The first of the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee’s (CEAC) Living Sustainably talks took place Saturday in Cochrane, as about 35 participants came out to hear experts explain some of the pros and cons of electric vehicles (EVs).
The lead speaker was Rajko Pavic, a manager and EV expert from Go Electric Vehicle Corp. The Calgary-based company specializes in finding top value used EVs from across North America.
The two-hour presentation took place at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFCC).
Reps from two Cochrane vehicle dealerships accepted CEAC’s invitation to come and field questions – Northstar Ford Cochrane, and Cochrane Toyota. Both dealerships had personnel and vehicles on site to show to interested attendees.
Pavic handed the floor over to representatives from the two car dealerships long enough for them to outline where their vehicles fit in to the array of product offerings, and a Tesla owner in the audience also got up to field questions.
Pavic launched his presentation with a historical overview, pointing out that when the first EV was introduced in the 1800s, skepticism abounded over whether cars – gas or electric – were really an advantage.
“These are not exactly new. There was a lot of skepticism over cars versus horses, very similar to where we’re at now,” he said.
On the pro side of EVs, Rajko listed operating costs, safety (more rigid overall construction), handling (lower centre of gravity), and the fact that with some diligent planning, for the average local users, there is no need to charge EVs outside of the home.
There is also no need for residential electricity network upgrades for an EV as long as overnight charging is acceptable to the owner. If faster charging is desired, an upgrade to a 240V, 30A outlet (the same as for a stove or dryer) is an option.
The cost of installing a 240 V outlet varies between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand – depending on the home's set-up and pre-existing infrastructure.
Detached garages are typically more expensive as there would be a need to trench to get the 240V line across the backyard, for example. Setting up a system with an attached garage, or a charger in the driveway that's right on the house is usually cheaper – but that again depends on the location of the electrical panel.
Pavic presented a cost comparison as follows: assuming a cost of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity, the average operating cost for an EV was $2 per 100 kilometre (km); when gasoline is selling at $1.10 per litre, the average operating cost of a gas-powered car is $9.90 per 100 km.
As an addendum to that slide, he pointed out the dramatically lower maintenance cost of running an EV, since there were fewer moving parts in general and no internal combustion engine or transmission, which means no oil changes, or filters to replace.
Audience members asked about the higher initial capital cost of EVs, convenience of charging on long trips, and how practical they would be in an Alberta winter.
Pavic pointed out prices are coming down as more and more automobile manufacturers are moving to EVs.
Pavic pointed out that EVs do lose some range in extremely cold weather. But there are no cold starting issues, interior heat is immediate, and because of the weight, traction is better on snowy roads.
In another northern-climate country, Norway, over 90 per cent of new vehicle sales were EVs in 2019.
Supply-chain issues — especially a shortage of semiconductor chips — remains the reason for a lack of cars.
Pavic said a few years ago, EVs commanded a premium of anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 over a comparable gas-powered vehicle. But dealers’ asking prices and wait times for delivery of gas-powered vehicles have changed dramatically as a result of supply chain issues, making comparisons problematic. The automobile market in general is “out of whack” according to Pavic.
“Right now it’s all over the place,” he said.
Ford currently offers a couple of EVs: the F150 Lightning pick-up, and the Mustang Mach E, which comes in both a crossover and sports car version.
Ford is the only local outlet that has EVs in stock and available for sale – the Toyota is actually a hybrid. (Hybrids combine battery operation with gas-powered engines).
The 2022 Mustang Mach E crossover that Northstar Ford had at SLSFCC retails at nearly $66,000, with a $5,000 rebate from the federal government bringing that down to around $61,000, exclusive of taxes and fees. The Mach E has a range of 397 km.
Cochranite Garnet Tozer somewhat sheepishly described himself as someone who has worked in the energy sector but was now an EV convert. Tozer also described himself (at the time of his Tesla purchase) as a “bit of an early adapter, a single guy, higher income, with no wife to tell me I couldn’t.”
He picked a model with a range based on how far he had to drive to work and is very happy with his choice, a 2019 Tesla Model 3, long-range version.
“And I don’t think I could ever look back,” he said.
He did his homework into solar power and made the investment, installing panels on the roof of his house in Jumping Pound.
“I drank the kool-aid,” he said with a smile.
“My electric bill last month, (including charging the Tesla) was $26,” he said, which drew a gasp from the crowd.
Fred Lapointe from Northstar Ford addressed the question of performance, saying anyone who hasn’t driven an EV may be in for a surprise.
“As you can tell, I’m French. I’m from Montreal. I like things that go fast,” he said, with a smile.
He said he was allowed to test drive some EVs “as fast as I wanted” at a Ford test track recently.
“It’s fast and it’s fun to drive because it’s instant torque.”
Depending on model, Lapointe quoted an acceleration figure of zero to 100 km/hour in four or five seconds.
The F150 Lightning model featured on his slide boasted 426 horsepower with a range of 480 km.
Lapointe said those concerned about availability of charging stations on long trips can put their minds at ease somewhat by doing some pre-trip planning, aided by some apps that will display on a phone or a dashboard screen where to stop and for how long.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced Canada will ban sales of new fuel-burning cars beginning in 2035.
There are two main categories of EV owners – those who have solar power at home, and those who don’t.
Both Tozer and Pavic are members of the somewhat exclusive group of people who have gone all-in on electricity (and EVs) by installing solar panels at their homes.
Tozer said he invested about $25,000 in his system. Pavic said he sometimes has a credit on his household bill at the end of the month.
For more information about EVs and hybrids go to greencars.com.
The discussion of the pros and cons of residential solar power was cut short, as that will be the topic of the next talk in the CEAC series on Jan. 14.
Tim Giese of CEAC stressed that these talks are not designed to convince people of the advantages of EVs or any of the other subject areas coming up, but rather to provide information to those who have an interest in learning more.
For more information about CEAC or the rest of the information series, go to [email protected] or call 403-851-0562.
The information sessions are free to attend, but registration is required at Eventbrite: ceacserieselectricvehicles.eventbrite.ca.
Upcoming talks in the series in 2023 include residential solar on Jan. 14, wildlife awareness on Feb. 25, growing your own food on Mar. 25, and Xeriscaping on Apr. 22.
