SACPA hears talk on electric vehicles

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 27, 2024.

Herald photo by Al Beeber A Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle with apt licence plate is seen in the parking lot of the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization on Thursday. SACPA heard a presentation by local EV driver Tom Moffatt about the pros and cons of electric vehicles.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Tom Moffatt has enormous experience with electric vehicles and on Thursday he spoke on that subject at the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs in the dining room of the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Centre.

Moffatt, who has discussed EVs in letters to The Herald on several occasions, has driven them for 14 years. For the first 10, he drove hybrids and for the past four years, Moffatt has driven a Ford Mustang Mach-E, an electric SUV that emulates the look and style of the venerable Mustang pony car.

During his talk, Moffatt addressed numerous issues about fully electric vehicles, their pros and their cons. Range, towing limitations, the differing charging speeds and connectivity types were all part of his presentation.

Moffatt in one letter told Herald readers he can reach Red Deer on one charge and even Calgary in temperatures of -30. And he’s never once been stranded.

During his presentation, Moffatt pointed out a graph on his Powerpoint presentation fro the Plugshare app that showed the locations of charging stations in western Canada, noting that across southern Alberta and into B.C., those stations are abundant but when people head east to Saskatchewan and Manitoba, they become fewer in between. And in remote locations, charging stations may be few in number or non-existent.

With different proprietary software, EV owners need to plan their journeys to make sure they can find a station that fits their vehicle. Different stations offer different charging speeds, access and payment options.

The best way to charge, Moffatt told the audience, is to do it at home. He charges his Mach-E twice a week for periods lasting between four and eight hours.

Charging speeds will vary depending upon the type of charging setup. Level 1 charging, which is a normal home plug-in, is the most basic type followed by Level 2 which is the same type of connection as a stove or dryer and is often utilized by EV owners. There is also DC fast charging with rates of 150 kw or higher, which allow for considerably quicker charging times than the 11 kw of a Level 2 charger or 2.3 kw rate of a normal plug in which is not recommended by many manufacturers due to the time required to increase range.

Moffatt told the crowd that many EVs will now offer up to 480 kms of range – his Mach-E which will go 425 kms on a single charge. That vehicle, he said, has proven to be good for long trips given his driving style.

And that brought up the issue of driving style. He said that EVs aren’t suited for drivers who want to reach their destinations as quickly as possible. Instead EV owners should aim to combine driving with an activity like shopping or sight-seeing with charging taking between 20 to 45 minutes. He also recommends buying an EV with a long-range battery if one is offered. And he noted that range will drop about 30 per cent in colder weather. While his EV doesn’t have one, he also said drivers should try to find one with a heat pump.

The cost of charging a vehicle at home, in his experience, is inexpensive and he said that cost can be reduced by people installing solar panels.

For people wanting to tow, forget it – EVs aren’t good options for that kind of heavy work, he said.

People concerned about battery life need not worry with Moffatt telling the crowd that batteries will typically last the life of an EV with studies showing they can run for 20 years with only 20 per cent degradation. And carmakers offer warranties lasting between eight to 10 years, he said.

One area that can be improved, the speaker pointed out, comes in terms of technology which is always evolving meaning batteries can quickly become obsolete.

EVs are typically low maintenance compared to vehicles with internal combustion engines. Two types of batteries are made including NFP which are lithium, iron and phosphate, and NMC – nickel, manganese and cobalt. LFP batteries are cheaper and better in cold weather versus NMC batteries which offer more range and energy, he said.

EV transmissions are single-speed and because of the high instant torque generated, tire wear can happen sooner and that means more frequent replacements although manufacturers are developing tires now specifically for EVs.

The cost of EVs are higher than vehicles with internal combustion engines but in Alberta, a $5,000 federal rebate is offered for light-duty, zero-emission vehicles with most personal vehicles falling into that category. He said up to $200,000 is available at point of sale to Canadian businesses and organizations for the purchase of medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs.

Over five years, Moffatt said, the cost of owning an EV is less than a vehicle with an internal combustion engine.

Several myths surround EVs, one of which they are harder on the environment than ICE powered vehicles. But Moffatt says that isn’t true, noting even if an electrical grid is powered by coal, an EV is still better for the environment than an ICE vehicle. The construction of EV batteries requires more resources than an ICE engine but Moffatt says a gas car will impact the environment as much in one year than the extra burden of manufacturing an EV battery.

And EV batteries indeed can be recycled with numerous companies competing to get used ones to mine for their component parts or to use in different applications.

Moffatt also disputed myths about the impact on an electrical grid. In Norway where 25 per cent of vehicles are electric powered, the impact on grid capacity is insubstantial, according to a graph he presented.