Commentary: The EV Hot Take

Hot takes. They’re the new delivery of news and information these days.

It’s perhaps a more apt term that a “gut reaction.” Something that springs from an immediate reaction to something else that’s immediately dispensed top the world. A mark for social media to drive both news and response to our universe. 

Or, the sub-genre that defines the direction sports media has taken since 2012.

In this automotive universe, it comes from a press release or event of either a new vehicle or a development in, say, electrification of vehicles. Once that gets broadcasted, the comment section becomes a quagmire of both good and bad responses. Then, you get others sharing the news via their feeds. More commentary by the people who think they know anything and everything about a certain subject.

Obviously, the Tesla Cybertruck’s unveiling sparked a debate not among the automotive media, but with everyone else. Anyone who has an opinion without even seeing one on the road went crazy over this electric pickup truck. 

I was guilty of such a hot take. 

On my personal Facebook, I posted the following…

Tesla should stick to producing sedans and SUVs. That Cybertruck is not going to cut it. Not with a 250-mile range and the potential of owners not using it as intended. 

On some level, there is an educated and experienced point of view behind that statement. The electric vehicle market is simply all over the map. Some EVs are selling better than others, while consumer acceptance is not where these manufacturers would like it to be.

There had been issues with the charging infrastructure. It is not about location, as it is about reliability and condition of the stations themselves. With broken and slow charging stations, getting an EV to fulfill its mission has been a huge challenge. 

It is worth noting that there had been come progress on ensuring that battery reliability and operation are at its optimal state. Yet, the challenges on their ability to retain range in outside of their optimal temperature range is still below expectations. In Minnesota, where the temperatures will drop well below freezing, getting the advertised range of 250 miles or more will not be possible. Therefore, you have let down consumers who hope that they’ll get that same range year-round. 

Through our testing, we also found that hot temperatures also cause the range to be reduced from advertised targets. Not as extreme as in frigid temperatures, but you get the idea.

Granted, there are charging stations that are working just fine. There are EVs that are being developed for both cold and hot climates. What will it take for consumers to even consider anything that’s electrified given the potential benefits and promises these vehicles are trying to sell us on?

Let’s go back to hybrid drivelines for the moment. The prevailing argument that is floating around is how much gasoline-electric drivelines meet a lot of criteria for consumers. They get the benefits of efficiency, lower emissions, quiet operation, and instant torque in either a series or plug-in hybrid. In most cases, some hybrids are priced more than their fully internal combustion engine siblings. Yet, they are priced in the middle between the ICE and fully battery electric versions of the same or similar models. 

Look at how far hybrids have come since the introduction of the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight to our shores back in 2001. Now, look at the advantages a hybrid has over a full EV. Also, look at the cost of service compared to an EV -in particular, the cost of replacing a battery. 

Certainly, the advantage of owning an EV is to deal with fewer moving parts compared to a hybrid or a full ICE model. Just don’t ask how much a battery pack is going to cost you to be replaced on a full battery-electric vehicle. Then, compare that to the resale cost of a vehicle at that point.

Look, I know that this is a repeat of other commentaries that have been written on this website. Yet, it is part of the conversation – or noise, depending on your point of view – that continues to pervade on social media. 

Now you know why a vehicle, such as the Cybertruck, has garnered many hot takes on the internet. 

All photos by Randy Stern and George Torline