Electric Rides
Driving an electric vehicle takes a few miles to get used to.
But after getting the feel of the quick acceleration and deceleration and the absence of engine noise, driving a battery-powered car becomes just as natural as driving a traditional vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine.
“It's pretty cool,” Butler County Ford salesman Nick Ban said about the Blue Oval's all-electric Mustang Mach-E following a recent test drive.
Referred to as EVs in the auto industry, electric vehicles make up only a small percentage of the market, but manufacturers are improving their performance, range and style, and expanding their lineups in anticipation of growth.
Manufacturers have been making hybrid vehicles that run on gasoline and electric engines since the late 1990s, but the 2021 Mustang Mach-E SUV is Ford's first all-electric vehicle.
Costing between $42,000 and $60,000, the Mach-E takes eight hours to charge the battery that can then power the car's two electric motors for about 211 miles. An optional extended life battery has a range of 300 miles.
Like gas and diesel powered vehicles, the range of EVs varies with speed, Ban said. Climbing hills also affects traditional and electric vehicle range in the same way. Accessory use has a greater impact on an EV's range than it does on traditional vehicles.
The Mach-E model in the test drive featured all-wheel drive, with electric motors over the front and rear axles. Five models are available. Rear-wheel drive is an option in some models.
The charging system can be plugged into a wall outlet, but Ford offers an optional charging station that can be hard-wired into home garages.
The Mach-E generates an annual savings of $850 to $1,000 in fuel costs over traditional vehicles, and all EVs and plug-in hybrids qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit.The time it takes for traditional vehicles to accelerate and slow down is nearly nonexistent in EVs. The battery and electric motors provide instant acceleration and create quick deceleration that begins the moment the driver's foot comes off the accelerator.The few noises the Mach-E makes come when the transmission is shifted into reverse and when pulling out in forward. Ban said he believes the sound made when pulling out is intended as a warning for vision-impaired pedestrians who might be waiting to cross the street.The dealership in Butler had to buy a special lift and charging station to service the Mach-E, said owner Cathy Glasgow. Repair staff received additional training to work on them, she added.Urban residents or people who commute to cities for work are most likely to buy EVs, Glasgow said. Demand will increase if more charging stations are built, she said.“We sell quite a few hybrid vehicles,” Ban said. “This kind of takes it the next step.”The range of EVs will increase as technology develops. As proof, he points to Ford's new F-150 Powerboost hybrid pickup truck, which makes up to 7.2 kilowatts of electric power available at outlets in the truck bed.
Diehl Automotive Group in Penn Township has the all-electric 2021 Volkswagen ID4 in stock.The first edition rear-wheel drive versions in stock have a 250-mile range on a single charge, and all-wheel drive models will be available later this year, said Corey Pytal, manager of Volkswagen sales.Starting at about $40,000, the ID4 comes with a charger that also can be plugged into a normal outlet.The ID4's electric motor can speed the SUV from zero to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds. It also can tow 2,200 pounds.“Instant response: there's no lag,” said salesman Mike Riley.The vehicle accelerates quicker than gasoline-engine vehicles, but faster driving results in less range, he said.The lack of engine and exhaust sound while driving is what first-time drivers of the ID4 seem to need time to adjust to, Pytal said.“Sound is the biggest thing,” he said. “With the windows up, there's no sound.”Sound is emitted when the ID4 is shifted into reverse, he said.The battery takes 7½ to 11½ hours to fully charge, and ID4 buyers can sign up with Electrify America for free, unlimited charging for three years, he said.Those who sign up for Electrify America also receive navigation routes to charging stations on the SUV's large information center screen.
General Motors' all-electric vehicle lineup consists of only the Chevrolet Bolt, but has promised to make 20 EVs by 2023 in all of its divisions: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC Hummer.The Hummer, expected to be released late this year or early next year, will produce a whopping 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque.Dodge is the only domestic manufacturer that does not offer an EV.Jaguar, Audi, Porsche, Volvo, Tesla, Mini Cooper, Nissan, Kia, BMW and Hyundai produce at least one EV.
