Hold Out For An Electric Sports Car Or Snatch A Combustion Engine Model Now?
Just when I finally gave in to the persuasion and temptation of a raving cabriolet, the IPCC released its highly anticipated report on climate change sounding code red alarms on several fronts, warning about ’irreversible’ damages that will be in effect for centuries to come.
Climate Change Affecting Our Lives
The destruction caused by human activities has ravaged the earth to such an extent that biodiversity and ecosystems are being destroyed. I cannot help but think of the koala stranded on a branch of a burning eucalyptus tree being plucked to safety by a brave rescuer who doused the koala’s scorched paws with water from a water bottle to cries of pain.
Climate change is undoubtedly the most important mega trend shaping the world and will dictate how several aspects of our lives will change. It is something to take into account when making our decisions. Extreme temperatures, raging forest fires, flash floods, rising water level…these will be, if not already, ‘new normal’ that we can no longer ignore and must live with. Questions start popping up in my mind.
One such question that my husband and I have been pondering over is whether to hold out for an electric sports car or go ahead to indulge in one of the heart-pulsating petrol models currently on the market.
By now, the advantages and disadvantages of an electric vehicle are widely known:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No direct greenhouse emissions | Limited battery range |
| Reduced noise & air pollution | Costly battery replacement |
| Cheaper to run than fossil fuel | Limited car model selection |
| Less frequent and cheaper maintenance | Not eco-friendly if battery made from conventional energies |
| Quiet driving experience | Costly to purchase |
| Most stability from harmonic balance & weight distribution | Shorter travelling distance |
| Great for shorter commute | Battery charging may take long |
| Easy to charge at home | Outdated or obsolete technology |
| Instantaneous maximum torque | |
| Bigger storage space | |
| Enhanced safety features | |
| Latest technology & continuous upgrades | |
| Benefit from government regulation (subsidy, tax exemption etc) | |
Importance of Choice
Choice is a privilege but also a responsibility. Should one be sensible or just seize the day? Going by YOLO mentality, the leaning is towards a car with internal combustion engine (ICE) which offers a wider selection in terms of design and performance.
To be responsible is to care about the pollution that ICEs cause to the environment, the greenhouse gas emission, noise pollution and the increased carbon footprint. While some of the damages are beyond reversal, the least that one can do is to make choices that prevent the dire situation from worsening, right?
And then there is the sensible aspect: will an ICE vehicle be able to keep its value from eroding overnight with the onslaught of new electric models being launched and fast-changing consumer sentiment? Will petrol prices, taxes and motor parts become exorbitant? Who wants to be left holding the hot potato?
Legislative Push
With the latest damning report by IPCC, there is little doubt that there will be more determined push by countries around the globe to hasten the adoption of electric vehicles. Battery charging infrastructure will be expanded and legislation will be deployed to nudge car owners towards cleaner choices such as subsidies, road tax exemption, access to fast lanes or an outright ban on fossil fuel vehicles within green zone or by time line altogether.
The Netherlands, where we will buy our car, is a country with the highest number of charging points in Europe and fully electric vehicles are exempted from vehicle. Cities like Amsterdam and The Hague aim to be emission-free by 2030, forbidding entry to fossil fuel cars.
Going Electric
Even coveted car makers have committed to only selling electric vehicles by as early as 2030, including stalwarts like Jaguar, Bentley, Mini, Lotus and even maker of gas-guzzlers Cadillac. And some of the most iconic cars are being converted too, such as the Mini Electric, Honda NSX, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Corvette EV, Fiat 500-E and the Hummer EV, which sold out its launch edition.
Electric Sports Selection
Until the IPCC report was published, we were not that aware of electric sports models in the market. Like most folks, we still associate electric or hybrid cars with functional models like the Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf and of course, Tesla models.
Isn’t the whole point about driving a sports car the roar of its engine, its response to every gear change and the feel of the throttle? The sound, the smell, the emotion…the ultimate freedom and joy from a man-made machine. It is strange to sit in the cockpit of a driving machine that has no revs of engine, no gear and is stealth silent.
Today’s range of electric sports cars are made with cutting edge technology and can do everything, except fly 🙂 And I think that isn’t far-fetched given the exponential development in drone technology. Some models offer more speed and power compared to their fossil fuel peers, with instantaneous torque, quiet acceleration and harmonic stability.
If all the pointers are towards going green, then what’s holding us back from buying an electric sports car?
Firstly, availability of charging points, especially fast-charging stations that can fully charge in an hour or so. Our apartment in the centre of Amsterdam does not offer any charging point in the underground parking lots. Within 500m, there are 12 public charging points, which is not sufficient given density of the area.
Battery range is the other big concern as we intend to drive the convertible to Belgium, France, Germany, Italy even Portugal once borders are opened. With most EVs offering 300km range, this means several charging stops for longer haul drive, which may not be practical.
While model selection within electric/hybrid range is impressive, it is still a far cry from the choices with ICEs. Most electric or hybrid sports model also tend to be high-end and thus not affordable.
So, while titillated with the idea of a sports car, we have decided to hold out for an electric sports model and wait for improved battery range and more charging points. It is meant to be a ‘nice to have’ after all so it should remain…
N-ICE….(ie No ICE),
Savvy Maverick
