from price most people come from a place of ignorance
I was a Subaru owner through and through. I had leased/purchased 9 Subies between my wife and I since I was 26
My dad got the M3 back in early 2019 and it was my first learning experience with EV's. Until then I thought that range and charging would be major hurtles, not being a car guy aside from functionality I of course thought they were slow and unreliable. My ignorance would have persisted had my father not purchased a Tesla.
I had a banner year financially in 2020 (very lucky as many suffered) and my Outback lease was up so I took the plunge. I find myself telling friends all about the car as they had the same perceptions and even demonstrate how cost of ownership is no where as bad as they think. I think you'll see somewhat of an exponential growth as people hear from other owners until a certain point as long as the capability to produce batteries is there and other "familiar" classic auto brands get on board.

 

[cusetownusa]

For us, my wife wanted a 3 row family hauler so we just bought a loaded Kia Telluride. If there was a EV equivalent we would have purchased that instead, but unfortunately there isn't. Tesla Model X is about the same size but double the price. The Rivian SUV and VW ID6 looks promising but we will have to wait for those.

 

[jjrandorin]

The point is, there are plenty of reasons for people to still buy ICE vehicles (as many as there are people) and there is no reason for anyone to be "surprised, baffled and dismayed" by someones else choice of vehicle to drive.

I eat meat, but the OPs post is like someone saying "I am surprised, baffled and dismayed that people still eat meat! why do people still persist in consuming food where another living being has to die?!?!?!"

I dont feel that way at all, but the OPs post sounds exactly like that to me, and there definitely are people who feel like that, which is basically, "I made this choice, since I decided it was best, I dont see how anyone else can see differently".

 

[Silicon Desert]

It’s not strange at all. EV’s are inconvenient and require people to make compromises when it comes to charging and service.

Not everyone wants to do that. Which is why we are allowed to make choices.

agree, not strange at all. I can think of a lot of reasons why a person might want an ice car rather than EV. I think it is more strange to think it is strange

I'm surprised and dismayed that someone would live in Oregon! Well, actually no I don't. Nice place, but OP, you get my point if I were to say that.

 

[Merrill]

I think the idea of an all electric car is foreign to most people, when you say electric then the subject of where and how to fill up becomes a negative. We have a neighbor who is a retired doctor and has 2 prius’s and solar, is concerned about the environment but will not own an all electric car. He says he goes to Southern California to visit his daughter and it is an 8 hours drive and does not want to stop. I said don’t you eat something or need to use the restroom, his response is no I do not want to stop. What’s the hurry another 30 minutes is not a big deal, plus he can afford a Tesla. This is just one of many comments I hear when talking about purchasing an all electric car.

 

[GreenDriver]

I think the idea of an all electric car is foreign to most people, when you say electric then the subject of where and how to fill up becomes a negative. We have a neighbor who is a retired doctor and has 2 prius’s and solar, is concerned about the environment but will not own an all electric car. He says he goes to Southern California to visit his daughter and it is an 8 hours drive and does not want to stop. I said don’t you eat something or need to use the restroom, his response is no I do not want to stop. What’s the hurry another 30 minutes is not a big deal, plus he can afford a Tesla. This is just one of many comments I hear when talking about purchasing an all electric car.

This is what I'm talking about. It's illogical. It's not that there's a good reason, whatever the reason is.

 

[Merrill]

Also I think most people do not bother to do any research and learn about BEV’s, they just have a mind set that makes them continue to buy ICE cars.

 

[BrianBigNFun]

I think the idea of an all electric car is foreign to most people, when you say electric then the subject of where and how to fill up becomes a negative. We have a neighbor who is a retired doctor and has 2 prius’s and solar, is concerned about the environment but will not own an all electric car. He says he goes to Southern California to visit his daughter and it is an 8 hours drive and does not want to stop. I said don’t you eat something or need to use the restroom, his response is no I do not want to stop. What’s the hurry another 30 minutes is not a big deal, plus he can afford a Tesla. This is just one of many comments I hear when talking about purchasing an all electric car.

His name?

Dr Ironbladder

 

[GreenDriver]

I think my point may have been missed.
It’s the same exasperation I feel when I see old growth being logged in Canada. For example: Photography campaign shows the grim aftermath of logging in Canada's fragile forests

When I see this I don’t say to myself: oh well, whatever, to each his own, if they want to cut old growth, it’s their choice. To the contrary. I say: how can this still be going on?

 

[DaveG_NJ]

I'm surprised, baffled, dismayed and so on by the new car buying habits of supposedly environmentally minded people in OR. I'm not talking about people for whom a Tesla is unaffordable, those looking to buy used, or people needing something not yet available in EV form. I'm referring to people who are buying NEW sedans or CUVs. "Ooh, I bought a Subaru/ some other ICE. I love it!". They talk excitedly about the gas mileage which is "great", especially with the "increasing gas prices".

It seems that they are not even considering a Tesla or a different EV. How can you be concerned about gas prices and excited about great mileage and not think about an EV? How can you be so oblivious to the change that is upon us?

Strange.

"The dogma lives loudly within you."

The OP sounds like my brother-in-law. Deeply passionate about his causes and absolutely unable to understand that reasonable people may have a different perspective. The fine print under his COEXIST bumper sticker reads "as long you see things my way".

 

[outdoors]

I think my point may have been missed.
It’s the same exasperation I feel when I see old growth being logged in Canada. For example: Photography campaign shows the grim aftermath of logging in Canada's fragile forests

When I see this I don’t say to myself: oh well, whatever, to each his own, if they want to cut old growth, it’s their choice. To the contrary. I say: how can this still be going on?

It's going on because there is a demand for that product. Someone owns the land or has rights to the forest on the land. One may not like it. I surely cringe at those sights.

On the original topic. Keep in mind most don't have the resources to buy BEV's. As in looking at large population groups. Most cars bought are used. Look up the stats. The transactional volume in cars is in the used market. Why? They often don't have the $ to pony up to new car prices let alone BEV's.

Edit: So it's going to be a long haul. When 40 million is used transactions vs 17 million new. That was in 2018. Tell me how the dent gets done overnight.

 

[GreenDriver]

It's going on because there is a demand for that product. Someone owns the land or has rights to the forest on the land. One may not like it. I surely cringe at those sights.

On the original topic. Keep in mind most don't have the resources to buy BEV's. As in looking at large population groups. Most cars bought are used. Look up the stats. The transactional volume in cars is in the used market. Why? They often don't have the $ to pony up to new car prices let alone BEV's.

Edit: So it's going to be a long haul. When 40 million is used transactions vs 17 million new. That was in 2018. Tell me how the dent gets done overnight.

I was specifically talking about new cars. That’s why I was so surprised. Incidentally, in response to some previous comments, not yours, I would never say anything to anyone about their choice, I was just wondering about it here. Oh, and I dont have bumper stickers, I don’t belong to any political party, I do my best to get along with people, I’m a woman and I don’t enjoy being bullied, so I’ll be gone.

 

[outdoors]

I was specifically talking about new cars. That’s why I was so surprised. Incidentally, in response to some previous comments, not yours, I would never say anything to anyone about their choice, I was just wondering about it here. Oh, and I dont have bumper stickers, I don’t belong to any political party, I do my best to get along with people, I’m a woman and I don’t enjoy being bullied, so I’ll be gone.

Hold on there. Some of us are tongue and cheek. So don't be gone. Please.

Really it does come down to price on it. I have lost so many battles that my passion is kind of gone. Owning a BEV is not easy, but not incredibly difficult. Yet many in society don't like change, or maybe have little time to change it.

I will tell you a story. Client says I don't know how you buy those electric cars. We could never do that. Late 70's. Wife speaking. Charging slow. Cold batteries. Husband loves cars. Collector. I cover all the usual. She is still apprehensive. He heads out to driveway. Comes in. Honey screen is bigger than his laptop. No gauges. Amazed. She not so much. I show him the charging map. (all vaccinated) Amazed. Map him up to his cottage. Wife. Nope.

So that is just a few. I win many. Lose 10x that. The one they love is always starting with a full charge. The light bulb often lights on that one. Yet people are creatures of habits. Habits die hard. Hopefully sooner than later on the gas pump.

Seriously we all don't bite, and everyone is perfect on the internet.

 

[glide]

I was specifically talking about new cars. That’s why I was so surprised. Incidentally, in response to some previous comments, not yours, I would never say anything to anyone about their choice, I was just wondering about it here. Oh, and I dont have bumper stickers, I don’t belong to any political party, I do my best to get along with people, I’m a woman and I don’t enjoy being bullied, so I’ll be gone.

Life can be surprising when you step outside your bubble.