What is the solution for widespread electric car adoption?

What is the solution for widespread electric car adoption?

One solution is to carry a $500 portable power bank and charging cable in your trunk. These power banks are about the size of a toolbox and can be used to charge your car at home or from portable sources. It’s similar to carrying 5 gallons of gasoline in your trunk.

I’m considering buying the 2023 Lincoln Aviator plug-in hybrid, which comes with a portable dual-voltage charging cord that can be used almost anywhere.

Additionally, an 8-bit guy on YouTube showcased 240-volt power banks here. Carrying a compact gasoline generator like the Honda 2200i in the trunk could also be an option.

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…and what exactly is a $500 power bank supposed to do?

Out of curiosity, I looked up what you can get for $500 on Amazon and found that it’s not much. So, I checked out a more serious power bank costing around $1000, which offers a full 222Wh of capacity. If you could fit all that into your EV without any losses (which you can’t), it would only provide about ONE mile of extra range in a very efficient EV like a Model 3.

In reality, the weight of the power bank would likely reduce your range more than it would add.

So, no, this isn’t a viable “solution.” It’s simply impractical.

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We have a portable battery bank that can even charge an EV with ease. It weighs around 50 lbs, adds about 15 miles of range, and costs $2500. I can’t think of a scenario where I’d use it for that purpose, except maybe in a major regional emergency. How much would the range be affected by carrying that around all day, every day?

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Honestly, in an emergency situation, I would likely charge them using my EV and then bring them to family members.

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Yes, that’s true. It charges via the cigarette lighter outlet, but I’m not sure how it impacts the EV battery. I assume it draws from the 12v system, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. It would charge while you’re driving to them. However, it still seems quite unreasonable to use it for charging the car.

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I use a 1.5kW inverter in my car. You’re right; the power comes from the 12v system and is replenished by the traction battery while the car is running. A year or two ago, when a family member lost power, I used my car to bring over a space heater and a blanket, and stayed there to keep her room warm.