Technology

My biggest source of frustration is that a specific type of charger was never federally mandated. Manufacturers are absolute dicks when it comes to standards. Even if I had the money for an EV, I’d be leery of competing standards, and manufacturers changing standards on a whim.

I’m not crazy about manufacturers adopting Tesla’s charging system, either. Is the patent for Tesla’s charging station public? I’m guessing that it isn’t. What happens if Musk runs the company into the ground, or starts demanding excessive fees? What happens when there’s a legal dispute that gets tied up in court for ten years? Would the building of new stations be halted? Could someone even maintain existing stations without fear of legal repercussions? I don’t want to have to worry about that shit. Uncertainty is the last thing people want when making a major purchase.

With an ICE, I can fill my tank at any gas station. If a company goes out of business, another one will likely buy the station and keep it running. The system is mature, reliable, and well regulated (I’m just talking about the functionality of infrastructure, not environmental issues. That’s an entirely different topic.)

With an EV, I might need an adapter or be completely unable to use a charger. No wonder EV sales are declining. Consumers are tired of investing in a New Thing only to be fucked and abandoned.