This year marks fifteen years since Tesla Motors’ first-release modern electric car, the Roadster. Over that time, the company has inarguably been the largest to contribute to the global electric vehicle conversation, having sold three million cars. Today, it remains the largest seller of EVs.
Yet despite these millions of cars — and millions more from other automakers – plus widespread adaptation of charging stations, there appears to still be many misconceptions surrounding EVs.
To that end, Clean Energy Canada’s Media Brief from July 2023 addressed some of the common myths of electric vehicles, including charge ranges, electrical grid strain, how they fare in Canadian winters, and pollution output.
For many in the Great White North, the cold season is a big concern. EVs can lose anywhere from three to 30% of energy just to heat the cabin and battery, depending on the make and model. On the upside, however, the report from Clean Energy states: “(M)ost modern EVs have battery heating options that preheat the battery before driving to reduce range loss,” and “unlike a gas car, EVs do not have problems starting in cold weather, and many EVs allow owners to remotely preheat the passenger compartment before driving.”
With regard to pollutants, a study specific to Canada noted that EVs have lower overall emissions, but it differs province to province — from about a quarter less in Alberta, to four-fifths less in Quebec.
Let’s look at other prevailing EV myths.
Not-so-big chargers
Filmmaker and advocate Scott duPont compiled and wrote “What is the electric car? 79 Reasons to Drive Electric,” and said the top myth he’s heard is “that you need a huge 240 volt level two charger in your apartment or your house, for thousands of dollars.” A 120 volt outlet — a standard electrical outlet — can get a charge between three to five miles an hour, he clarified.
For most Canadians, four-fifths of their charging comes from their home, and the average daily use is less than 60 kilometres.
“Another myth is that you’re replacing one energy source for another, fossil fuels for using the grid,” he added
“In the perfect world you would want to have solar panels on your business or home,” duPont said. That may be mitigated by 2030, as Canada has plans to produce 90% renewable energy with its proposed Clean Electricity Regulations.
What about battery waste and recyclability?
In terms of battery waste, and dealing with the toxic elements, duPont explained that recycling options are always improving. A Global News report of this year and a CBC Report of 2022 noted that a raft of companies are popping up in response to the demand, and that nearly all of a battery can be repurposed today.
According to Clean Energy Canada’s brief, many automakers such as Tesla, Ford, and GM are innovating their battery recycling, and some big auto manufacturers are leaning towards purchasing “from mines and manufacturers with lower carbon footprints.” The good news is that all EVs sold today “include a battery warranty of at least eight years and 160,000 kilometres,” the briefing continued, noting the increased longevity of use.
How far can a charge go?
Actress and Chevrolet Volt spokesperson Alexandra Paul has been an EV devotee since 1990, and a founding board member of advocacy group Plug in America. She finds that most people’s concern surrounds the range of the battery charge.
“The main question I would get as a Los Angelino was: what if you want to go to Vegas? And I would just say, ‘well, if I want to go to Vegas right now, I’d just rent a car. Why buy a gas car just so you can drive to Vegas?’” she explained.
“Americans like to have the freedom to go wherever they want. It’s just part of our psyche, and I get it. My husband and I drove from Los Angeles to Idaho a couple years ago in our Chevy Bolt, and we just charged at the charging stations, and it worked beautifully.”
Access to EV charging stations will increase markedly in the foreseeable future, spurred by government initiatives, including the $7.5B US’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This will work to build out a national network of electric vehicle chargers, across highways and neighbourhoods. Today, on average, new EVs sold in the U.S. held a range of about 470km (about 80km short of the distance between Toronto and Montreal).
Road trips will be easier in coming years in Canada as well, as the country’s fast-charging network is growing —thanks to a $680M federal initiative called Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
Fear of brownouts?
In terms of how wider adoption of EVs will strain the electrical grid, the Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged this challenge in their report, Electric Vehicle Myths, in June 2023.
In the long term, they noted, upgrades to the grid are being planned — at least in the US. This includes The US Department of Energy’s Build a Better Grid Initiative, to provide more than $13B US towards improving the power availability within ten years.
In Canada, however, there is room for improvement. Experts are saying that electricity output would need to double in coming years to keep up with EV use.
In sum, the advantages outweigh the drawbacks, according to Steve Factor, who in 2012 was instrumental in building the Solarcity home charger installation team, which installed thousands of chargers in the US ahead of the first Tesla Model S deliveries.
He says that electric is the way to go, simply put, because of “zero emissions, zero energy cost, minimal service cost, and quiet, stable, powerful driving.”
