A visit with my doctor usually ends with one of us asking the other: What are you driving?
Unlike most physicians' offices, his waiting room is stacked with the most recent issues of Road & Track, Motor Trend, Autoweek, and my favorite, Car and Driver (I like its smarty-pants responses to the hapless submitters of letters to the editor).
Health matters concluded, we always spend a few precious appointment minutes talking about cars. He's pleased to learn I've got a Mini Cooper S (adorable, overpowered, sporty). And he says he's considering an electric car, if the manufacturers can build one with a range of more than 200 miles per charge and if a cheaper, faster way to charge the batteries at home becomes available.
But not one of those Teslas, he says. Too many recalls.
He's talking about the Tesla Model S, a luxury sedan with 518 hp, a battery range of 249 to 315 miles, and pricing that starts at $74,500. The company voluntarily recalled 123,000 vehicles built before April 2016 because of an issue with a power steering component.
Another option for those considering an electric car is the Tesla 3, which the July issue of Jalopnik says is "great in spite of its flaws." It's got some curious quirks (such as rust, touchscreen and GPS malfunctions, an audio system with a mind of its own, a failure to recognize keycards, and vanity mirrors falling off). Nevertheless, it'll go 220 miles on a charge and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Prices start at $49,000.
Although it's the company's first mass-market electric vehicle, there are a backlog of orders, so it takes a while to get one.
About those quirks--Tesla wants to make sure its customers are happy: "Model 3 customers never have to worry because if they are unhappy with their car when they receive it, they can either give it back for a full refund, allow us to address any issues, or ask for an entirely new Tesla," a Tesla spokesman told consumer tech reviewer Brooke Crothers in the Sept. 2 issue of Forbes.
OK, enough about Tesla. The takeaway here is that a gasoline-engine guy like my doctor--known for his fondness of vintage Porsches--is even considering an electric car. What's changing his mind?
My appointment time with him had ended, so there was no opportunity to ask.
But considering his above-mentioned reservations, he's probably not impressed with most non-luxury battery-electric cars, which don't exhibit much muscle in terms of EPA-estimated mileage range per charge. Among them are the Kia Soul EV (with an unimpressive range of 111 miles and a price tag starting at $35,000, according to Edmunds.com), and Volkswagen e-Golf (a so-so range of 125 miles, $31,500).and the second-generation Nissan Leaf (a bit better at 151 miles, $31,000), The most Tesla-like in terms of range is the Chevrolet Bolt EV (238 miles, $37,500).
More intriguing, if not as affordable, are models from traditional luxury car makers. Some are already on the market; others are on the way. Among them:
• Audi A3 e-tron, a small SUV with 355 hp and a range of 249 miles, starting at $40,000
• Jaguar I-Pace, a sporty SUV with 400 hp and a 240-mile range, $69,500
• Porsche Taycan, a cushy sports car (comparable to its gasoline-powered Panamera) with 600-plus hp and a 310-mile range that goes into production at the end of 2019 ($85,000)
• Mercedes EQC SUV, with 402 hp and a 200-mile range (price not yet announced); the company plans to introduce 10 all-electric models globally by 2022
• BMW, which released its futuristic five-door i3 compact electric in 2011, will offer customers a electric version of Mini in 2019 and an electric X3 SUV in 2020 with a 249-mile range and a fast-charging onboard unit.
That fast-charge issue, as my doctor notes, is a game-changer for many who are considering an electric car. Charging a battery can take as little as 30 minutes with a super-powered home charger (many electric cars can't handle them; it depends on the size of the battery).
Or it can take 12 hours when using a standard 110-volt power supply accessed through an outlet in a garage (much cheaper than a tank of gasoline, but obviously much slower). The cost of installing a 240V charging station at home starts at $1,000, according to fixr.com.
Using a charging station costs from 39 cents to 79 cents per kilowatt hour. Reasonable, right? The trick is finding one. That's not too hard in Little Rock, which chargehub.com reports has 29 public charging stations (some are free). Other EV-friendly cities include Bentonville, Fayetteville, North Little Rock, Hot Springs, and Russellville.
Far-flung locales in our mostly rural state don't offer as many options. But it's likely that many potential EV car buyers--especially those interested in luxury models--intend to use them as commuter vehicles and enjoy an orderly lifestyle that accommodates battery charging at home overnight.
My doc falls in that category. So maybe the next time I visit his office, an eye-catching electric-battery ride will be parked outside.
Editorial on 09/30/2018