By Mike Santora
A few months ago, I received an email reminding me that my vehicle’s lease would be ending in July. So, this month, I’ll spelunk through my basement for the original car mats, assess the astounding damage my 4-year-old has managed in only 36 months, and I’ll attempt to get the car ready before I turn it in. It would be nice if these were my only concerns. But it’s 2024, and the big question for many people in my situation is whether to finally flip the switch and go electric.
It’s easy to see the appeal. Maybe your boss lets you drive his new Tesla (thank you, Paul). Maybe a family member makes the jump and says they’ll never go back. Or maybe you just watch the news more than once a decade and the climate crisis finally feels too close for comfort. Whatever the case, you’ve likely had at least some type of EV carrot dangled in front of you. So now that it’s time for the rubber to literally meet the road, what do you do? There are several complicating factors.
As a magazine editor with two kids, my car search has not exactly involved referencing the duPont REGISTRY. The cost of many EVs is still a deterrent and something like the government’s $7,500 tax credit on a $55,000 vehicle does not sway me much. Other factors like charging station compatibility issues, range anxiety, and charging infrastructure have all kept me on the fence. Turns out, I’m not alone.
In mid-May, I drove my deeply uncool, non-electric vehicle up to Michigan for the grand opening of Bosch Rexroth’s new Battery/EV Customer Innovation Center. There, I was able to bounce a few EV questions off Mark Ziencina, Battery & EV Vertical Leader for Bosch Rexroth. I asked about the EV industry in the short term, and he said this.
“The EV industry is currently going through an adjustment period driven by the current market forces and customer sentiments. The explosive growth of recent years in EV adoption has been tempered by reduced consumer optimism, uncertainties of an election year with the possibility of reduced government incentives for battery and EV products, and manufacturing. We expect these issues and geopolitical factors to dampen demand this year and the next. Range anxiety and insufficient charging infrastructure continue to be on the minds of potential EV buyers, who continue to show a preference for HEVs and PHEVs. Not surprisingly the Big 3 are doubling down on their hybrid vehicles while revisiting their EV vehicle offerings.”
For all the buzz about EVs over the last few years, there are still some holdouts waiting for the right time. I’m confident that eventually, electric vehicles will make sense for most of us and we’ll all go green with our personal transportation. Ziencina said as much. When I asked him for his thoughts on EVs 10 years from now, he sounded a bit more optimistic.
“The future certainly looks bright for EVs as advancements in battery chemistries and manufacturing methods are expected to result in longer driving range, faster charging, lower vehicle costs, and greater adoption. The US population does not like to be told what to do nor what to drive. The decision to switch to all-electric will be a conscious one, especially if it is more economical and better for the environment. We expect grid infrastructure modernization and charging ubiquity to alleviate the shortcomings I previously mentioned. Ten years is a long time. Full autonomy is most certainly expected to take over the taxi and rideshare applications. Meanwhile, Hydrogen fuel cells and smaller batteries are expected to displace diesel engines in a wide range of heavy vehicle applications.”
Ziencina also mentioned that advances like battery chemistries structured around more commonly available materials will drive overall EV prices down. He said that progress in Cell-To-Pack battery architecture will soon make packs lighter and more energy-dense as well, improving range and efficiency. If it’s not ready for prime time now, it almost certainly will be within the decade. Whether my electric vehicle journey begins at the end of this month, or in another three years is still up in the air. But increasingly, vehicles that run on liquified dinosaurs feels like ancient history. I’m sure I’ll be catching up with the times soon.
Filed Under: Editor Blogs
