[jgayman]

With gas prices rising I think we will see a lot of folks switching to EVs. There aren’t a lot of new cars available without waiting so some people will be stuck with their gas guzzler for awhile. It will be interesting to see if the prices come down on trucks like they did in ‘08 and small cars and EVs increase in price even more.

It will be interesting to see. It's not like you can just run out and buy the EV equivalent of the vehicle you are currently driving as most EVs are sub-compacts.

I also suspect that not everyone has the extra capacity to install a home charger in their existing load center. With all the supply chain issues I'd be surprised if even buying a decent home charging station is without issues.

 

[Kbar]

There’s also the working vehicles like mine. I’m not going out and buying a lightning to haul tools and fuel

 

[MTB98]

It will be interesting to see. It's not like you can just run out and buy the EV equivalent of the vehicle you are currently driving as most EVs are sub-compacts.

I also suspect that not everyone has the extra capacity to install a home charger in their existing load center. With all the supply chain issues I'd be surprised if even buying a decent home charging station is without issues.

A lot of the EVs are normal sedan sized or crossover suv sized, not many are small econoboxes.
The charging can be handled by a normal dryer or electric range plug and breaker. Even a regular 15A 120V plug will work but be slow.

 

[coaltrain]

It will be interesting to see. It's not like you can just run out and buy the EV equivalent of the vehicle you are currently driving as most EVs are sub-compacts.

I also suspect that not everyone has the extra capacity to install a home charger in their existing load center. With all the supply chain issues I'd be surprised if even buying a decent home charging station is without issues.

Same here on both accounts.

In fact…I’ve never seen one of these new fangled electric cars in person yet. Guess they are only in urban and very populated areas.

So my solution for the time being while keeping my beloved pickup is to change my routine and go to town once every 3 weeks instead of 2. But I haven’t seen gas prices go up like everyone talks about - yet…

 

[MTB98]

There’s also the working vehicles like mine. I’m not going out and buying a lightning to haul tools and fuel

If you’re not already in line for a Rivian or Lightning you’re going to be waiting a long time for one.
Guys (or gals) that truly need to have a truck for regular tasks are going to be in a tough spot. Most of them are working to earn money which result in more inflation as they raise prices for services to cover fuel costs.

 

[MTB98]

Same here on both accounts.

In fact…I’ve never seen one of these new fangled electric cars in person yet. Guess they are only in urban and very populated areas.

So my solution for the time being while keeping my beloved pickup is to change my routine and go to town once every 3 weeks instead of 2. But I haven’t seen gas prices go up like everyone talks about - yet…

You’ve probably seen them and not even noticed. Tesla’s look different because their front end is solid, no grill. Other makes look like their ICE counterparts.

 

[jgayman]

Same here on both accounts.

In fact…I’ve never seen one of these new fangled electric cars in person yet. Guess they are only in urban and very populated areas.

As others have commented, the only ones easy to spot (for me) are the Teslas. Around the Harrisburg area I see at least one or two Teslas every time I go away and I'm not really looking for them. They are kind of distinctive since they have no grill (at least the newer ones).

 

[jgayman]

A lot of the EVs are normal sedan sized or crossover suv sized, not many are small econoboxes.
The charging can be handled by a normal dryer or electric range plug and breaker. Even a regular 15A 120V plug will work but be slow.

Are you referring to plug-in Hybrids? I was referring to true EVs. I just took a quick glimpse at the websites for Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda and Toyota and while I see a lot of vehicle sizes and offerings for plug-in hybrids, I saw very few offerings for true EVs. Ford has the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning and GMC has the Hummer EV but everything else is compacts like the Chevy Bolt or Honda Insight. Toyota has nothing really (I'm a Highlander guy). I realize there are other brands but this was just a quick glimpse of what came to mind.

A 120V home charging option, while certainly doable, would not be practical for a lot of folks who would depend on their EV for daily transportation.

If you are going to be driving an EV daily, I doubt anyone will be running an extension cord out into the driveway from their electric dryer plug (gas dryer folks like me are out of luck).

 

[MTB98]

Are you referring to plug-in Hybrids? I was referring to true EVs. I just took a quick glimpse at the websites for Ford, Chevy, GMC, Honda and Toyota and while I see a lot of vehicle sizes and offerings for plug-in hybrids, I saw very few offerings for true EVs. Ford has the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning and GMC has the Hummer EV but everything else is compacts like the Chevy Bolt or Honda Insight. Toyota has nothing really (I'm a Highlander guy). I realize there are other brands but this was just a quick glimpse of what came to mind.

A 120V home charging option, while certainly doable, would not be practical for a lot of folks who would depend on their EV for daily transportation.

If you are going to be driving an EV daily, I doubt anyone will be running an extension cord out into the driveway from their electric dryer plug (gas dryer folks like me are out of luck).

Chevy Bolt is discontinued. The MachE is one of the more popular models. And Tesla’s are the best selling EV and they’re not small.
I’m a gas dryer guy who converted the dryer wiring to 240V garage plug😬.
I wasn’t meaning that people would drag a cord from the laundry room out to their driveway, just emphasizing that EVs don’t require some voodoo electrical system to charge at home. Most if not all homes have plenty of capacity to run an EV charger.

 

[12dbsinad]

Electricity prices are on the rise too. My monthly bill just doubled recently. I can imagine it isn't going to be cheap to plug your 240V 60 amp cord into you EV everyday in your new Chevy Silverado. EV's are still a joke. Just a big government push, feeding money to the vehicle industry. Of course they are gonna bite.

The thing people fail to remember is you pay for electricity per KWH, then typically a delivery fee, then a fee for this and fee for that... and it ain't gettin' cheaper! Then, when batteries need replacing in 8-10 years you junk the vehicle.

 

[MTB98]

I’ve seen several different discussions about New England electricity rates rising quickly. What’s going on with the prices up there?
It’s not cheap pouring $4-5 gas in a truck either.

 

[jgayman]

Chevy Bolt is discontinued. The MachE is one of the more popular models. And Tesla’s are the best selling EV and they’re not small.
I’m a gas dryer guy who converted the dryer wiring to 240V garage plug😬.
I wasn’t meaning that people would drag a cord from the laundry room out to their driveway, just emphasizing that EVs don’t require some voodoo electrical system to charge at home. Most if not all homes have plenty of capacity to run an EV charger.

Its odd that Chevy still shows the Bolt on the website. I agree that Teslas arent matchboxes but I would never want to go from my Highlander to a Tesla sedan. My Highlander doesn't always have enough cargo space and forget about my landscape trailer.

My point with home charging is if you switch to an EV as your daily driver you will probably be wanting to install a true fast charging station. That means available slots in the breaker box (I know lots of folks with full boxes). For folks without a garage like me that means trenching out to the parking area and a significant amount of electrical work - on top of the cost of the charging station. It would cost me thousands to get a 220V charger mounted out at my parking area.

Just spit balling what would be the reality for folks thinking of making the big switch due to rising gas prices.

 

[MTB98]

I agree that Teslas arent matchboxes but I would never want to go from my Highlander to a Tesla sedan. My Highlander doesn't always have enough cargo space and forget about my landscape trailer.

Tesla’s have a 5000 tow rating so you can still use your landscape trailer!
Cost to add charging would vary on each situation and owners capabilities.

 

[jgayman]

Tesla’s have a 5000 tow rating so you can still use your landscape trailer!
Cost to add charging would vary on each situation and owners capabilities.

Ummmmm..... sort of....

The Model-X, for which pricing starts at $105,000, has a towing capacity of 5000 lbs. IF you don't have the 22-inch wheels. With 22-inch wheels it is only 3500 lbs. But the tongue weight is limited to 200 lbs. UnderstandabIy, I don't really see a Model-X in my future.

The Model-3 only has a towing capacity of 2000 lbs with a 300 lb. tongue weight. Oddly, it appears the Model-S was never rated for towing anything although some folks claim it can tow a bit of something.

Apparently Teslas need a different software package loaded if you plan to tow.

 

[hedgewarden]

If unemployment is really 3.8%, we can't blame the prices on everyone deciding to do home improvement projects while stuck at home. If anything, at these prices, I would expect a negative effect on starting any projects. So, why the insane prices on this stuff?

Something to keep in mind with the unemployment rate, at least in the US, is that it usually counts people that aren't employed that are actively seeking work. It doesn't measure the number of people who were laid off and decided to retire early nor the people who simply refuse to work for one reason or another. It's suspected that COVID has caused the untracked value to climb higher than normal.

 

[wildbranch2007]

I’ve seen several different discussions about New England electricity rates rising quickly. What’s going on with the prices up there?
It’s not cheap pouring $4-5 gas in a truck either.

I moved out 20 years ago but they eliminated all the coal plants, all but one nuc plant that I know off and switched most everything to gas plants. They can't/haven't been able to increase the capacity of the gas lines coming in mostly due to nimby, so they have to bring in the lng tankers into Boston, they are competing with Europe and Asia for that. Then Main and Vermont shut out the hydro power out of Quebec, not a good situation if we get a really cold winter.

 

[coaltrain]

Something to keep in mind with the unemployment rate, at least in the US, is that it usually counts people that aren't employed that are actively seeking work. It doesn't measure the number of people who were laid off and decided to retire early nor the people who simply refuse to work for one reason or another. It's suspected that COVID has caused the untracked value to climb higher than normal.

Even before all this mess it’s been like that. If someone was on unemployment and it ran out and they were still unemployed they were not counted.

 

[wildbranch2007]

interesting driving down the road today and two trailer trucks full of plywood were heading south, a county cop car was in front of them and behind them? think the price is getting so high they are protecting them from hijacking? they don't even do that for brinks trucks.

 

[hedgewarden]

Even before all this mess it’s been like that. If someone was on unemployment and it ran out and they were still unemployed they were not counted.

There are different numbers but my understanding is that the official "unemployment" number is calculated using both unemployment insurance beneficiaries, which is highly accurate, as well as through polling, which has a larger margin of error. Unemployment insurance generally enforces the "you must be looking for a job" clause since that's a condition of receiving benefits but if you get pulled into the poll and answer "I'm not actively searching for a job" then you don't count either.

I could be wrong though as it has been over a decade since I was last pulled into that rabbit hole.

interesting driving down the road today and two trailer trucks full of plywood were heading south, a county cop car was in front of them and behind them? think the price is getting so high they are protecting them from hijacking? they don't even do that for brinks trucks.

I don't know how common it is everywhere but I know that in Seattle it's quite common for private businesses to hire off duty cops to do things like direct traffic in their full uniform. Usually this is done by buildings with underground parking garages that dump onto the streets. Maybe that was done in this case by someone involved in the lumber purchase.

 

[Treefarmer]

interesting driving down the road today and two trailer trucks full of plywood were heading south, a county cop car was in front of them and behind them? think the price is getting so high they are protecting them from hijacking? they don't even do that for brinks trucks.

Maybe going to the cop's houses, lol.
Even a tanker full of gas has only worth about $25,000 of gas. . . I'd have to do some head scratching to figure out the value of a truckload of plywood.