[Ladogaboy]

Before leaving on my road trip, I read a CleanTechnica article that seemed like an attempted smear against GM and their dealership model. The author apparently thought he had gone to "truck country" because he was expecting them to not support or sell EVs (link below).

I decided to make a short video for my take on the reasons why you don't see EVs in "truck country":

https://cleantechnica.com/2017/01/11/chevy-bolt-sales-investigation-california/

Thoughts? Discussions? Counter points?

 

[AtomicPowered]

Good video. If you have to haul, tow or carry a lot of people the little EV isn't going to do it. It may take a next-generation battery technology to provide the capability some people need. Having to walk home 50 miles because of a SHVCS problem isn't going to work with folks used to doing their own service.

 

[rmay635703]

to provide the capability some people need.

Need is a strong word, most trucks here never haul and only have a single female person inside.

Around "here" / truck country people get quite literally shaking mad at the concept of EVs and will spout unending lies as to why they are more terrible than Adolf Hitler

Some have felt the need to blow up at me when they see me driving my car, I usually put them in their place.

But until the mental health problems and critical thinking skills of country folks are addressed I don't think we will see much EV adoption in flyover country.

Heck the states with the fewest EVs are either considering or already implementing laws to excessively tax the few thousand EVS for lost gas taxes.

There is an attitude of contempt in these areas, almost like a religion.

The last few years thankfully I have started to get more questions and "amused" reactions to my EVs so maybe the attitude is changing but certain vested interests seem to be digging in even more.

 

[Sean Nelson]

But until the mental health problems and critical thinking skills of country folks are addressed I don't think we will see much EV adoption in flyover country.

To be fair, outside the cities the distances are further and chargers are a lot scarcer, so a lot of folks there have good reason to be skeptical about EVs. It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem. Hopefully the Bolt EV will help to inspire some change.

 

[Ladogaboy]

The last few years thankfully I have started to get more questions and "amused" reactions to my EVs so maybe the attitude is changing but certain vested interests seem to be digging in even more.

That could also be a regional thing. Out West, the distances people drive tend to be much farther. That combined with the possible lack of stigma might be why I see so many Prius and other hybrid/efficient cars in our "truck country." One of the backlashes in flyover states that I remember from a while ago was imports versus domestics. Part of the problem of EVs in that kind of truck country might be from people who feel that buying a foreign econobox costs American jobs. Not much they can say about an American car that does the same thing.

Ultimately, in my experience, people will start to do what is in their best interest financially. Several people in our community that had to drive to commute picked up Priuses. When my dad wrecked our Explorer, I convinced my mom and dad to replace it with the C-Max. A few conversations at the bar, church, and the general store, and the next thing you see are several more Priuses and C-Maxes parked in driveways next to F-350 Superduty trucks. "It only costs you $6 to go to town? **** I'll get one of those puddle jumpers." Try convincing the wife to grab your three kids, throw them in the back of the crew cab, and drive a hour to get to town. A discussion no rancher wants to have... ever.

 

[rmay635703]

To be fair, outside the cities the distances are further and chargers are a lot scarcer, so a lot of folks there have good reason to be skeptical about EVs. It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem. Hopefully the Bolt EV will help to inspire some change.

For all practical purposes there are zero completely public (and available/working)quick chargers in Wisconsin.
And no, that one charger in a very specific place in Madison an Milwaukee don't count.
I don't consider us out west either.
Distances aren't that far either.

Ah well, I'm just hoping walker doesn't start charging $150 - $500 a year on every "alternative " power vehicle that includes hybrids, CNG, ev, etc.
I would have to get rid of my cars if "they" have their way

The only widespread public chargers here are spare 15 amp outlets at kwik trip.

 

[Ladogaboy]

For all practical purposes there are zero completely public (and available/working)quick chargers in Wisconsin.
And no, that one charger in a very specific place in Madison an Milwaukee don't count.
I don't consider us out west either.
Distances aren't that far either.

Ah well, I'm just hoping walker doesn't start charging $150 - $500 a year on every "alternative " power vehicle that includes hybrids, CNG, ev, etc.
I would have to get rid of my cars if "they" have their way

The only widespread public chargers here are spare 15 amp outlets at kwik trip.

Why does that guy still have a job? After literally being caught on the phone taking illegal orders from someone he thought was David Koch.

 

[Steverino]

For all practical purposes there are zero completely public (and available/working)quick chargers in Wisconsin

No Kohl's stores by you? My local Kohl's has 4 ChargePoint EV charge stations and they are close to the front door as well as free. At least one of our local malls has a bank of charge stations as well. There's even a charge station close to the train station in the shopping area of our little town. On the other hand, I rarely have need to use any of them.