Featured Perspective: Winning Strategies for the EV Debate

By Tony Zink

It is unfortunate that, despite the pure science and the mountains of empirical evidence proving the advantages of Electric Vehicle technology over other propulsion technologies such as hybrid, hydrogen, and biofuels, there are still many naysayers who argue against the adoption of EVs for the masses. Whatever their underlying motives may be, these vocal detractors can be poisonous to the Electric Vehicle movement if not addressed swiftly and directly.

Following are some effective strategies for combating the negative claims that Electric Vehicles are too expensive, too polluting, too impractical... and several other myths that the naysayers often voice about EV technology adoption.

UNDERSTANDING THE HUMAN CHALLENGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE

One of the most challenging parts of implementing change is the human factor. Regardless of the proven benefits of a new technology, there will always be groups of people who are resistant to change, and some of those people will go out of their way to criticize and condemn what you are trying to accomplish.

As shown in the figure below, there are typically four main group attitudes toward technological change: Cheerleaders, Somewhat Favorable, Somewhat Skeptical, and Naysayers. Most people fall into the Somewhat Favorable or Somewhat Skeptical groups; these groups of people, distributed near the middle of the bell curve, do not have a strong opinion about technology and tend to be easily swayed one way or the other. Most of the people falling into the Somewhat Favorable category are generally positive about most things in life and it is in their nature to 'go with the flow'. Most of the people falling into the Somewhat Skeptical category are generally resistant to change, but can be gently influenced with logical arguments and empirical evidence toward a more favorable attitude.

The Naysayers, unlike the Somewhat Skeptical group, can be a large obstacle to implementing change. Because of their very negative and vocal nature, Naysayers can pose a threat by not only reinforcing the Somewhat Skeptical group, but also convincing the Somewhat Favorable group to cross over to the negative side of the bell curve, leaving the Cheerleaders alone to attempt implementing the change. The influence of the Naysayers can have poisonous effects unless they are addressed early and aggressively.

I have personally seen the negative effect that Naysayers have had on the automotive press, and it is disheartening because the automotive press is one of our most powerful channels to promote EV technology to the general public. I would classify the automotive press as falling into the Somewhat Favorable group (since they have dedicated their careers to covering automotive news and technology), and the Naysayers have succeeded in converting some of them into skeptics.

The Cheerleaders present an opportunity, however, to counter the negativity coming from the Naysayers. You can enlist the Cheerleaders to help promote the new technology, demonstrate its benefits, and dampen the negative vibes given off by the Naysayers. In fact, with some hard work and diligence, you may be able to convert some of the Naysayers into Cheerleaders, since both of these groups essentially possess the same level of passion. It is our job to retune their highly negative vibes to highly positive ones.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST EV ADOPTION... AND COUNTERPOINTS TO WIN THE DEBATE

As with any debate, when engaging with the EV Naysayers in an effort to convert them into Cheerleaders, it is best to anticipate what they will say and how you will counter their claims. Abraham Lincoln was quoted regarding his preparations for any debate; he would spend one third of his preparation time thinking about himself and what he was going to say, and he would spend the other two thirds of his preparation time thinking about his opponent and what they were going to say. Along that same thread, I have listed some of the main points of contention that EV Naysayers have been known to voice, as well as several counterpoints and evidence that should effectively diffuse their negative claims. Studying these points and counterpoints will make you well prepared for most EV-related debates.

ARGUMENT: EVs ARE BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE BURN COAL FOR ELECTRICITY

This argument states that the tradeoff for electric propulsion is that we need to burn considerably more coal to generate the necessary electricity, and more coal burning leads to more pollution.

COUNTERPOINT: Although it is true that many of our electric generating power plants burn coal, many of them do not. Mathematical studies have shown that even if we continued generating our electricity by burning coal, the resulting environmental impact is still less if everyone drives an EV.

Electric Cars Are Better Even When "Fueled" with Coal
http://evperspective.com/node/15636

STUDY: Even with electricity from coal, electric vehicles beat gas in CO2 emissions
http://evperspective.com/node/9665

Power Plant Emissions aka "The Long Tailpipe"
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=8

In addition, we have many other environmentally friendly options for generating electricity, such as natural gas, nuclear, hydro, wind, and solar. As we continue to build new electric power plants, we have control over which technologies they use, and we can choose the environmentally friendly ones. An Electric Vehicle does not care where its electricity comes from!

ARGUMENT: EV RANGES ARE TOO SHORT, AND CHARGING TAKES TOO LONG TO BE PRACTICAL

This argument states that Electric Vehicles have too short of a driving range to be practical for daily driving, and when you deplete the batteries, it takes too long to recharge them.

COUNTERPOINT: Although this might have been true a year ago when driving ranges typically hovered around 30-40 miles and vehicles needed to be charged overnight, researchers and manufacturers have improved the average driving range incredibly in the past year, and the innovation continues. Many of today's EV prototypes are capable of driving over 100 miles between charges, which is enough to accommodate most people's daily commutes and errands... and the Tesla Roadster has been known to travel over 300 miles on a single charge!

Tesla Roadster runs 313 miles on a charge in Global Green Challenge
http://evperspective.com/node/14207

Tesla Model S: $50,000 EV sedan seats seven, 300-mile range, 0-60 in 5.5s
http://evperspective.com/node/3225

Nissan Turns New Leaf With Full-Service, 100-Mile, 5-Seat, 'Affordable' EV
http://evperspective.com/node/10055

Mini E Owner Eclipses 21,000 Miles in 8 Months, Range Not a Problem
http://evperspective.com/node/19620

As with today's cars, the range of an EV depends largely upon your driving habits. When driven more aggressively, any car will have a shorter range. Another factor that many people may not realize is that urban stop-and-go driving shortens the ranges of today's cars because frequent acceleration burns more fuel, and idling continues to burn fuel while making no forward progress... but EVs do not run when sitting still.

When the battery in your EV does run out of charge, it is becoming more convenient to recharge it without the need to park and plug it in overnight. Unlike a year ago, charging technologies have reached the point that you can recharge your car in 15 minutes or less with a high-powered charging station. These Level 3 'WattSpots' are growing in numbers, and will soon make it possible to quickly recharge your EV nearly anywhere you may park, including parking garages, shopping centers, or at work.

'Quick-Charge' Stations Await EVs
http://evperspective.com/node/18404

Think, AeroVironment to Jointly Market EVs, Rapid-Charging Systems
http://evperspective.com/node/18366

Siemens to Test Six Minute Charging For EVs on 33% Wind Powered Grid
http://evperspective.com/node/17363

Finally, a company named Better Place has developed working prototypes of a battery-swapping station that will eliminate the need for plug-in-and-wait charging; simply drive into a booth reminiscent of an automatic car wash, and an automated mechanism replaces your car's depleted battery with a fresh one within a matter of seconds.

Battery-Swap Proponent Better Place Opens EV Demonstration Center in Israel
http://evperspective.com/node/18935

Better Place finishes first 1,000 battery swaps without problems
http://evperspective.com/node/7363

ARGUMENT: EV BATTERIES ARE TOXIC AND WILL FILL OUR LANDFILLS

This argument states that the batteries used in Electric Vehicles contain toxic materials, and when the batteries reach the end of their useful lives, people will simply replace them, tossing the old batteries into landfills. Over time, millions of cars will generate millions of old batteries, quickly filling landfills with a toxic mess.

COUNTERPOINT: Electric Vehicle battery manufacturers are developing non-toxic batteries for use in our cars, so there should be little concern over handling or disposing of them. In fact, nearly one year ago, Wang Chuan-Fu, CEO of Chinese Electric Vehicle manufacturer BYD, made headlines by drinking the battery fluid from the batteries that they install in their EVs.

Wang Chuan-Fu, BYD's CEO, drinks battery fluid to prove a point
http://evperspective.com/node/4392

BYD CEO Drinks Battery Fluid From Company's Own Environmentally Friendly Battery
http://evperspective.com/node/4558

BYD's CEO Guzzles Battery Fluid Like a Frat Boy to prove a point
http://evperspective.com/node/4531

In addition, throwing away old EV batteries is like throwing away money. Instead, these batteries can be reconditioned and reused, and several battery recycling companies have begun to spring up to meet this future demand.

Recupyl Enters North American Li-ion Recycling Market
http://evperspective.com/node/17507

Toxco gets $9.5 million DOE grant for battery recycling
http://evperspective.com/node/10863

ARGUMENT: THE ELECTRICAL POWER GRID CANNOT HANDLE THE INCREASED LOAD FOR EVs

This argument states that our current electrical power network is old and incapable of handling the increased load required to charge millions of Electric Vehicles.

COUNTERPOINT: Although it is true that our power grid is old and is badly in need of a makeover, people have conducted studies in some locales, and these studies show that the existing grid in some locales can indeed handle the increased load required to power EVs.

NYC Electrical Grid Fully Capable of Handling Draw From EVs
http://evperspective.com/node/9064

Study: UK grid able handle a lot of new plug-in vehicles
http://evperspective.com/node/5506

However, not all areas of the US power grid are currently capable of handling a large increase in load; the US government has recognized this point and is investing a lot of money into upgrading the electrical network. This 'Smart Grid' will not only be updated to handle heaver electrical loads, but it will also include the capability to communicate with electrical devices (including EVs) to monitor, control, and balance loads on the network. Among other tricks, cars will be able to 'talk' to the power grid and recharge themselves during off-peak hours when demand and rates are lowest.

NIST Issues First Release of Framework for Smart Grid Interoperability
http://evperspective.com/node/18098

Utilities pledge to strengthen grid for plug-ins
http://evperspective.com/node/13886

GE, Juice Technologies Team on Device to Ensure Lowest Rates When Charging EV
http://evperspective.com/node/19341

Finally, as stated previously, an EV does not care where its electricity comes from. Although most people may draw their electricity from the public power grid, some may choose to install their own wind turbines or rooftop solar panels and essentially start their own power company!

ARGUMENT: EV BATTERIES WILL EVENTUALLY DIE AND ARE TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE

This argument states that EV batteries are very expensive, and when those batteries reach the end of their useful lives and need replacement, they will be too expensive for most consumers to afford.

COUNTERPOINT: Although it is true that EV batteries are currently quite expensive because of low manufacturing volumes, economies of scale should drive their costs down over time as volumes increase. Battery lifetimes should also be long enough that owners will not need to replace their EVs' batteries very often; Tesla Motors states that their Roadster has a 100,000-mile battery life, at which time the battery is not actually "dead", but the range is simply reduced.

In addition, some auto manufacturers are considering selling their cars without the cost of the battery factored into the overall price tag; instead, you may purchase the car, but only lease the battery, thus lowering your financial risk. You will only keep the battery for a fixed period of time, after which time you may swap the battery for a freshly manufactured (or re-manufactured) unit, while continuing to make a monthly lease payment.

Nissan to lease LEAF battery for $150/month
http://evperspective.com/node/12339

Nissan Electric Car Chief Explains LEAF Battery Leasing
http://evperspective.com/node/15300

Finally, this will become a moot point if Better Place's battery swapping stations become a widespread occurrence, since your EV will receive a freshly charged battery from a revolving community stockpile of batteries whenever you need to recharge.

SHOW CONFIDENCE, BUT PLEASE BE GENTLE

Naysayers, especially those who are extremely vocal in nature, can sometimes be difficult to reason with... even if you show hard evidence that disproves their ideas. Learn to be gentle with them and acknowledge their ideas and concerns without being confrontational. Remember that the Holy Grail is converting them into Cheerleaders, rather than alienating them.

Please also note that most of the resources listed here are available on the EV Perspective web site (http://www.evperspective.com); if you encounter an EV Naysayer who throws an argument that you do not know how to counter intelligently, try using the EV Perspective search engine to assemble your counterpoints for the next encounter.

Good luck!

About the Author

Tony Zink has 15 years of practical experience working in the fields of automotive manufacturing, program planning, consulting, authoring, training, and community building. On the plant floor, he has worked side by side with skilled trades people automating and optimizing automotive manufacturing processes. In the engineering office, he has designed the equipment, control systems, and software to automate those processes. In the planning office, he has designed and integrated the detailed program schedules to manage the development of automotive powertrain and electrical systems. In the server room and the conference room, he has installed, configured, and trained personnel in using sophisticated enterprise information systems to manage their product development and manufacturing programs.

Tony earned a Bachelor of Sciences in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) degree in 1995 from Michigan Technological University.