It only takes a minute to check out the dedicated page where all the Tesla Cybertruck-related stories are neatly categorized on InsideEVs. A couple of mouse scrolls later, you’ll see that a consistent chunk of articles dedicated to the controversial pickup were written by yours truly.

Everything from videos analyzing photos that were taken on the side of the road and drone footage that shows the car’s rear-wheel steering in action to images of several Cybertrucks parked next to each other, and official material from Tesla showing how the electric truck drove on slightly uneven roads in Mexico. I’ve written about all of this and many more.

And I’m glad it’s finally over–at least where speculation and sketchy sources are concerned–because the Cybertruck is finally being manufactured and delivered to customers across the United States.

But the previous two paragraphs would simply not exist if the Cybertruck was the product of any other car brand that could now be described as a legacy automaker. That’s because Tesla doesn’t do normal car launches.

It doesn't fly journalists out on "press trips" to exotic locales to test their cars for a few hours at a time, hoping for a favorable first-drive review. Tesla doesn't loan out cars to journalists anymore, a practice it ended sometime around when the communications team was dissolved. Granted, the automaker will work directly with some outlets and influencers, but certainly not all of them. And Tesla doesn't answer questions from reporters, pretty much ever. 

That’s both good and bad at the same time. It’s good for customers and regular folk who just want to feel like they’re a part of the development process. At Tesla, reservation holders and more recently stockholders could participate in new model launches next to engineers, designers, and high-ranking executives. The press? Not so much, given Elon Musk’s aversion to journalists inquiring about sensitive topics.

Traditional carmakers, on the other hand, rely on established press entities to relay information to the public. More often than not, experienced journalists attend carefully crafted and choreographed vehicle launches meant to show everything that’s good about the car and the company behind it.

Tesla doesn't operate that way. Even the Cybertruck delivery event could be described as amateur hour, with Musk jumping in the bed of the truck at one point during the live stream only to become almost invisible to the cameras because there wasn’t a single light pointed at his face. (Seriously, Tesla, hire one lighting guy next time.) 

Tesla Cybertruck Delivery Event (2023)

But people were cheering anyway. That’s why we decided to run some stories that would otherwise be ignored if there was another marque in the headline. People wanted to get all the information because Tesla wouldn’t give it to them, not even to those who paid money to help it build the damn thing. 

Journalists don’t cheer at launch events. They ask questions that need real answers, not insipid “we make the best cars” replies.

This does have its drawbacks. There's a lot we would love to know about the Cybertruck's 48V architecture, the drive-by-wire steering, the range extender battery pack, how repairs to the stainless steel body will work, and so much more. Those are industry-changing technologies and things owners will definitely care about. We'd love the chance to talk with the very smart people at Tesla about how they'll work. Unfortunately, if you're not in the Muskian inner circle, you rarely get that chance. Instead, you wait for customers to find out on their own, or for the answers you want to get posted on X. 

What I’m getting at here is that any other carmaker in this world would put a lot more effort into giving out official information and it wouldn’t get away with its CEO writing nonsense on a social media platform he acquired just to make it a trumpeting device. It wouldn’t rely on the community to do the work for it because it wants to make sure the correct details get into the hands of prospective customers.

But that's Tesla for you. And as frustrating as it is for us, the company has no trouble generating publicity. 

More Cybertruck News

Michael Bettencourt is a long-time EV owner, both of BEV and PHEV vehicles, and automotive journalist whose vehicle reviews have specialized in EVs and plug-in hybrids for the past 10 years. We’re following Michael in a new series about the experience of EV ownership, in the short and long term. 

Battery degradation is a cruel but inescapable reality for EV drivers, even if EV owner-based empirical data suggests that this degradation is not nearly as extreme as many (less informed) EV critics suggest. Automakers battery lifespan estimates of 15 to 20 years looking fairly realistic – and possibly longer, depending on mileage, plus how they’re used and cared for, of course.

After buying our family’s first EV in December 2011, our trusty but oh-so-early 2012 Nissan Leaf, we traded it in for a slightly newer 2013 Ford C-Max Energi in summer 2016. Thus banishing EV range anxiety – especially in our cold northern winters in Toronto – from our daily commuting lives.

Or so we thought.

As the years since have passed, we’ve found that daily charging does not provide quite the same all-electric range as our C-Max Energi used to offer. So I looked forward to trying these new highly-hyped ERange tires designed specifically for EVs as soon as they became available.

That day came yesterday, as I write this, and I’m looking forward over the next few weeks to tell you how it’s going with them, plus go into more depth on the trials and tribulations of long-term EV ownership, while updating my observed range figures over these first few weeks of summer.

Granted, our Ford PHEV’s e-range wasn’t huge to start: the EPA figure for a new ‘13 C-Max Energi came in at just 19 miles of all-electric range. That was just enough to cover my wife’s daily commute in moderate, non-winter temperatures at the time we acquired it – barely, but it covered.

This is sadly not the case anymore. And when the serenely refined electric range is done, the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Atkinson engine loudly announces it’s back on the scene, seemingly trumpeted even louder by a continuously variable transmission that plays a buzzy duet that transforms – some might say ruins – the fairly advanced drivetrain feel of the entire package when in EV-only mode.

This golden silence and relative cacophony when it ends makes every mile of all-electric range extracted from our C-Max Energi precious to the driver. Though significant gas savings and emissions reductions are nice bonuses here too.

ERange tires can help extend range, as can warmer weather, but by how much?

On an earlier preview test of a Tesla Model 3 on a set of ERange tires in and around Los Angeles, after a full day of mixed driving, I found efficiency numbers that lent worthy real-world data points to support the company’s estimate of a seven percent improvement on the Model 3’s official EPA combined figures. It was far from a scientifically-controlled test, but in my morning stint, there was a meager 1.2-percent improvement, but then a whopping 11.5-percent improvement to 4.34 miles/kWh on my longer and more varied afternoon drive, compared to the Model 3 LR’s official 3.8 miles/kWh. 

Did the folks at Sailun somehow manage to find a route that included city, highway and canyon driving that afternoon that was all downhill?

For us, a 7-percent improvement in our electric range would be much less dramatic – at roughly 1.33 miles if it still offered the full 19 mile range as new (which it doesn’t) – but would provide back some of the precious EV range we lost to degradation over the years.

So how much of that battery degradation EV range could be recouped? I couldn’t wait to try them out on our own C-Max to try to find out.

First ERange test versus my three-year-old all-season tires

My local tire shop recommended an alignment as soon as I told them of my plan to do a careful EV-mode range comparison of my current all-season tires versus the exact same route on the ERange tires.

My current tires were three year-old Toyo Extensa A/S II all-seasons, a low-cost tire designed for long tread life more than anything else, and are not low-rolling resistance like the ERange. Since I also had swapped out those Toyos for winter tires, the Toyos were running on roughly 18,000 miles worth of tread wear, or roughly a quarter of the way through their tread life.

Tread pattern of my three year-old Toyo Extensa A/S II all-seasons

All the tires were the same 225/50R17 V-rated rubber as the stock size, even though the factory rims are now mounted on my winters. I planned out a test route of 19 miles that started right after a full charge at the L2 in my garage, with a 50/50 mix of city and highway driving, using the EV Now mode that keeps the Ford using electrons unless you stomp on it, and climate control off the entire way.

No A/C was a challenge in stuffy conditions that ranged from mid-to-high 70s and high humidity throughout, so in the city, the windows were mostly down. Trying to maintain as similar acceleration as possible throughout was also a challenge, so I tried to drive normal up to each road’s speed limit (20-40 mph in town, around 60 on the highway), although needing to prevent the engine from turning on even in EV Now mode meant I was gentler on the accelerator than I normally would be – or any time-conscious drivers.

My first test-run was done pre-alignment, where I hit 15.4 miles, suggesting I was now working with about 81 percent of the CME’s original 19 miles of all-electric EPA range. I also went to a public FLO L2 charger soon after, leaving it there for over three hours to ensure ample time for a full drink of electrons, with the total energy replenished coming out to 4.9284 kWh. This from the CME’s liquid-cooled 7.6 kWh battery pack, which when new, offered 7.2 kWh of usable energy.

This smart FLO’s meter therefore suggested my plug-in hybrid battery’s usable capacity had diminished to a sobering 68.5 percent of its original usable capacity over its 10-year lifespan. For the record, my C-Max Energi has traveled a total of 92,239 miles, of which 48,125 miles of those were on battery power, according to the dash’s most recent Lifetime Summary pictured here.

So almost exactly half of its total use has been running electric. Which may be a philosophical gut punch to the BEV-angelists that declare all PHEV owners rarely if ever plug in their vehicles, and don’t want to classify plug-in hybrids as EVs at all. Our total proportion of EV use could have been even higher, as it had been leased for three years before we received it, where the CME’s lifetime summary then had been closer to a 60/40 gas/electric ratio when we first acquired it.

The prior owner had plugged in regularly, but had driven more than our urban family’s usual 10,000-ish mile yearly total.

Initial verdict on all-season versus ERange tire tests

After a full charge in the C-Max, the dash usually shows 16 miles of total range available, which I’ve found to be fairly accurate in these carefully driven tests. After the alignment, with air pressures all set to factory 36 psi recommendations, my three-year-old all-seasons ran on a full charge for 15.7 miles, a very slight improvement over their pre-alignment figure. I quickly pulled into a nearby gas station to take note of this, and to help keep in mind the physical point at which the EV range ended.

Tread pattern of new Sailun ERange tires

It was then back to the tire place for a quick tire switch, then back home for a full charge for 2.5 hours before doing the same loop on the ERange tires. Within 0.1 of a mile of leaving home, the range estimator jumped up from the usual 16-mile EV range estimate up to a surprising 18 miles. Okay, two extra miles doesn’t seem shocking, but that would constitute a healthy 10.5 percent increase, although the quickness of its addition had me thinking that the Ford’s computer had simply adjusted to my more conservative ‘test mode’ driving style.

Which seems to be the case, as by the turnaround point in the route, the remaining range was at nine instead of eight miles previously. And by the end of the test, the range ended at a somewhat disappointing 15.2 miles before the engine kicked in, or roughly the same EV range as on the all-season tires, pre-alignment.

Wait a minute, what happened? I realized that by the time the car finished charging, I had missed much of the rush-hour traffic I had hit on part of the highway stretch in my aligned all-season tire test, and on the earlier one as well. So I took the Ford through the same route again the next day closer to the original rush hour time frame – traffic is never exactly the same density day after day, but traffic patterns are patterns for a reason. And voila: a healthy 16.9 miles of all EV range! Marking an extra 1.2 miles on the ERange tires over the aligned all-season tires, which represented an increase of roughly 7.4 percent of the CME’s all-electric range.

The extra braking of stopped or slower highway traffic and less high-speed proportion of miles helped extend out the battery range. I estimated my planned 50/50 proportion of city/highway driving ratio would be closer to 60/40 if you count the time slowed by in-town-like highway congestion.

Clearly, this is another interesting data point, not a proper scientific test, which would be impossible to perform on public roads due to all the variables. But it’s more illuminating in a pattern that suggests the company’s estimates on the effects of the ERange tires on electric range are certainly worthwhile, and measurable, if variable due to driving conditions – as always, YMMV.

InsideEVs is proud to present episode 191 of its weekly podcast. Available on the InsideEVs YouTube channel and all major podcast platforms – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, and Tune In. We also stream the show live on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube on Friday at 9:30 AM EST.

Appearing on this episode is Laycee “Miss GoElectric,” an insightful veteran of the InsideEVs Podcast and her own media empire, Hazel Southwell who has been doing science-y deep thinking and reporting for outlets ranging from ESPN to Ars Technica, Alex Goy who is an all-around motoring person and a talented presenter, and Patrick George, Editor in Chief of InsideEVs.

This week we will discuss our how the Chevy Blazer EV left us stranded, Tesla's defective parts and VW putting buttons back in its cars. Then we'll take a look back at 2023 and forward into 2024. 

This Week's Podcast News

Subscribe to the InsideEVs YouTube channel and tap the bell icon to stay up to date with our new videos and podcasts.

Our Previous Podcasts

There’s a lot of conflicting information being hurled at electric vehicle buyers right now. Much of it’s good. Some of it’s bad. Taken together, it can all be tough to make sense of. 

One day it’s: “EVs are the future!” The next it’s: “Never mind, nobody wants them.” One day that car you had your eye on qualified for a game-changing $7,500 tax credit. The next day you hear the Feds are booting it off their list because of minerals from China, or something. Flashy new models frequently make headlines, but few are attainably priced. 

Allow me to cut through the noise: Between the constant march of new model launches, ever-improving technology, maturing charging infrastructure and falling vehicle prices, right now is the best time in history to buy an electric car. At the same time, it’s also the most dynamic and perplexing.

“There's a lot going on,” Ingrid Malmgren, policy director at the EV advocacy group Plug In America, told me. “It's an exciting time, but also a confusing time.”

EV Choice And Technology Is Evolving Quickly

Let’s start with some of the good. Since 2019, the number of different electric models available in the U.S. has tripled from 16 to some 48 and counting. (Not too long before that, the market was practically nonexistent.) With Ford trucks, Mercedes SUVs and even exciting new entries from startup brands that didn't exist a few years ago, today’s buyers are more likely than ever to find an EV in their preferred form factor or from their favorite brand. 

Technology has improved by leaps and bounds too. The average EV sold in the U.S. in 2013 could drive just 117 miles on a full charge, according to a BloombergNEF analysis. By 2022 that figure had jumped to 291 miles. Charging is getting quicker as battery technology advances, making road trips way more convenient. That’s all fantastic for buyers. 

But the wealth of choices also complicates things. Before, shopping for an EV was like going to In-N-Out, said Ivan Drury, director of insights at car-buying website Edmunds. Just a few straightforward options. (Setting aside the secret menu, of course.) Now he says it’s more like perusing the vast menu at The Cheesecake Factory. 

The breakneck pace of innovation means there’s a strangely broad range of capabilities on the table, as aging platforms are sold alongside bleeding-edge products. A 2024 Nissan Leaf provides a not-amazing 150 miles of range and antiquated charging speeds. A brand-new Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan, meanwhile, promises to travel 361 miles on a full charge and can add 100 miles of range in a breezy 7 minutes. That’s not to mention everything in between. 

It all means buyers need to do more research than ever and learn to grasp unfamiliar concepts beyond horsepower and miles per gallon. Yet car dealers are still catching up and aren’t great, it turns out, at educating shoppers on the specifics of electric propulsion. It’s not clear that they even want to. 

The Affordability Problem

More good news about the current moment: Thanks to an oversupply of EVs and a price war initiated by Elon Musk, you can get your favorite Tesla, Ford, Kia or the like for thousands less than it would’ve cost this time last year. That makes now a prime time to pull the trigger on an electric purchase or lease.

More Buying Advice

At the same time, affordable electric options are sorely needed to spur adoption. The average price paid for an EV in November was $52,345. That’s a big improvement over this time last year but still is significantly more than the industry-wide average of $48,247. 

Charging Availability Is Getting Better, But…

The availability and quality of public charging stations have been a persistent pain point for EV adoption, but things are slowly getting better.

The biggest news on that front—maybe the biggest news in EVs this entire year—is that most carmakers have accepted an invitation from Tesla to transition to its charging plug design for their future models. 

It’s a big deal because Tesla’s Supercharger network is larger, easier to use and more reliable than other fast-charging networks, but it’s historically been exclusively available to Tesla owners. Now that basically the entire industry is switching over to Tesla’s plug (called the North American Charging Standard, or NACS), buyers of non-Tesla cars will gain access to thousands of Tesla’s chargers across the country for the first time. 

That’s a potential game-changer for any buyers on the fence. But the switch won’t happen overnight.

Starting in 2024, most EV owners will be able to access Tesla chargers using an adapter. In 2025 and beyond, companies like Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen plan to integrate the NACS port into their new vehicles. 

This weird transitional period introduces lots of thorny questions. Should shoppers delay a purchase until they can buy a NACS-equipped car? Should they just go ahead and buy now, even though their vehicle’s hardware is guaranteed to be outdated in short order? Will non-Tesla owners enjoy the same seamless experience that Tesla drivers get?

All the uncertainty could deter mainstream buyers from going electric for the time being, Drury said. Just imagine telling someone their new gas-fueled car needs different nozzles and different stations, he said. 

“They would laugh. They would think you’re insane,” he said. 

Tax Credit Confusion

The up-to-$7,500 federal tax credit for EV purchases is another double-edged sword for buyers. On the one hand, it offers a hefty discount on certain EVs. On the other, its rules are built to get stricter over time, making the list of eligible vehicles a moving target. 

Congress rewrote the longstanding incentive program as part of 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), introducing a host of details that make things easier for consumers. After they sold too many cars to qualify for credits under the previous Obama-era rules, Tesla and GM are now back in the game. Starting on Jan. 1, buyers will be able to receive an up-front discount from their dealership, rather than a tax break in April. That should make things simpler.

But in other ways, the tax credit is mind-numbingly complicated. Tightening restrictions on component and mineral sourcing for eligible vehicles (rules designed to prop up US supply chains and challenge China’s EV dominance) mean that a bunch of models will lose eligibility on Jan. 1. That’s after new rules implemented this year already disqualified some cars. 

Malmgren, of Plug In America, recommends that buyers jump on a purchase while their desired car is still eligible for a credit since the list could change dramatically come next year. But, she says, more and more vehicles should qualify over time as automakers and suppliers work to build up domestic manufacturing and comply with the IRA’s requirements. 

Given enough time, other growing pains of the zero-emission transition will likely be smoothed over one way or another. The shift to NACS may be messy but will ultimately result in far better charging access for many owners. Dozens more electric models should hit the scene in the near future, including some budget-friendly options like the $35,000 Volvo EX30 and, eventually, the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt. 

Perhaps the biggest thing looming over this moment is the 2024 election. These tax incentives, and the rush to offer more EVs in our market, have been heavily driven by tough new emissions rules and pro-EV policies introduced by the Biden Administration. If Biden loses next year, it's very likely some or all of those policies will be slowed, or reversed entirely. Clearly, we won't know the full impact of politics on the market until the dust settles.

But one thing is clear: chaos aside, it's a better time than ever to try and break up with gasoline—if you can figure it all out.  

Every Tesla owner wants to maintain the resale value of their EV as it gets older, or at least that’s the goal. Doing so, however, can get expensive. Paint protection film with ceramic coating, stain-resistant seat covers, an extra set of wheels for the winter months – these things are not cheap. There is, however, one thing you can buy for your Tesla that is guaranteed to help keep it like new for many years to come: floor mats.

Tesloid makes some of the best floor mats in the business for Tesla vehicles, specifically the Model Y and Model 3. Its 3D Extreme Performance set of floor mats have the features to keep your footwells looking like new for the life of your car. Plus, you get 10% off using promo code MAT10.

These 3D Extreme Performance floor mats are thick, durable, and engineered for the harshest environments. With complete floor coverage, good thickness, and a high lip, they will capture anything you track into your Tesla, from mud to snow to spills. They also look the business too, with deep channels that keep liquids low and away from your feet.

The 3D Extreme Performance floor mats for the Model Y and Model 3 start at $159.99 for a set of front seat mats and a single large mat that covers the floor of the back seat. You can also order the bundle for $299.98 that includes a large mat for the rear cargo area and one for the front trunk.

The hit to your wallet is nothing compared to the peace of mind a good set of floor mats like the 3D Extreme Performance mats from Tesloid offers. After all, there’s no other part of your car that experiences more wear and tear than the original floors from the factory; they need protection from Day 1. A set of floor mats from Tesloid should be your very first purchase after picking up your new Tesla. Don’t forget to get 10% off using promo code MAT10.

When I told Mike, a Toyota Mirai driver I bumped into at a hydrogen fuel pump in Oakland, California, that I was considering buying an off-beat, zero-emission car just like his, the first three words out of his mouth told me everything I needed to know: “Don’t do it.” 

It was deflating. For a second there, I thought I’d stumbled upon the deal of the century: Used hydrogen fuel-cell cars are weirdly cheap and, in some ways, more convenient than battery-powered EVs. They’re generally only available in my new home of California—minus some occasional mishaps—and they allow owners to skirt the state’s notoriously pricey gasoline prices. Buying a hydrogen car instead of a gas car could slash my carbon footprint. 

I was eager to embrace a strange, new technology and gloat about how clever I was to anyone who’d listen. It’s the California way, after all.

But after chatting with Mike and doing some digging of my own, I’m pretty sure a Mirai isn’t for me. It sucks because I found some really amazing, overlooked benefits to owning one. For example: Toyota offers $15,000 of free fuel to new owners. I think it says something when even that isn’t quite enough to convince me. 

Used Toyota Mirais Are A Bargain

Hydrogen fuel-cell cars are a niche within a niche, and I’d never even remotely considered one as a legitimate option until I moved to California and started browsing for used cars.

Some backstory, if you need it: no automaker has pushed for hydrogen fuel-cell cars more than Toyota. The automaker once believed that hydrogen cars would be the future of how we got around, once we hit peak oil and gas prices got too high. Obviously, that never happened. Instead, the world seems poised to pivot to battery-electric cars, driven by companies like Tesla and the Chinese automakers. Plus, very few companies stepped up to build the expensive fueling stations ($1.5-$2 million, generally) needed to power these things, so they barely exist outside of California. This leaves drivers of the two generations of Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo and Honda Clarity with few options outside the Golden State. 

But hydrogen cars have their strengths, and I thought perhaps I could take advantage of some of them. 

For the first time in my life, I now live somewhere (the San Francisco Bay Area) where owning a car is more of an advantage than a burden. So I’m on the hunt for something relatively modern (for safety and reliability), efficient (for both my wallet and the planet), and cheap. Under $10,000 would be ideal. 

The problem is that those requirements are tough to reconcile, particularly given how the pandemic inflated used car prices. Whenever I plug my parameters into Craigslist, I get a list of high-mileage options and practically nothing from the past decade. The newish cars and hybrids are often too expensive, and the budget-friendly ones are often too old, ugly or unreliable. 

With one strange exception: the Toyota Mirai. Amid all the 200,000-mile Priuses and Civics, I kept seeing shiny Mirais from 2017 or 2019 asking something like $7,500 or $10,000. That's for a car that costs something like $60,000 new. 

So I set out to determine whether a Mirai could fit into my life. Was everyone sleeping on this deal, or was I missing something? As it turns out, it’s a little of both. 

What’s great about hydrogen is that refueling is lightning fast compared with conventional battery-electric cars, which can take a half-hour or more to charge under the best circumstances. That much I knew. Grabbing the hydrogen necessary to power the Mirai’s electric powertrain takes a few minutes, giving it, in theory, almost the convenience of a gasoline car. And a quick Google search informed me of a hydrogen station about a mile from my apartment. Things were looking good. 

I don’t actually drive all that much or have a daily commute, which makes me more flexible than most. The last-generation Mirai’s 300-or-so miles of range would mean I could take a bunch of trips before needing to fill up. Plus, I saw a smattering of hydrogen stations across the Bay Area, where I do most of my driving. Eight-thousand bucks for one of these things was becoming increasingly appealing.

Then my plan started unraveling. 

Expensive Fuel And Shaky Infrastructure Complicate Things

Upon closer inspection using a more reliable source, the hydrogen station closest to my apartment, attached to a Shell gas station, was shut down indefinitely. Bummer. Upon even closer inspection, a whole bunch of the stations in California were out of service due to technical issues or having run out of fuel.

I also realized there were zero locations in the northernmost chunk of the state, barely any in the east, and only one on the way to Los Angeles. That would severely limit how far I could travel. And, like I said, I don’t commute, so my main use for a car would be weekend trips. 

So, hydrogen fueling is convenient, but the reliability and prevalence of the infrastructure is a weak point. That's been a persistent issue, and it's understandable for a novel technology still very much in the early-adopter phase. 

Then I learned that, due to a range of factors, hydrogen prices have skyrocketed lately. One kilogram at the (working) station closest to my apartment now costs $36 when I drove over to check. That figure means nothing to you, obviously, so let me explain. 

A Mirai takes a total of five kilograms of hydrogen. So a full tank would cost around $180 and return 312 miles of EPA-estimated range (taking the 2018 model as an example). That works out to 58 cents per mile, which is abysmal. Taking the average price of gas in California ($4.64/gallon) and a hypothetical car with decent fuel economy, let's say 25 mpg, you wind up with just 18 cents per mile. 

That makes the aforementioned $15,000 of free fuel more of a necessity than just a nice benefit. You can get that if you buy new or certified pre-owned, which costs a bit more than regular-old used. I found certified Mirais in my area going for as little as $11,000, not factoring in the used EV tax credit that lops off 30% of the purchase price, up to $4,000.

So in theory, you can get into a Mirai for well under $10,000, with thousands of miles of free hydrogen to boot. Despite all the hangups I have about infrastructure, that’s an incredible deal. 

But what about once the money runs out? Toyota’s fuel cards for used Mirais are good for up to three years. After that, you’re stuck paying whatever hydrogen actually costs, which, as we’ve discussed, can be a lot. That’s precisely the situation Mike was in when we talked. 

He’d bought a certified Mirai, depleted his free fuel, and was now dismayed at the cost of hydrogen, which he said had roughly tripled since he bought his car. (Other than the high running cost and shaky infrastructure, he really likes his car.)

When he tried to trade it in, he told me, a dealership offered him $1,000. 

That’s a lot of depreciation to stomach, even considering all the free hydrogen. And it makes perfect sense when you think about it: Who’s going to buy some guy’s used Mirai when there are ones out there that aren’t very expensive and come with free fuel? That realization was the nail in the coffin for me. 

When I asked Toyota about all of this, a spokesperson said the automaker is continuing to work with partners to open up new fueling locations, and that it’s trying to lower the cost of hydrogen alongside California lawmakers and station operators. The spokesperson pointed out that an additional 122 fueling stations are projected to open up in California by 2026, on top of the current 54. 

Hopefully the situation improves sooner rather than later, because more viable options that wean the U.S. off of fossil fuels are always a good thing. And it's a shame that existing Mirai drivers are feeling the burn of high fuel prices, on top of other inconveniences. 

But for now, I’ll take Mike’s advice and see what my other options are. 

Contact the author: tim.levin@insideevs.com

Michael Bettencourt is a long-time EV owner, both of BEV and PHEV vehicles, and automotive journalist whose vehicle reviews have specialized in EVs and plug-in hybrids for the past 10 years. We’re following Michael in a new series about the experience of EV ownership, in the short and long term. 

The age-old “Should I buy or lease my next vehicle?” debate has never been a cut-and-dry one, as the right answer for you may vary from your neighbor’s, depending on your driving patterns and overall buying priorities.

But that debate takes a graduate-level increase in required research if you’d like to maximize your savings when it comes to buying or leasing an electric vehicle (EV). Especially since the rules governing the $7,500 federal U.S. rebate have shifted so radically as of April 18, 2023.

That’s when new rules brought on by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changed the parameters around which electric vehicles would be eligible for federal government rebates, and introduced tougher new rules around domestic sourcing of critical minerals and battery materials.

And changes will keep coming as soon as January 1, 2024, with plans for increasingly stringent content rules that could annually adjust which vehicles are eligible for all or a portion of the $7,500 government incentive each year until 2029.

Check out ERange EV Tires to combat range loss

IRA Kept $7,500 Rebate On Some EVs, But Not Many 

Instead of discussing the 2024 changes, which were covered nicely in detail here, let’s go over the current EV rules to the end of 2023 in case you’d like to buy an EV before ringing in the new year. As of the beginning of this year, to receive the full $7,500 that was previously available to all EV sales until each automaker hit a limit of 200,000 units, the federal government added the requirement that all eligible vehicles must be built in North America.

This is what has excluded worthy EVs such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Nissan Ariya from tax credit eligibility, as none of those vehicles – nor many of the new BEVs or PHEVs for sale in the U.S. – are currently built in North America.

The federal government added the requirement that all eligible vehicles must be built in North America.

As before, the government funds are currently issued as a credit on an EV owner’s taxes for that year, meaning if you owed $4,000, that’s how much the EV tax credit was worth when you filed the following year, even if the vehicle was eligible for the full $7,500.

As of mid-April 2023, though, new rules were introduced that also added vehicle price caps for eligibility ($80,000 for SUVs, vans, and pickups, and $55,000 for everything else), plus new sourcing requirements for battery materials. These also maxed out the amount of gross income you could make and still receive the tax credit: $150,000 for individual filers, or $300,000 in household income.

There’s another level of research needed when it comes to scoring the best deal possible on EVs.

The battery and critical minerals measurements are the least transparent of all these new rules. For example, the Nissan Leaf sold in the U.S. has been built in Smyrna, Tennessee for over 10 years, along with its battery, but a 2023 Leaf acquired after April 18 is not eligible for any federal EV incentive, according to the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov site. Had the same buyer bought that vehicle between January 1 and April 17 of this year, no matter their income, it would have been eligible for the full $7,500. And the mechanically identical 2024 Leaf, since mid-April, is now only eligible for a $3,750 tax credit.  

Clearly, there’s another level of research needed when it comes to scoring the best deal possible on EVs.

So be sure to visit the EPA’s site’s tax rebate section where you can plug in the year, make, and model to ensure what incentive it’s eligible for, which may shift from here to the end of the decade. Plus it details other key criteria mentioned here, and likely any new measures as the system is updated and refined.

Leasing Is A Key EV Incentive Loophole

Considering all these tax credit changes, leasing has become the equivalent of a shining north star for some EV buyers, guiding them like a bright LED beacon in the night through a forest of dark and somewhat mysterious eligibility rules. A leased vehicle is basically a long-term rental, typically owned by the automaker’s or dealer group’s finance arm and not currently subject to the rest of the new EV requirements: price limits, income thresholds, where it’s made, nor any battery or mineral content requirements.

This seems like a good time to point out that government incentive programs can and do change, as this one has already multiple times. But unlike most automaker EV price cuts, there is often a grace period or implementation time frame where plugged-in shoppers can evaluate and perhaps measure upcoming changes on the government EV incentive front.

EV Tires Are The Hot New Thing:

One major change coming January 1, 2024 is a good example: it will change the buying incentive from an EV tax credit to a point-of-sale EV tax rebate. This will make the federal incentive work for buying an EV outright very much like how EV leasing works now, except for the aforementioned vehicle and consumer restrictions, with both partial and full $7,500 amounts available. 

You’ll no longer have to pay the full price of the car and wait for your rebate come tax season; it will be applied right there at the dealer when you buy an eligible EV.

A word to the wise, however: recent dealer guidance by the Treasury Department on how it will all work suggests this will be a major undertaking, both from a dealer and consumer education basis. The process of providing consumers instant federal rebate approval while out (or online) car shopping will be a brand-new government initiative in a process that will be streamlined and adjusted as it goes along.

You’ll no longer have to pay the full price of the car and wait for your rebate come tax season; it will be applied right there at the dealer when you buy an eligible EV.

So if you’ve been holding off on an EV purchase to the first week of January in order to take advantage of this instant dealer rebate, you may want to check with your dealer of choice (or a few nearby ones) soon to confirm they’re setting up to provide those instant rebates early in 2024.

Alternatively, if you’re not confident in either the government or your local dealer’s ability to launch this program smoothly early next year, consider taking advantage of end-of-quarter and year-end deals before the end of 2023. Then you can file your taxes early in 2024, which is another, if much-less-satisfying, way to speed up your government EV tax savings.

One of the benefits of the government’s planned point-of-sale tax rebate is that the dealer must pass along the full value of this government rebate to the consumer. When it comes to EV leasing, the finance company that technically owns the EV has no such requirement and can keep some or all of it for itself.

It’s true that most pass along the majority of the available savings, whether the full $7,500 for most BEVs (but half of that for both Rivian models and the Leaf), or the $3,750 that’s earmarked for most plug-in hybrid models. There are some PHEVs that manage to qualify for the full $7,500 too, such as the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan and Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring SUV.

So it’s worth researching the amount of federal rebate your intended lease is eligible for, and ask specifically whether or not the full rebate is applied somewhere on the itemized leasing contract.

Tesla Offers Leasing, With One Thing Missing

Another key clause to check is if there’s an option to purchase the EV after its lease term for an agreed residual price. Tesla, for instance, no longer allows a balloon payment at the end to purchase the leased vehicle, arguing in 2019 that it would need the leased Model 3s returned because “we plan to use those vehicles in the (FSD-enabled) Tesla ride-hailing network,” the company argued.

That network never appeared, but record used vehicle profits sure did, especially when used vehicle prices skyrocketed amongst pandemic and supply chain-related vehicle shortages.

Ford was initially not allowing its EVs to be bought out at the end of leases for its F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E, but that changed once inventories of both models began to grow. So be sure to check this key lease clause for whatever EV you’re considering, and if it’s not there, remember that takes away one of the key and potentially lucrative benefits of leasing, at least over the past few years.

And keep in mind that if you lease an EV and receive the $7,500 rebate either through your dealer or directly, you can’t then turn around three years later and apply for a used federal EV rebate on that same vehicle if you purchase it at the end of the lease contract. The government’s recent guidance just clarified even if your vehicle is now worth less than $25,000 and meets all other used EV rebate criteria at the end of its lease, buying it outright will not get you the used EV rebate.

Tips And Tricks For EV Buying And Leasing

When we were in the market for our first EV, I was fairly sure we would lease it. That is, until I realized the lease’s interest rate was high enough over the financing rate that I’d effectively be paying the same price per month on our new Leaf, just on a slightly shorter term. I opted to buy instead, as it left us with some equity at the end of four years of payments, versus a big hole of nothing after 39 months.

As it turns out, most lease rates are traditionally a couple percentage points higher than financing rates. And both types of interest rates are high right now, making it an ideal time for buyers to use some savings or liquid assets instead of dealer or bank financing.

Remember, a lease payment starts on the basis of how much the OEM believes the EV will be worth at the end of the agreement, then divides up that depreciation over the term, then adds interest to cover borrowing costs (and help profits) over that time period. And these residual estimates can be spectacularly wrong for EVs, as we’ve seen the past few years, but also for regular internal combustion vehicles.

Giving the consumer the option of buying out the lease at the end of the term provides a helpful financial lever to potentially wring out a bit more value from of a lease if these cars end up being worth more than planned. I came to realize that Nissan had no real idea where the true residual value of that early Leaf would be in 39 months, so it gave itself a healthy financial cushion with its lease offer, steering me towards financing and taking on that heavier depreciation risk.

Whether leasing or buying, make sure to check for all state, municipal, district, and utility discounts for potential green vehicle rebates, which may also include deals or rebates on EV charger purchases and installs. This California buyer found four government rebates in total, plus Tesla inventory and referral discounts, which added up to $23,000 in total discounts. States like Colorado and New Jersey also have healthy local incentives, some of them income-dependent and with their own set of rules worth further research.

As with most vehicle purchases, it’s helpful to know the interest rates you’re eligible for going in, so check your bank or credit union’s auto and general line of credit (LOC) terms. Also look into the rough value of your trade-in from online instant price sites, but keep in mind the potential tax and financing savings (and convenience and safety factor) by trading in your vehicle straight away.

Leasing has traditionally been the costlier option overall, as it encourages perpetual car payments. But for EV owners who prefer a new vehicle every few years regardless, and/or who want the latest range, infotainment options, and battery tech, there may be a unique window in the next few years where it will be more difficult than ever for automakers to accurately predict where EV used vehicle values are going.

InsideEVs is proud to present episode 190 of its weekly podcast. Available on the InsideEVs YouTube channel and all major podcast platforms – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, and Tune In. We also stream the show live on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube on Friday at 9:30 AM EST.

Appearing on this episode is Laycee “Miss GoElectric,” an insightful veteran of the InsideEVs Podcast and her own media empire, Hazel Southwell who has been doing science-y deep thinking and reporting for outlets ranging from ESPN to Ars Technica, Alex Goy who is an all-around motoring person and a talented presenter, and Patrick George, Editor in Chief of InsideEVs.

This week we will discuss our first drive of the Chevy Blazer EV, as well as fill you in a bit on our long-term Blazer EV test drive. We'll also discuss our first drive of the Porsche Macan EV, as well as the reveal of the Cadillac Vistiq. Then we will dive into some truck news, including Ford reducing F-150 Lightning production, as well as some fun bits on the Tesla Cybertruck.

This Week's Podcast News

Subscribe to the InsideEVs YouTube channel and tap the bell icon to stay up to date with our new videos and podcasts.

Our Previous Podcasts

When getting people to adopt new technologies, companies must make their products more luxurious, convenient, or simply better than whatever the outgoing ones were. We see this all of the time with electric cars. Take Mercedes-Benz, for example. The AMG EQE SUV makes more power than an SLS AMG, and the EQS 580 comes with the Hyperscreen— a massive display array only featured in the luxury brand’s electric products. But one thing that hasn’t kept pace with this high-tech, luxurious experience is the act of public charging.

Sure, charging at home is convenient and easy, but public charging creates more friction with someone deciding to buy an EV. And attempting to charge your $100,000 Mercedes at a broken station in the dead of night next to a combined pile of trash and snow behind a Walmart is not the experience the Silver Arrow brand wants for its customers.

To combat this, Mercedes-Benz is making an unparalleled move among established automakers by entering the charging space in North America—and it's not just a concept that might come to fruition in the next decade.

Mercedes is releasing this tech now, and it just opened its first station at its North American headquarters outside of Atlanta. So when the automaker invited InsideEVs to check out its new chargers, we had to say yes.

Why Is Mercedes-Benz Investing In Charging? 

Automakers entering the fueling segment is something relatively new. Tesla commissioned its first United States-based site in 2012, and it ended up being one of the smartest moves the upstart automaker ever pulled; since then Tesla's Superchargers have become global, bulletpoof and virtually synonymous with EV charging. In Europe, Audi completed its first charging hub as a concept in December 2021, and slowly started expanding from there (its next hub went live in November 2022). Tesla and Audi are outliers, though. Especially in the Western world, automakers are usually not directly involved in developing EV charging infrastructure. (They never wanted to build gas stations themselves, either, and no fueling partners ever stepped up to make Toyota’s expensive hydrogen dreams a reality.) 

So when Mercedes-Benz, a 97-year-old manufacturer behind some of the most iconic luxury cars ever built, decided to invest a billion dollars through a joint venture to improve public charging, I had countless questions about why it made such an unprecedented move.

During our visit, I spoke to Mercedes-Benz Chairman of the Management Board, Franz Reiner, about the rationale for entering the charging space. "We know that you know the anxiety of the customers when you get a full electric car,” he said. “Where can you charge it, what is the time you spend at the charger, and where's the location? So we said, 'you know what, if we want to transform the industry, we need to be part of the entire system,' and that is what we do." 

For Reiner, investing in the charging segment is necessary to create a premium experience for all facets of Mercedes-Benz EV ownership. Charging is a big hurdle, and if Mercedes can work to 'reinvent' it, it would be a massive win for the German automaker.

Partnering For Success

For Mercedes to develop a charging network, it first decided to create a new division through a joint venture with renewable power company MN8 Energy. The joint venture is called Mercedes-Benz HPC North America and is led by Andrew Cornelia, who previously held roles at Tesla and Volta. The firm's primary purpose is to help expand Mercedes' EV adoption by creating a network of fast, reliable, and luxurious charging stations. 

Mercedes-Benz HPC NA has a bold goal of deploying four hundred charging stations by 2030, accounting for 2,500 DC fast chargers across the continent. The one near Atlanta we checked out was the brand's first location, though it expects to expand rapidly. The division of Mercedes-Benz has already partnered with Buc-ee's and Simon Malls. Moreover, the firm expects multiple Buc-ee's hubs to go live at rest stops and gas stations in  Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas before 2024. 

"It's not about the charging; it's about what you do while you charge. So our partnership strategy is clear. We want to put charging in those retail locations where we can have a great cup of coffee or {eat at} a great restaurant, we can have green space, you can take your dog out for a walk. We've done that with Simon; we've done that with Buc-ees," Cornelia said in a press conference.

400 Kilowatts, Courtesy Of Chargepoint

On the charging side, Mercedes-Benz acknowledges that fast and reliable charging is of the utmost importance. The manufacturer went with ChargePoint for its initial hub to secure solid chargers. The ChargePoint DC fast chargers offer a maximum of 400kW of power. It should charge an EQS from zero to 80 percent in around thirty minutes. The chargers' high rates will most benefit its upcoming 800V electric cars. 

Future stations will offer up to 500kW of power, a massive upgrade from Tesla’s V3 Superchargers, which push 250kW, and Electrify America’s 350kW Hyper-Fast Chargers. Mercedes’s chargers will feature both NACS and CCS1 connectors, meaning they will be able to power Tesla’s cars, the huge upcoming generation of EVs that also use that plug, and the hundreds of thousands of conventional EVs currently on the road. The station at its HQ currently only offers CCS1 capabilities. 

The automaker also clarifies that the electricity used to charge the cars is carbon neutral, in terms of energy production, on a monthly basis (hence the partnership with MN8 Energy). "We're going to be making sure that we're matching all the kilowatt-hours off the grid and going into those charging stations into the cars with clean, green kilowatt-hours that go on the grid each month," said MN8 Energy's CEO, Jon Yoder. As a side note, the GA current hub offers some on-site generation with rooftop solar panels.

The Experience 

While fast charging is excellent, the other aspect the German automaker wanted to hit on was luxury. At the Georgia charging hub, Mercedes-Benz offers a lounge and restroom facilities. The lounge is reasonably sized, with several seating surfaces, a desk, a vending machine, and a coffee dispenser. The latter two amenities are pay-to-use. The vending machine is a little expensive, with bags of chips running around three dollars. The coffee machine is actually on the affordable side (ignoring the out-of-stock $8.50 Mocha); only $2.50 for a hot chocolate. 

The lounge and restroom are public, so they're effectively included in one's charging session fee. Since these are operated by Mercedes-Benz, EQ product owners get the best deal. These owners can reserve stalls through the infotainment system, acting as a safety blanket for road trips. Moreover, another perk of driving a Benz is lower energy rates. For non-Mercedes Benz owners, you won’t get preferred access and will likely have to pay a little more. However, this raises an important question: how much does using one of these stations cost? 

While access to the lounge and bathrooms asre included no matter what EV you pull up in, the only payment is the price per kilowatt-hour. Mercedes-Benz alluded that its prices will be in line with other networks. "We are looking to build a profitable network, but we're also looking to build all of our features and all of our pricing in a simple way for the driver to understand so we don't want this to be a slot machine where you know what you're going to expect to be charged. We want to make sure that we communicate this effectively," said Dimitris Psillakis, Mercedes-Benz USA's CEO. 

Current EQ products will have six months of free charging hub access. 2024 model-year EQ vehicles will increase that duration to two years. The EQE and EQS lineup offers Plug and Charge capabilities (ISO 15118), so charging should be a breeze on those models.

Other Perks

Another overarching concept Mercedes-Benz focused on was accessibility and safety. The current layout of most U.S.-based public charging stations makes it difficult for users with limited mobility to charge their electric vehicles. Moreover, drivers with trailers would have a challenging time with some spaces. The Georgia hub offers one wheelchair-accessible stall located near the facilities and a long pull-through one that should accommodate 26-foot-long trailers. 

Safety was another aspect that Mercedes-Benz HPC wanted to emphasize for the charging hubs. "I think there's some very tactical things here. So the station behind us will have CCTV," Cornelia told InsideEVs. "We're really thinking about the types of partners we select, where we put these locations, where we even put it within the parking lot, and the route to travel. How do you get from the charger to the amenity— we want that to be the shortest distance possible."

Future Plans 

For Mercedes-Benz, this seems to be a win-win. Mercedes says it's investing over a billion dollars into the project over the decade, but it does several things to strengthen the near-century-old automaker. Not only does it help EQ owners feel more comfortable with their EVs (even if they won't use the stations) but it also heightens Mercedes-Benz's position as an electric car manufacturer. 

A commitment to reliable public charging is a win for all EV owners, current and future. The notion of long charging lines, faulty chargers, and throttled units has the power to stray away prospective consumers. But with large-scale investments, especially from automakers themselves, these issues should hopefully be alleviated. 

Tesla has proven that you can have a reliable charging network nationwide. Mercedes-Benz wants to prove that it can check the "reliable" box, but also the "luxury" one. The first example of this looks promising, though we'll reserve our feedback until we can do a proper road trip on the HPC network.

More Mercedes EV News

Those of you living in the northern hemisphere are probably either enjoying the cold weather, or complaining about the hassles that come along with it. From shoveling snow off your driveway to layering up, winter has its downs, but it also has its ups. Assuming it’s safe for you to do so, going on a frosty bike ride can be tons of fun, and not to mention an excellent way to stay in shape during the winter months.

That being said, those of you who are new to riding e-bikes may have noticed that your e-bike’s battery level seems to drop much quicker when it’s cold outside? In my experience, I’ve seen my e-bike’s battery go from full to three-quarters within just a couple of miles – far less than the claimed range figures.

Batteries don't really like the cold

Well, as it would turn out, e-bike batteries don’t take too kindly to the cold. It’s well-known that batteries in general don’t perform well in the cold, as it has been frequently reported that EVs have less range in the winter. However, given the e-bikes’ batteries are usually exposed directly to the cold, bereft of any insulation, they suffer a bit more in cold temps. Of course, there’s the physical damage of the battery’s casing becoming brittle and eventually cracking due to the cold. However, the damage cold temperatures can impart on your bike’s battery goes well beneath the surface.

Batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries found in electric bicycles, don't like the cold. Some reports state that EVs suffer up to 30 percent range loss in the winter, and it’s largely because of the electrolytes struggling to circulate ions between the cathode and the anode. Similar to how oil is more viscous in cold temperatures, a battery struggles to move ions between the different poles, thereby increasing its internal resistance and impacting its performance.

What can you do to look after your e-bike in the winter?

So, is there a way for us to mitigate the ill effects of cold weather on our e-bike batteries? Well, not in a way that won’t require extra energy to begin with. Of course, if your e-bike has a removable battery, you can store it indoors. This should give it a little extra time before it suffers from the cold. Better yet, if you have a heated garage, it’s definitely a good idea to store your bike in there during the cold months. After all, exposure to the cold isn’t bad just for the battery, it also increases wear on other components, particularly those made of metal prone to corrosion and plastics susceptible to becoming brittle.

When it comes to keeping your e-bike in good health in the winter, you’re going to want to take note that its battery remains sensitive to the cold even when it’s not in use. It’s recommended to store it in a warm and dry place, with temperatures higher than 10 degrees C, or about 50 degrees F. Furthermore, experts recommend not charging your battery when it’s cold, such as right after going for a cold winter ride. Instead, it’s a good idea to remove the battery and leave it in a warm and dry place for at least 15 to 20 minutes before charging it.

More Fun On Two Wheels:

At the end of the day, it’s always a good idea to err on the side of caution. When shopping for an e-bike, make sure to do some research about the technology stuffed into it. This is especially true of today’s crop of super high-tech two-wheelers that are pretty much rolling IOT devices.

Source: Clean Rider, Cyrusher, Magicycle

Whether you’re a new electric vehicle (EV) owner, or considering purchasing one in the near future, there’s a decent chance you’ve come across several myths about living with an EV, especially when it comes to charging. We’ve been scouring social media and EV forums to find some of the biggest misunderstandings among drivers – and we have cleared some of them up for you!

#1: There aren’t enough chargers, and I won’t be able to travel long distances

Partially false. As with so many of these myths, what’s true for some won’t be true for everyone. With the right EV in the right region, long-distance EV road trips are not a problem. Across the United States, there are actually over 100,000 public charging ports1, and no, they’re not just in popular EV states like California, they’re spread across the country, and even as far north as Fairbanks, Alaska. If you want to take a look for yourself, download the handy FLO app to find stations near you.

And there are even more stations to come, President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has committed $24 billion towards the goal of building out a network of over 500,000 public chargers by 2030. $5 billion of funding has already been distributed at the state level through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, which is on track to install enough high-speed charging stations to cover 75,000 miles of the national highway system in the next two years2.

#2: The electrical grid can’t support mass EV adoption

False. The organizations involved, especially utilities, want to be able to provide EV drivers the electricity they need. While some utilities are further along than others, people in the know say this isn’t a real problem. Consumer Reports, for example, says that it would only take a one percent growth in electricity generation each year to power every car in the U.S. with electrons by 20503.

Frank Fata, Global Head of Utilities at FLO adds that “Demand will not be completely served with new power, the world is learning to save energy, store it, conserve it, and redirect it to meeting growing new demand.”

Utilities have been working for years to prepare for the growing number of EVs, and while more work still needs to be done to support this, it was recently announced that the Department of Energy has allocated nearly $3.5 billion of investments to strengthen grid reliability and resilience across 44 states with a combined $8 billion in private-public investment to bring more than 35 gigawatts of renewable energy online – enough to power about 30 million households5.

#3: It costs the same to charge an EV as a gasoline-powered vehicle

False. We crunched the numbers and found that when we compared the popular Chevrolet Silverado 4WD electric pickup truck with its comparable gas cousin, owners of the EV version would save approximately $1,500 annually on their cost of energy or even more jaw-droppingly approximately $7,500 over the course of 5 years! Here's how the numbers work out when we use average rates.

This SUV isn’t exactly efficient in gas or electric form, but the point isn’t to find the most efficient EV but to understand the running costs of your vehicle. The EPA rates the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV at using 53 kWh per 100 miles6 or just over $9 at the current national average of $0.17 per kWh7.

According to the EPA, the comparable gas model, the 2023 Silverado 4WD requires 5.3 gallons to drive 100 miles8. Gas prices fluctuated in September, but the national average was around $3.85 per gallon10. That means in the gas version of the Silverado it costs $20.41 of gas per 100 miles versus $9.06 in electricity to go the same distance. The average American driver travels about 13,500 miles a year11, which means in this case it would cost you about $1,500 less in energy to drive an EV vs the gas model.

And as a bonus, EVs save on maintenance costs since there’s no need to replace engine oil, timing belts, sparkplugs, and more. The Office Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy found that the maintenance cost per mile for an EV was $0.06 vs $0.10 for an ICE vehicle12. For the average driver who travels 13,500 miles annually, this would add up to a potential savings of approximately $540 annually or looking longer term that’s $2,700 saved over 5 years.

#4: You have to replace an EV’s battery after 5 years

False. The vast majority of batteries will actually outlast the usable life of a vehicle, according to Geotab, a telematics fleet management company that analyzed 6,300 varying EV battery makes and models13.

Their study showed that, on average, batteries deteriorated about 2.3% yearly, which means if we go back to our Chevrolet Silverado EV example, off the line the pickup has a fully charged range of 450 miles6, after one year of typical driving habits this would bring down its maximum range to approximately 440 miles, a loss of 10 miles, and over five years you would lose about 48 miles of range but still have 402 miles to get you through the day.

If that’s still a concern for you, the major auto manufacturers are offering generous warranties on their batteries to give adopters an extra boost of confidence, just to name a few: GM and Tesla both offer a minimum of 8 years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first) of coverage17,18.

#5: It takes too long to charge

Mostly false. This is a bit of a subjective situation, so we can’t say for sure that you won’t feel frustrated by the length of time it takes to charge. EV drivers with a charger at home won’t have to spend more than 15-20 seconds as they plug and unplug their vehicle to charge overnight and have a full battery in the morning. When they’re out and about, EV drivers can look for a DC fast charger to refill most of today’s EVs from 0 to 80% in under 40 minutes14. So switching to electric comes also with a change in how you view refueling.

However, it’s what comes next that’s even more exciting to people unsatisfied with that charge time. Ultra-fast charging, like the new FLO UltraTM stations, will offer over 300 kW chargers that can refill that same 0-80% level in 15 minutes or less14,15,16 for next-generation, high-capacity batteries. In many cases, EV chargers are located in places where drivers typically frequent like shopping malls, grocery stores, restaurants, or at work so that the “waiting time” turns into productivity time. Just imagine the scenario of pulling up to your local grocery store, plugging in, grabbing a shopping cart, browsing the aisles and adding items to your cart, checking out, and finally unplugging your vehicle to a 100% battery charge.

Should you make the switch?

There are definitely a few things to learn and become comfortable with when you’re debating the switch from gas to electric. But with the current and rapidly evolving EV charging landscape, EV drivers can enjoy a tremendous amount of benefits: from lower maintenance and energy costs to the convenience of charging at home or while they shop, dine, and play. Combined with the heavy investment that governments, utilities, and auto manufacturers are making in this space, it’ll be a matter of time before you go from “Should I switch?” to “When can I switch?”

More EV Info

References & Disclaimers:

1. Electric vehicle charging station locations. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations. (n.d.). https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html#/find/nearest?fuel=ELEC

2. The United States Government. (2023, June 27). Fact sheet: Biden-Harris Administration driving forward on convenient, reliable, made-in-america national network of electric vehicle chargers. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/06/27/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-driving-forward-on-convenient-reliable-made-in-america-national-network-of-electric-vehicle-chargers/

3. Blog: Can the grid handle evs? yes! . CR Advocacy. (2023, May 10). https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/research/blog-can-the-grid-handle-evs-yes/

4. Analyst, S. H. S. V., Director, R. C. P., Director, S. H. C. T. P., & Engineer, D. R. S. (2023, February 23). Can the electric grid handle EV charging?. The Equation. https://blog.ucsusa.org/samantha-houston/can-the-electric-grid-handle-ev-charging/

5. The United States Government. (2023b, October 30). Fact sheet:Biden-Harris Administration Announces Historic Investment to bolster nation’s electric grid infrastructure, cut energy costs for families, and create good-paying jobs. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/30/fact-sheetbiden-harris-administration-announces-historic-investment-to-bolster-nations-electric-grid-infrastructure-cut-energy-costs-for-families-and-create-good-paying-jobs/

6. Compare side-by-side. www.fueleconomy.gov - the official government source for fuel economy information. (n.d.). https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=46946

7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Average energy prices for the United States, regions, census divisions, and selected metropolitan areas. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/data/averageenergyprices_selectedareas_table.htm

8. 2023 Chevrolet Silverado. www.fueleconomy.gov - the official government source for fuel economy information. (n.d.-a). https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2023_Chevrolet_Silverado.shtml

9. Month: September 2023. AAA Gas Prices. (2023, September 28). https://gasprices.aaa.com/2023/09/

10. Falling like a feather. AAA Gas Prices. (2023a, September 28). https://gasprices.aaa.com/falling-like-a-feather/

11. Average annual miles per driver by age group. (n.d.). https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/bar8.htm

12. FOTW #1190, June 14, 2021: Battery-electric vehicles have lower scheduled maintenance costs than other light-duty vehicles. Energy.gov. (n.d.). https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1190-june-14-2021-battery-electric-vehicles-have-lower-scheduled

13. Ev Battery Health: What 6,000 EV batteries tell us. Geotab. (n.d.). https://www.geotab.com/blog/ev-battery-health/

14. Recharge time is based on an average of current market EV models. Recharge time may vary depending on make and model, charger energy transfer speed, temperature, and battery capabilities.

15. Flo Ultra all-in-one DC charger. FLO. (2023, November 22). https://www.flo.com/products/hardware/ultra/

16. Bank, C. I. (2023, April 26). Canada Infrastructure Bank marks its first EV charging investment with a $220 million commitment to Flo®. Cision Canada. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canada-infrastructure-bank-marks-its-first-ev-charging-investment-with-a-220-million-commitment-to-flo-r--849868626.html

17. Chevrolet EV ownership. Chevrolet. (n.d.). https://www.chevrolet.com/electric/faqs/ownership#:~:text=General%20Motors%20warrants%20new%20or,Miles%20(whichever%20comes%20first).

18. Vehicle warranty: Tesla support. Tesla. (n.d.). https://www.tesla.com/support/vehicle-warranty

InsideEVs is proud to present episode 189 of its weekly podcast. Available on the InsideEVs YouTube channel and all major podcast platforms – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, and Tune In. We also stream the show live on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube on Friday at 9:30 AM EST.

Appearing on this episode is Laycee “Miss GoElectric,” an insightful veteran of the InsideEVs Podcast and her own media empire, Hazel Southwell who has been doing science-y deep thinking and reporting for outlets ranging from ESPN to Ars Technica, Alex Goy who is an all-around motoring person and a talented presenter, and Patrick George, Editor in Chief of InsideEVs.

This week we will discuss the 1.2 million-mile Tesla Model S, the pricing for the Cybertruck Foundation Series, as well as GM confirming that the next-gen Chevy Bolt will be available as an EUV-only. 

This Week's Podcast News

Subscribe to the InsideEVs YouTube channel and tap the bell icon to stay up to date with our new videos and podcasts.

Our Previous Podcasts

Amidst the flurry of reactions to the Tesla Cybertruck's official launch this past week, you may have missed the fact the company also debuted a slew of accessories for its new pickup. For some reason, Tesla CEO Elon Musk didn't mention most of these accessories during the launch event, but they're definitely worthy of some attention now as most of them will greatly expand the Cybertruck's utility.

Cybertruck Exterior Accessories

Let's start off on the exterior, specifically with Tesla's new option to have your Cybertruck wrapped with paint protection film. They are available in both black and white, each for $6,500 including installation, but we hope that more colors are added in the future. There's also a Satin Clear Paint Film available for $5,000 including installation. This one's a head-scratcher considering the unpainted stainless steel body doesn't really need to be protected from scratches or chips. 

Next up is the Tailgate Ramp for $400. Since the production Cybertruck lost the cool ramp that was embedded in the concept's tailgate, this is the company's solution for loading wheeled cargo into the bed. Of course, you'll need two ramps if you're loading something with four wheels like an ATV, and then you'll need somewhere to store the ramps as well. The product description indicates at least one of these tri-fold ramps will fit in the gear locker beneath the bed, though obviously not when an ATV's been loaded and is covering it.

Tesla is also showing a pair of roof-mounted crossbars for sale, though their availability is pushed back to 2024. Costing $800, these crossbars allow you to load things like bicycles, kayaks, and rooftop cargo boxes onto the Cybertruck's roof. 

The Cybertruck Bumper Protector is another accessory we weren't expecting to see, but for $80 this thin rubber liner will protect the rear bumper from scratches and wear. 

And yes, there's a tent. The Basecamp tent goes for $2,975 and turns the Cybertruck's bed into a cozy place to sleep for the night. It's got no poles, instead relying on an inflatable skeleton for its structure, and it comes with a built-in mattress. Perhaps its coolest feature is that it folds up and mounts at the back of the bed right below the tonneau cover, leaving the whole bed floor open for camping cargo.

There have also been rumors that Tesla might offer a cleaning product to keep your Cybertruck's stainless steel skin free from fingerprints. We've seen reports online that Tesla Service Centers are already using a Tesla-branded bottle of something called Cybershield, but it hasn't appeared for sale in the company's shop yet. The truck's panels can also probably be cleaned with products designed to keep your stainless steel kitchen appliances clean, like these stainless steel wipes from Weiman.

Cybertruck Interior Accessories

The new accessories for the Cybertruck's cabin kick off with a sunshade for its giant glass roof. The shade, which costs $115, blocks two-thirds of the light coming through while still remaining transparent for safety. It looks like it's held in place by either tension or magnets (Tesla doesn't say), and its collapsible rigid frame folds up and fits in a zippered pouch.

Next up is a $40 center console tray and an underseat storage bin for the rear bench that costs $250. The latter looks particularly useful, as there's lots of empty space beneath the Cybertruck's backseat. This storage bin can keep everything organized and safely secure when you're drag racing Porsche 911s while towing a Porsche 911. 

Of course, Tesla didn't forget floor mats. There's your choice of custom-fit carpet mats for $155 or more protective all-weather rubber liners for $295. The latter is similar to a set of WeatherTech floor coverings and is probably a better idea than carpet if you intend to work and play with the Cybertruck off-road.

Cybertruck Bed Accessories

In order to put the Cybertruck to work, you're probably going to need some of these official accessories for the bed, err... vault. First is a $350 cargo divider that's made to fit the Cybertruck's angular bed to a tee. Next up are custom-fit Molle panels for $250 each that mount on the bed's inner side wall to give you some vertical storage.

The Vault Cargo Bins may be the best deal so far for a Cybertruck accessory. Sold in packs of three for $250, the bins fit snugly and securely in the bed, which can hold six bins in total. Even when maxed out on bins, the bed still has room on top of them for more cargo beneath the tonneau cover. 

Not surprisingly, Tesla is also selling the hardware necessary to take full advantage of the bed's L-track. This includes a pair of hooks for $25 and a single cleat for $25. There's also a pair of D-rings for $40 that can be mounted in 10 different spots around the bed. The L-track bottle opener accessory for $25 sends a bit of a mixed message, but the $45 gear locker dividers are a must-have to keep items from banging around in the Cybertruck's hidden boot.  

Cybertruck Wheel and Tire Accessories

Some were shocked to learn the Cybertruck won't be coming with a spare tire. Many EVs don't come with spare tires these days to save weight, but truck owners expect them to be there as a backup when work or play results in a flat. Tesla has found a compromise by selling a spare tire and tool kit for $1,250 that mounts in the back of the Cybertruck's bed.

The Goodyear tire comes with a vinyl cover and a pair of D-rings to keep it secure, as well as a complete toolset to get the job done when required. Unfortunately, the tire takes up a large portion of the bed, severely compromising your hauling capacity when in tow.

Another option is to go with Tesla's Air Compressor Ultra + Tire Repair Kit for $550. While the Cybertruck concept unveiled in 2019 had a built-in air compressor (as does the production Rivian R1T), the production version doesn't, but this standalone option looks like it will stow neatly in the bed's gear locker.

As for the wheels themselves, you'll be glad to know that replacement wheel covers for the Cybertruck are only $75 apiece. That's not bad considering they're a more complicated two-piece design than Tesla's other wheel covers, and these are likely to take the brunt of curb rash while protecting the rims.

And the last of the tire accessories is a set of Konig XD-16 Pro snow chains for the rear wheels. These are one of the few non-Tesla-branded accessories for sale in the company's shop and cost $345 for the pair.

What's Missing?

We first checked out what accessories Tesla was selling for the Cybertruck on the night of the vehicle's launch. At that time, the webpage was showing a couple of things for sale that have since been removed.

The first is the much-talked-about Range Extender option for the Cybertruck. This is an external battery pack that mounts in the back of the bed and gives the truck up to 470 miles of total range (in the case of the All-Wheel Drive model that has a standard range of 340 miles). An extra 130 miles of range means the Range Extender is packing a pretty big battery itself. Yet we have no official information about how much it costs, how much of the truck's payload capacity it will gobble up, or even how it will be installed and removed when needed. There is an image, though, which shows exactly how much space it occupies in the bed.

We also noticed the optional lightbar is missing that was originally on the concept vehicle but is still shown as an optional upgrade on the Cybertruck's webpage. The short description says the bar, which mounts at the top of the windshield and is very low profile, can illuminate up to 525 yards in front of the truck.

More Cybertruck News

An emerging phenomenon is affecting many EV drivers - the daunting experience of having to juggle multiple charging provider apps, and the uncertainty of selecting which one to use when you need to charge your vehicle.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you may be affected:

One app, tens of thousands of stations

“The FLO app is great because you don’t need to have multiple apps on your phone to get all the information you need. You can easily find stations, start your charge, and find out if the charger is currently available,” explains Katie Krivolavek from the  All Electric Family, a family of five who are recording and adventuring in their EVs.

FLO operates a complete network for drivers to plug in just about anywhere in North America with a “go to” app to deliver everything you need, right to the palm of your hand. The FLO app includes stations from partnerships with nationwide networks, ChargePoint and Shell Recharge. Plus, there are three more for Canadian drivers: BC Hydro EV, Electric Circuit, and the eCharge Network. FLO’s roaming access allows users to find stations from these partners, check their availability, current status (including cost, charging speed and plug type) and pay using the FLO app with no additional steps.

All in, drivers can access over 75,000 Level 2 and DC Fast chargers from coast to coast.

Safety first

The FLO app supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - making finding your next station not only easier, but also safer. Find nearby stations, filter stations by charging speed, fee, plug type or availability – you decide. Let your fingers do the walking with an intuitive touch display or , either way, you can leave that phone alone.

Is that station available?

Many drivers offset their “App Fatigue” with aggregator apps, but most third-party apps don’t share a live status of the station occupancy and operational status and rely on user submitted feedback. This may not be timely enough as when drivers pull up to the station location it may be already in use.

As a charge point operator, FLO has a live connection to all public charging stations on its network which provides drivers/users with:

Teslas are welcome too!

Tesla owners are not just bound to the Supercharger Network. In fact, with the use of the correct adapters for Level 2 and DC fast stations, all model S, 3, X, Y vehicles can use FLO stations - and any other stations with J1772, CHAdeMO or CCS1 connectors. This gives Tesla drivers even more freedom to choose where and how they charge.

Upcoming station models from FLO will include NACS plugs (the standard for Tesla vehicles) following the recent announcement that the NACS plug will be adopted into upcoming Ford and General Motors EV models. The move aims to standardize charging hardware and eliminate confusion for EV drivers.

More stations are on the way

With a seamless network of easy-to-use EV charging stations and a complete portfolio of dependable solutions, FLO is dedicated to keeping you moving. With a new partnership recently announced with The Canada Infrastructure Bank, FLO plans to deploy more Fast Charging stations over the next four years, giving EV drivers more options than ever before.

The new FLO UltraTM will be able to deliver up to 320 kW and recharge a battery from 0-80 percent in approximately 15 minutes, for next-gen, high-capacity batteries like those found on the Hummer EV.  

Choosing a “go to” app that will help you find stations, manage your home charger and much, much more will allow you to avoid app fatigue and simplify your life.
Wherever you go, you can Go with FLO.

Download the FLO app here

If the Tesla Cybertruck is the vehicle of the moment, so to speak, it’s very much Elon Musk’s particular moment. 

There are a few anecdotes from Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk that speak volumes about how we got to where we are this week, witnessing the long-awaited production debut of arguably the most polarizing electric vehicle ever made. The first one dates back to early 2017, when Musk and the Tesla inner circle were mulling the idea of a pickup truck—a way to get into America’s most lucrative and important markets.

But Musk insisted on doing something different here; something wild, something that would rethink the stagnant pickup truck concept entirely. Musk even referenced the Lotus Esprit from the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me that he so admires. They mulled building it out of aluminum, then titanium, until Musk insisted on stainless steel.

The decision would have far-ranging implications for the truck’s design, engineering and even repairs. But it happened because Musk insisted on something “bold,” something that would “surprise people,” the book says; something that would look like “the future.” He refused to “play it safe,” as Tesla did with the Model Y (to great financial success, it must be said.) This is a thread woven throughout Tesla’s history: Musk’s personal stamp on the design and engineering process. And more than any Falcon Doors or vent-free air-conditioning systems, the Cybertruck is the ultimate manifestation of that. As was the ultimatum to the team: “Don’t resist me.” 

Fast forward almost seven years later, and the radical truck Musk wanted is finally here. But is it what the world needs right now? Is it what Tesla needs right now? I have a very hard time believing that. 

Few things this year have defined the news cycle as much as the iron will of the world’s richest man. It has changed the trajectory of Tesla and the ways we consume information online, and even touched the war in Ukraine. Musk has gone from successful EV and space travel entrepreneur to becoming a nation-state unto himself, securing government contracts, conducting international relations and generally skirting any sort of accountability thanks to the copious shareholder value that he generates. The tone and timing of the Cybertruck event felt odd in that it happened one day after Musk’s profanity-laced rant at the New York Times’ Dealbook Summit, where he lashed out at advertisers leaving the social media platform formerly called Twitter. 

Musk’s ownership of what is now called X represents another example of that iron will. Whether you believe he purchased the platform to save free speech or just promote his own business interests, it’s been an objective, financial disaster that has exacerbated some of his worst qualities and put them on display for the world to see. 

Or maybe the two events aren't so incongruent. If you choose to be pessimistic about the Cybertruck, it’s hard not to see parallels between that vehicle and what happened with X. Or at least, it's hard not to see the behaviors of one man contributing to both situations. These days, when Musk wants something to happen, it happens, all consequences be damned. He’s more powerful than ever and can do whatever he wants, more than ever. 

This is not to say that the Cybertruck won’t be a sales success—or at least very popular. As usual, Tesla’s delivery event in Austin drew a crowd and wider media coverage (including at this publication) that no other automaker can match. It is the ultimate hype machine, perhaps more than the Model 3 ever was. Tesla will undoubtedly sell every Cybertruck it can build, regardless of the price, and every truck will turn every head that sees it on the road until the end of time. There are fun and innovative things about the truck, too, from its over-the-top specs to the fact that it’s going to help people stay excited about electric vehicles at a time when many have doubts about them. 

Financial success for Tesla is another story. Sure, Musk did succeed in bringing a truck to market that met his wild expectations. But just over a month before today’s event, he warned Tesla investors and fans alike that they should “temper their expectations” around the vehicle, citing countless production challenges that could equal years before production is stable and profitable. “Don’t resist me” has transformed into “We dug our own grave,” which, again, says a lot about how Musk is operating lately. 

The bigger issue for me is that at the end of the day, as novel and surprising as it is, the Cybertruck is another big, expensive, resource-intensive EV—and that’s not something the world needs right now. We’ve seen take after take questioning the electric future as demand proves to be uneven, and while that doomerism is greatly exaggerated, there are real market forces at work there. Many buyers are turned off by the huge, expensive electric trucks and SUVs that now dominate the EV world. Price, and the dearth of public charging, are the two biggest reasons EV demand is in a waning period in America. The Cybertruck may be exciting to the hardcore Tesla fanbase, but it isn’t going to change that situation.

And given Tesla’s penchant for delays, it feels likely that the base $60,990 Cybertruck slated for 2025 will take longer than that to arrive, leaving most buyers with the nearly $90,000-plus examples. Do we really need more of those? Does Tesla need more vehicles like that? 

It’s true that Tesla shouldn’t be tasked with delivering a public good; it may have an altruistic mission on the door, but capitalism is still capitalism. Yet I think a much bigger financial and social coup d’etat would’ve been Tesla’s long-awaited $25,000-ish EV. That’s the car I wish we could’ve seen on Thursday. It’s the car that would’ve blown all those anti-EV concerns out of the water (including charging access, since it’d be a Tesla, after all.) It would’ve done more to “accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy” than any Cybertruck ever did. The world could certainly use more affordable, small EVs to replace gas-burning cars, and maybe convince people they don’t actually need a 600-mile car where the battery alone weighs more than a Mazda Miata. That’s as close to a social good as any car company can deliver right now. 

And let’s face it: love it or loathe it, Tesla is just about the only automaker right now that could pull that off at scale. (Outside of China, anyway.) Had the design and production resources gone to that car instead of the Cybertruck, we’d be having a very different conversation today about the future of electric cars. At some point within Tesla, that must have happened, and I wonder how much Musk’s insistence on the Cybertruck being the Cybertruck played a role in that. Now we have to wonder how long Tesla is going to take a bath, financially speaking, on getting this truck up and running. 

A rendering of the affordable Tesla EV with "Cybertruck" design cues, as referenced in Isaacson's book.

You can blame what Isaacson calls Musk’s “reality-distorting willfulness” on some of this. According to the book, the company had been teasing the $25,000 EV idea publicly since at least 2020. They've long known it would be an engine for growth. Executives told Musk that “in order for Tesla to grow at 50% a year, it needed to have an inexpensive small car,” something that could have twice as much demand and sales as the Model 3 and Model Y. But Musk has insisted that the next step needed to be a fully autonomous robotaxi instead; anything less than that, he said, would be boring and not transformative enough. 

Ultimately, his team placated him by convincing him to build this cheap EV and the robotaxi on the same platform, probably in Mexico, but its success depends on Tesla’s ability to deliver full autonomy—something it isn’t anywhere close to yet. Instead, we wait for that, and probably several more years for the Cybertruck to get to that promised $60,000 price tag. 

That’s what reality-distorting willfulness gets you. But we’ve seen a lot of that lately, haven’t we?

More Cybertruck News

InsideEVs is proud to present episode 188 of its weekly podcast. Available on the InsideEVs YouTube channel and all major podcast platforms – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, and Tune In. We also stream the show live on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube on Friday at 9:30 AM EST.

Appearing on this episode is Laycee “Miss GoElectric,” an insightful veteran of the InsideEVs Podcast and her own media empire, Hazel Southwell who has been doing science-y deep thinking and reporting for outlets ranging from ESPN to Ars Technica, Alex Goy who is an all-around motoring person and a talented presenter, and Patrick George, Editor in Chief of InsideEVs.

This week we will discuss the debut and delivery of the Tesla Cybertruck, as well as info we've gleaned from the big reveal. Then we'll move on to an EVs-beating-diesel victory.

Tesla Cybertruck Info

Subscribe to the InsideEVs YouTube channel and tap the bell icon to stay up to date with our new videos and podcasts.

Our Previous Podcasts

It's no great secret that on the whole, America's car dealers aren't exactly thrilled about selling electric vehicles. That's been true for almost two decades now. But even with the ups and downs that the EV market has had in 2023, that dealer trepidation doesn't square with all the trends that point to a largely electrified new-car future just around the corner.

It's why I find thousands of car dealers imploring President Joe Biden to "slow down" the EV transition for the good of "the consumer" to be more than a little disingenuous. And at worst, their latest pushback could represent a blow to wider EV adoption that America, and our climate, really can't afford. 

Let's recap a bit. Earlier today, a website called "EV Voice of the Customer" appeared online with an open letter to the Biden Administration signed by more than 3,800 U.S. car dealers. In it, those dealers say "enthusiasm has stalled" for EVs, and the fact that many of them are piling up on their lots is evidence that this White House's goal of having 50% of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030 is unrealistic and untenable. Automotive News reported today that a dealer magnate with stores in Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado is behind the effort. 

The list of dealers involved probably isn't surprising. Most have Toyota dealerships. Nearly 400 are Ford dealers, more than 300 are Chevrolet and Honda dealers, and more than 200 sell various Stellantis brands. The list goes on from there. Many sell brands committed to going all-electric in the next few years, like Volkswagen, Audi and Volvo.  

(Very curiously, four of the signatories represent Polestar dealerships; someone needs to go check on those folks and make sure they're doing okay.)  

The thing is, there are grains of truth scattered throughout this letter. EV sales have had dramatic ups and downs this year. Some legacy automakers, in particular General Motors and Ford in the U.S., have struggled with production challenges and transitioning their businesses to a battery- and software-driven one. EVs remain expensive, our public charging networks aren't where they need to be yet, and a lot more education needs to be done from automakers and salespeople alike to help people break up with gasoline. 

But concerns from car dealers shouldn't be mistaken for consumer advocacy. Many dealers—but certainly not all, to be fair—have never wanted to traffic in EVs. They don't want to threaten their lucrative revenue from parts and repairs, they don't want to have to invest in on-site charging and dealer education and they don't want to change the enshrined-into-law tactics that have made many of them extremely wealthy over a century of gasoline car sales. (This is also why Tesla has always had a direct-to-consumer sales model, and why most EV startups have followed suit.) 

As a result, it's not terribly hard to dismantle this argument if we take it line by line:

Your Administration has proposed regulations that would essentially mandate a dramatic shift to battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), increasing year after year until 2032, when two out of every three vehicles sold in America would have to be battery-electric. Currently, there are many excellent battery-electric vehicles available for consumers to purchase. These vehicles are ideal for many people, and we believe their appeal will grow over time. The reality, however, is that electric vehicle demand today is not keeping up with the large influx of BEVs arriving at our dealerships prompted by the current regulations.

I'll give them credit for the "their appeal will grow over time" part, because I think that's true too. But I take issue with the idea that these new EVs are prompted solely by "current regulations" and are not products that have been in the works for many years, including during the regulatory Wild West that was the Trump Administration. 

These dealers omit the fact that these are global car companies; they may have localized operations and localized product portfolios (some more than others, certainly) but America's EPA-driven zero-emission vehicle isn't far off what the European Union, the United Kingdom and China are all doing too. Granted, it's possible that at least some of those goals could get pushed back. The UK just did that, in fact. But most automakers don't want wildly different standards across the world. It's not great for their ability to make cars at scale or to prepare for a zero-emission future. Perhaps these dealers should take this up with their automakers, not the White House. Moving on: 

Last year, there was a lot of hope and hype about EVs. Early adopters formed an initial line and were ready to buy these vehicles as soon as we had them to sell. But that enthusiasm has stalled. Today, the supply of unsold BEVs is surging, as they are not selling nearly as fast as they are arriving at our dealerships—even with deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives, and generous government incentives.

While the goals of the regulations are admirable, they require consumer acceptance to become a reality. With each passing day, it becomes more apparent that this attempted electric vehicle mandate is unrealistic based on current and forecasted customer demand. Already, electric vehicles are stacking up on our lots which is our best indicator of customer demand in the marketplace.

I am sympathetic to the dealers who can't move these EVs, even if their conundrum means great deals for those who want them. But their data is awfully selective. In the U.S. alone, this year will be a record one for EV sales; that's true of nearly every automaker, even the struggling ones. The rate of adoption may not be as fast as these dealers want, but it is skyrocketing. Appealing to the Biden Administration to change the rules doesn't seem likely to change that demand. 

(There's also no mention of sky-high interest rates hurting EV sales, but that's a can of worms not worth going into.)

Mr. President, no government agency, no think tank, and no polling firm knows more about the automobile customer than us. We talk to customers every day. As retail automotive dealerships, we are agnostic as to what we sell. Our business is to provide customers with vehicles that meet the needs of their budgets and lifestyles.

Oh, for sure! Americans have no truer friends than the car dealerships, with their five- and six-figure markups, infamously predatory sales tactics and massive lobbying power that has written their business model into law in every state in the union.

I would ask this to the car dealers: if you're on everyone's side, why does everyone hate you so much? 

Some customers are in the market for electric vehicles, and we are thrilled to sell them. But the majority of customers are simply not ready to make the change. They are concerned about BEVs being unaffordable. Many do not have garages for home charging or easy access to public charging stations. Customers are also concerned about the loss of driving range in cold or hot weather. Some have long daily commutes and don’t have the extra time to charge the battery. Truck buyers are especially put off by the dramatic loss of range when towing. Today’s current technology is not adequate to support the needs of the majority of our consumers.

Many of these challenges can and will be addressed by our manufacturers, but many of these challenges are outside of their control. Reliable charging networks, electric grid stability, sourcing of materials, and many other issues need time to resolve. And finally, many people just want to make their own choice about what vehicle is right for them.

Again, I don't completely disagree with much of this. It's reflective of the very valid concerns that many drivers have, and I have never ascribed to the idea that someone is a bad person if they don't run out and buy a Tesla or something tomorrow. But the dealers neglect their own role in driver education here; remember that recent Washington Post story about the salesperson who insisted a BMW i3 couldn't be driven on the highway? That's why it's so hard to take this argument seriously. It's disguised as looking out for the little guy, from a group of people who have consistently fought against the capital improvements, education and changes in best practices that would help ensure their role in this technological shift.

It's why GM and Ford both have tried cracking down on their dealers. Their executives won't ever admit it, but it's probably why Hyundai is trying to sell cars on Amazon next year. It's why Polestar employs a hybrid-direct sales model to get around the challenges involved with both. It's why Rivian and Lucid never bothered with car dealers. 

And hanging all of this on "regulations" makes even less sense in closing: 

Mr. President, it is time to tap the brakes on the unrealistic government electric vehicle mandate. Allow time for the battery technology to advance. Allow time to make BEVs more affordable. Allow time to develop domestic sources for the minerals to make batteries. Allow time for the charging infrastructure to be built and prove reliable. And most of all, allow time for the American consumer to get comfortable with the technology and make the choice to buy an electric vehicle.

First and foremost, developing domestic battery operations, mining and a more robust charging infrastructure is exactly what the Biden Administration is doing. All of those things were part of the goals of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, even if the end results often fell short of those lofty goals. 

But let's think a little deeper about giving this transition more "time." What does "time" mean here, anyway? Years? Decades? What's appropriate there, and at what cost? Do automakers punt their EV goals down the road to keep making internal combustion vehicles forever? Besides GM, almost none of them are doing this.

Even many industry experts I speak to think hybrids have an eventual expiration date, and besides, not every automaker can even be bothered to sell those right now. And wouldn't tough regulations force the car companies to move fast, get creative and stay competitive in the EV race? 

More Dealer News

As I've written before, this is a technological transition—less a test of EVs and more a test of automakers' ability to make them at scale, at affordable prices and profitably. The auto industry has always chased performance and efficiency, even when it needs to be dragged there kicking and screaming by regulatory forces, and EVs represent the apex of both. The fact that hybrids are selling so well right now proves Americans would love to ditch gasoline if you gave them the chance. 

The biggest risks this entire industry faces with wanting more "time" are BYD building factories in Mexico so it can sell cutting-edge EVs in America at fire-sale prices, and our looming climate disaster. (Which, of course, isn't mentioned in their letter at all.) Transitioning new cars to zero-emission vehicles won't entirely fix climate change, but doing so creates a path to a vastly less disastrous future than we're facing now. 

To borrow a phrase from a friend in the policy side of the EV space, "Dealers claiming to be the voice of the consumer is like fishermen claiming to be the voice of the fish." If America is in a moment of uneven EV sales, it is one that will eventually pass. This country's car dealers will have to decide if they're going to be a part of what's coming next or not.

My life changed a little bit when I first eased off the clutch and got Toyota's prototype, manual-equipped Lexus UX300e into motion. It changed even more when I intentionally "stalled" it a moment later, and further still when I learned I could rev-match and toe-heel the thing just like my MR2 at home. 

It changed because I had so expected to hate this pantomime manual transmission, little more than a shifter attached to a joystick and a clutch pedal bolted to a potentiometer. When I found myself genuinely enjoying it, I had to re-think a few things about myself and what exactly I was looking to get out of the driving experience. (You can read my impressions about that here.)

But I really hadn't expected an opportunity to test out another synthesized manual transmission just a few weeks later. And yet there I was, a mere 10 days after my trip to Japan, pulling out of Seoul, South Korea, in a pre-release Hyundai Ioniq 5 N that offered its own way of simulating the traditional transmission experience—just using a very different approach.

There are, however, two major differences between the two. First, where Toyota's system is a prototype, maybe/possibly/hopefully destined for some future EV like the brilliant little FT-Se, Hyundai's synthetic shifting experience will feature in every Ioniq 5 N that enters production. It'll be on the road in 2024 in one of the most fun and exciting everyday EVs to hit the market yet. (You can read my full impressions on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N here.)

So, it is guaranteed to become a reality, but that reality is also quite different.

Toyota made a pantomime six-speed manual transmission, complete with clutch, but Hyundai's is a faux eight-speed DCT, relying only on the paddle shifters mounted to the back of the steering wheel. This solution is much cheaper and easier to deploy since most of Hyundai's EVs already have shift paddles—they're just usually used for modulating brake regen.

In the Ioniq 5 N, the function of those paddles is returned to that for which they were originally designed. At least, it is if you dig into the settings in the 5 N's myriad setup screens and enable N Active Sound+. It's again important to note right up front that this is optional and mighty easy to disable, so if this whole idea seems silly to you it needn't be a turn-off for the car as a whole.

Once enabled, the car also enables one of its three sound profiles. Yes, the Ioniq 5 N has not one but three fake engine notes. The first, Ignition, is designed to sound like a high-strung small-displacement engine. The second, Evolution, still has an internal combustion rasp to it but with a futuristic edge. Finally, there's Supersonic, which actually takes inspiration from jet engines, of all things. 

I'm sorry to say that I did not enjoy the sound of any of them. The first is the rowdiest and was the one I disliked the least, but they all have a too-synthesized tone. I've been playing racing games since the '80s and have enjoyed subsequent generations of titles like Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo, games that gradually evolved and perfected the accuracy and fidelity of their engine notes. 

The sound quality of the Ioniq 5 N's fake engine note is perhaps on par with that found in the first Gran Turismo, which is to say, more vacuum-like than vehicular. That's a real shame considering many of the people who will be most interested in Hyundai's most raucous EV will themselves have spent many hours playing the latest flavors of Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, so it's an unflattering comparison they'll be making themselves.

To be honest, though, the quality of the fake engine note in the Toyota prototype wasn't exactly stellar, so I can't say that either solution is vastly superior from an acoustics standpoint. Beyond that, Hyundais have never been known for the quality of their engine tone anyway.

Once enabled, Hyundai's system works just like a real DCT. Tap the right paddle to go up a gear, tap the left to go down. When you do, you'll hear the engine tone modulate appropriately. There's even a fake little throttle blip and some occasional crackling and popping from the "exhaust" when you downshift.

Like the Toyota system, nothing at all is happening. It's entirely synthesized. But, again like the Toyota system, the effect is quite realistic. You can rev the 5 N's virtual engine when you're sitting at a stop light, and that sound will not only play on the inside of the car but, optionally, it'll play outside the car, too. Yes, this might be the first EV that can annoy your neighbors, and I dread the day when the first tinkerer figures out how to upgrade the external speakers on their Ioniq 5 N.

When in motion, you can run the Ioniq 5 N up to its simulated redline, where it'll angrily flutter on the rev limiter until you grab the next year. Likewise, it'll bog if you're running too high a gear, though it does restrict which gears you can select to avoid over- or under-revving the engine, like a real DCT. Unlike the Toyota, I couldn't find a way to stall the thing. 

Also, unlike the Toyota, there's an automatic mode—and not just one that turns the gear-shifting sensation off entirely. Yes, you can let the Ioniq 5 N pretend-shift itself. What the heck is the point of that, you're surely wondering? Believe it or not, there's a proper, tangible reason, and it comes down to acoustic feedback.

When learning a new track at a performance driving event, most folks refer to corners not by their speed but by their most appropriate gear. It's a way to simplify a confusing sequence of corners into a much more straightforward sequence of tangible numbers. 

If someone says a faster turn is a fourth-gear bend, you're unlikely to enter it far too slowly or far too quickly if you take their advice.

Beyond that, the auditory feedback is a genuinely helpful, non-visual indicator of how much speed you're carrying into and through a corner. Don't believe me? Try running hot laps in your favorite racing game with the sound turned off, then tell me whether your lap times falter. Having run this experiment in the past, I can tell you that mine most assuredly do. 

More Ioniq 5 N

That's not to say that fake shifting and fake engine noises will make you faster. In fact, Hyundai's N division technical advisor Albert Biermann concedes that the fake shifting makes Hyundai's test drivers about three seconds slower on the Nurburgring, mostly thanks to the minute loss of acceleration when the car is pretending to grab the next gear.

But you needn't enable fake shifting to have the artificial engine noise. The Ioniq 5 N can be configured to modulate its sound with speed, giving you that auditory feedback without the whole pantomime DCT thing. 

The Ioniq 5 N is configurable to an extreme degree, something that some drivers will find daunting but that members of the PlayStation generation will eat up with a spoon. I do wish it all sounded a bit more invigorating, but Hyundai's N vice president Joonwoo Park told me that they've already made huge leaps and bounds in improving the quality of the sound of their synthesized combustion and promised me they'll keep working to make them better.

Downloadable EV engine tones? Park didn’t make any promises, but I’ll say that’s an OTA update I could get behind. 

Christmas, Christmas time is here. Time for toys and time for Tesla accessories for the EV owner in your life. Upgrading your car or SUV is one of the best aspects of Tesla ownership, so we’ve made a guide for the best products from Tesloid to put under the tree this year. Any one of these will bring a smile to you or your driver’s face, plus Tesloid’s offering a big 25% discount if you use coupon code GIFT25 with your purchase before November 30th. 

Luggage Bags for Model Y and Model 3

One of the coolest things about buying a supercar in the ‘80s was the custom luggage set you could buy to fit their oddly shaped cargo spaces. Tesloid makes something similar for the Model Y and Model 3 that fit the cars’ famous frunk. Designed to take up every square inch of available frunk space, these luggage bags are made from high quality 1200D fabrics to handle maximum loads and have a laptop pocket, dual zippers, and a shoulder pad for easy transport from the car to your hotel room. They come in sets of two. USE COUPON CODE GIFT25 TO SAVE ANOTHER 25%.

Cooler Bags for Model Y and Model 3

In case you want to leave your Tesla’s frunk free for food transport, Tesloid offers one of the industry’s best cooler bags for the Model Y and Model 3. Designed with two sides to accommodate both hot and cold food at the same time, the Tesloid cooler bag is made from durable and high quality 600D fabrics with stuffing to handle maximum loads and has lift handles, auxiliary pockets, and interior dividers to keep your course separated. Short of hauling a mini-fridge in your Model Y, the Tesloid cooler bag is the best solution for transporting food in your Tesla and costs just $89.99 after the 25% discount. USE COUPON CODE GIFT25 TO SAVE ANOTHER 25%.

Floor Mats for Model Y and Model 3

Protect your investment with a complete set of floor mats from Tesloid. The company makes two kinds of floor mats for the Model Y and Model 3: the 3D Extreme Performance set and the 3D Comfort Performance set, both on sale for $159.99. The 3D Extreme Performance set is meant for an active style with durable materials set in an aggressive pattern to trap mud, snow, and spills. The 3D Comfort Performance floor mats blend in with your Tesla’s interior but still protects at a high-level with a durable carpet-like surface. Both sets come with two floor mats for the front footwells and a rear seat mat that spans the vehicle’s entire width. USE COUPON CODE GIFT25 TO SAVE ANOTHER 25%.

Camping Tent for Model Y 

The custom-fitted Model Y tent from Tesloid has seven feet of standing headroom inside and 50 square feet of enclosed living space. That’s not counting the sleeping area inside the car or the extra 25 square feet of shaded area underneath the awning. It also folds up into a small bag when not in use and even stands on its own if you want to take the Model Y elsewhere for the day. The Tesloid Model Y Tent will come out to $337.49 after the 25% discount. USE COUPON CODE GIFT25 TO SAVE ANOTHER 25%.

Winter Tires for the Model Y and Model 3

Winter is here, and Tesla tires from the factory were designed more for efficiency than traction. Gift yourself or someone else a Winter Tire Package from Tesloid for the Model Y or Model 3 and you're giving the gift of security. Each package comes with four genuine Michelin X-Ice winter tires, four OEM 19-inch Gemini rims, and four tire pressure monitoring sensors. The whole kit comes with the tires mounted and balanced on the rims, as well. For a very limited time, these winter tire packages for the Model Y and Model 3 are $100 off using the coupon code TIRE100. They won't fit beneath a Christmas tree, but they're a perfect fit for your Tesla. USE COUPON CODE TIRE100 TO SAVE ANOTHER $100.

Ask any electric car enthusiast about the driving range of their favorite ride, and you'll get two different answers depending on where they live. There's the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rating in the United States, and the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure
(WLTP) rating in Europe or other parts of the world. (Except for China, which has yet another, different rating.)

Confusing, right? The problem is that the range ratings are almost certainly different, even if the car itself is the same across these different global markets. Usually, the WLTP figure is higher than the EPA rating. Take the second-generation Nissan Leaf with the 40-kilowatt-hour battery, for instance. According to the EPA, it can go up to 151 miles on a full charge, while the WLTP rating is 170 miles. That's a pretty big difference. 

But why? And more importantly, which range rating is closer to reality? It all comes down to how these cars get tested for their range, and the different procedures used to do this.

Genesis GV60 at a Tesla Supercharging station

I’ll start by saying that both testing procedures are done in a controlled environment on a dynamometer, or dyno for short, which is like a rolling road. The room temperature, travel speed, and stopping times are meticulously adjusted and monitored so that all cars benefit from the same conditions. However, there are some differences that eventually lead to the final range figures being different. Let's dive deeper. 

How the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests electric vehicles (EVs)

Typically, automakers will come out with range estimates for their EVs (as well as fuel economy estimates for gasoline cars and hybrids) until they can do their official EPA-certified testing. The car companies themselves do this test and then submit their results to the EPA, though the agency also does a small amount of auditing itself. 

Since 2008, internal combustion engine vehicles have had to go through five driving routines for EPA testing, which are also called cycles or schedules, that try to replicate real-world city, highway, and high-speed driving conditions, as well as tests where the air conditioning system is engaged and a procedure where the ambient temperature is lower than the normal procedure temperature of 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 30 degrees Celsius.)

The EPA has also established slightly different testing criteria for EVs and PHEVs. According to these, battery-powered vehicles have to go through two or three testing procedures. In the case of EVs, these are the Single-Cycle City Test, the Single-Cycle Highway Test, and the Multi-Cycle City/Highway Test. Before this happens, the high-voltage battery is fully charged with the manufacturer’s charger, and the car is parked overnight.

For the Single-Cycle City Test, an EV is put on the dyno and driven over successive city cycles until the battery is completely discharged and the vehicle can no longer follow the schedule. Then, the battery is recharged from an AC source and the energy consumption of the EV (in kilowatt-hours/mile or kilowatt-hours per 100 miles) is determined by dividing the kWh of energy to recharge the battery by the miles traveled by the car.

The recharge includes any losses due to inefficiencies of the carmaker’s charge. To determine the energy consumption in MPGe, which is the miles per gallon equivalent, the EPA uses a conversion factor of 33.705 kWh per gallon of gasoline, while the city driving range results from the number of miles driven on the dyno on the city cycle until the car can no longer move. However, this isn’t the whole story, but more on this a bit further down.

The city test cycle is the same that ICE cars are submitted to but in the case of EVs, the schedule is repeated until the battery can no longer power the wheels. The test is meant to simulate a low-speed trip in stop-and-go urban traffic where the top speed is capped at 56 miles per hour (90.1 kilometers per hour), the average speed is 21.2 mph (34.1 kph), the maximum acceleration rate is 3.3 mph/second (5.3 kph/s), and the distance is 11 miles (17.7 km)—although remember that EVs go through this test multiple times.

A complete cycle lasts for 31.2 minutes and involves 23 stops that result in an idling time of 18%. The car’s air conditioning and heater are turned off.

It’s a story similar to the Single-Cycle Highway Test, only this time the car is subjected to the typical Highway test, where real-world free-flow traffic conditions are simulated. The top speed is capped at 60 mph (96.5 kph), there are no stops, and the simulated distance is 10.3 miles (16.5 km.) But again, EVs go through the cycle until the battery runs out. At the end of a cycle, the average speed is 48.3 mph (77.7 kph).

When the EV’s battery can no longer power the car, the schedule ends and the total distance covered is recorded, becoming the base for what will become the official EPA-rated highway range. Again, more on this further down; it’s one of the two important distinctions that set the EPA rating apart from the WLTP.

Lastly, if the automaker chooses so, the EPA conducts the so-called Multi-Cycle City/Highway Test. As with the previous procedures, the battery is fully charged and the car is left overnight before it goes onto the rolling road.

For this test, the vehicle is driven over successive city, highway, and steady-state cycles until the battery is discharged and the car can no longer follow the driving cycle. During the entire test, the EPA monitors and records DC discharge energy and DC discharge amp-hours.

2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Charging

After the test is completed, the battery is recharged to a 100% charge using the manufacturer’s recommended AC charger. Then, the energy consumption of the city and highway cycles is mathematically calculated from the recharging energy, the DC discharge data, and the distance for each cycle.

The big difference between the EPA and WLPT range ratings

With this being said, there’s one more step that the EPA goes through before settling on the energy consumption and range figures that appear on the window sticker. The federal agency says that regulations require that these figures be adjusted to more accurately reflect the values that drivers can expect to achieve in the real world.

So what happens is the range figure, in the case of fully electric vehicles, is usually multiplied by 0.7, leading to a lower value, while the energy consumption number is divided by 0.7, leading to a higher result.

For the combined range figure, the adjusted city and highway range values are weighted together by 55% and 45%, respectively.

These are the ratings that end up on the window sticker.

As you’ll find out further down in this article, the WLTP rules don’t require this final adjustment, and there are also other factors that lead to higher range figures.

What about plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)?

In the case of PHEVs, the testing procedures are similar but they have to account for the presence of the internal combustion engine.

2023 Kia Niro PHEV (US Spec)

First, a so-called Charge-Depletion Operation is done, which submits the vehicle to the same single-cycle test as the one used for EVs. The procedure starts with a fully charged battery and ends when the battery is discharged, but because some PHEVs might automatically start their engine, both the electric energy consumption and the gasoline consumption are used to calculate the MPGe values for the charge-depleting operation (using the conversion factor described in the EV section for MPGe).

Then, the PHEV goes through a Charge-Sustaining Operation, which is meant to record the gasoline consumption of the vehicle. It starts with a discharged battery and subjects the vehicle to the usual five-cycle method that any other combustion vehicle has to go through to get certified. The results on the electric side are adjusted in the same way as for EVs.

WLTP explained

Now, let's chat WLTP. It was introduced in 2017 by European Union regulators as a more "realistic" approach compared to the old NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) procedure and is mostly used in Europe, although other countries also use it.

Similar to the EPA procedure, the WLPT subjects cars to a driving cycle that is known as the WLTC-C cycle. 

In the case of the WLTP, cars are separated into different classes based on their power-to-mass ratio and maximum speed. The higher these parameters, the higher the speeds the vehicles are subjected to during the driving cycle.

For the fastest and most powerful internal combustion cars, the cycle is divided into four sub-cycles: Low, Medium, High, and Extra High. A complete cycle lasts for 30 minutes during which the vehicle travels 14.4 miles (23.26 km) and reaches a maximum speed of 81.5 mph (131.3 kph). However, the vehicle is also stopped for a cumulative time of 227 seconds (3.7 minutes), and the average speed at the end of the cycle is roughly 31 mph (50 kph). 

The sub-cycles are also used for pure electric vehicles, but just like in the case of the EPA testing procedure, EVs go through successive cycles until the battery runs out. Additionally, there are so-called constant segments that are designed to deplete the battery faster and shorten the duration of the test.

The lab temperature is set at 73.4 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius), whereas the EPA has a dynamic temperature.

How the WLTP EV range ratings are created

To determine the driving range and energy consumption of a battery electric vehicle, the procedure is divided into two dynamic and two constant segments, which are interleaved as follows: one (dynamic), two (constant), three (dynamic), and four (constant).

In the dynamic segments, the complete cycle is driven first, followed by an additional run of the City cycle, which is made up of the Low and Medium sub-cycles (see the above graph). Between the dynamic segments, the EV is driven at 62.1 mph (100 kph) to make the battery deplete faster. During the whole procedure, the current and voltage of the traction battery are monitored and recorded. After the EV’s battery is empty, it gets recharged to 100%. 

More Range News

As opposed to combustion vehicles, the addition of a City cycle after a complete driving cycle for EVs increases the driving distance to 19.3 miles (31.1 km) for a single dynamic cycle.

To calculate the combined driving range of an EV, the two full WLT Cycles of Low, Medium, High, and Extra High sub-cycles in dynamic segments one and three are taken into account. Then, the total measured energy content (battery capacity) without charging losses is divided by the electricity consumption from the weighted average of the two full WLT Cycles.

To make things easier, here’s the formula:

Range (km) = usable battery energy (watt-hours) / energy consumption (Wh/km)

The City range is obtained by dividing the same measured energy content by the electricity consumption of the City cycle (that is made of the Low and Medium sub-cycles).

WLTP for PHEVs

When it comes to the electric driving capabilities of PHEVs, the WLTP is rather lenient, as the range specification is calculated just in the City cycle (at Low and Medium speed sub-cycles). This results in rather optimistic driving range numbers, as the vehicle is not subjected to high speeds in all-electric mode, as is the case with the EPA testing procedure.

And that’s it!

The main differences between the EPA and WLTP EV range ratings boil down to the lab temperature and the EPA recording the actual number of miles driven, which is then adjusted by multiplying it by 0.7. By contrast, the WLTP produces its ratings by a more complicated mathematical formula which is not adjusted.

A number of factors including battery health, temperatures, driving styles and more determine your real-world range experience and that isn't always in line with what the test cycles promise. Sometimes it's better, too. As always, your mileage may vary; literally, in this case.