Help Me With A Special Project To Prove That EVs Have What It Takes, Get Sales Back On Track

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( TL;DR: I’m engaged on a particular undertaking to go to each nationwide park and show that EVs are adequate for highway journeys, even when you’re not rich. You can donate to the effort here.)

The Drawback

Whereas U.S. EV gross sales aren’t cratering the best way some media retailers and personalities declare, it’s true that gross sales aren’t rising as quick as folks hoped. We hit the “tipping point” of 5% gross sales, however america simply didn’t tip the best way different international locations did. So, automakers delayed and backed off some, after which the Biden administration backed off a bit on emissions guidelines to permit extra plugin hybrids. Now, we’re in for a a lot slower climb than anticipated.

However, as Henry J. Kaiser supposedly mentioned, “Problems are just opportunities in work clothes.” However, if we wish to repair this downside, we should first work out what drives it.

One of the biggest problems holding EVs back now is charging anxiety. Whereas most individuals solely not often go far sufficient from house to wish to cost anyplace else, we all the time purchase our automobiles with epic summer time highway journeys in thoughts. In any case, who desires to make a cost each month or put a giant stack of money on the barrelhead for 90% of a automobile? No, folks need the entire automobile, and they’re going to purchase no matter automobile they suppose will care for 100% of their anticipated desires and desires.

However, ask any EV driver who takes highway journeys, and almost all will let you know that they just do wonderful. So, we’re not coping with a state of affairs the place EVs suck and they should suck rather a lot much less for normies to have the ability to purchase them. The true problem is that individuals don’t know sufficient about EVs to know that they will rely on them.

How I Need To Clear up This

We are able to inform folks all day about how nice Tesla’s supercharger community is, how highway journeys aren’t actually that frequent, or the truth that most EVs right this moment cost up simply wonderful whilst you eat or use the toilet. I’ve as a lot enjoyable accusing the “EVs need to go 800 miles non-stop” crowd of sporting astronaut diapers as anyone, however I do know that most individuals don’t need you to inform them stuff. They need you to show it.

However, as I discussed earlier, folks take highway journeys in EVs on a regular basis. So, it’s not as a lot a matter of doing it, however ensuring that individuals see that you simply’re doing it.

How can we get them to note? We’re not going to do this sharing photos of our journeys on social media to impress our pals who additionally drive EVs. We’ve got to do one thing that’s each entertaining, will get their consideration, and strikes on the coronary heart of the American highway journey mythos. Then, we have to do it time and again for years, get lovely eye-catching photos each time, and ensure folks know you can go nearly anyplace in an EV.

That’s a tall order, however there’s a set of locations that verify each a type of bins: Nationwide Parks.

My Challenge: Cost To The Parks

My plan is to share the story of visiting the entire nationwide parks within the U.S. that may be reached in an EV. I’m already publishing travel guides for the parks at a dedicated websitewhereas additionally publishing account of my tales right here at CleanTechnica.

This undertaking is already underway. Not solely is the web site up and runninghowever I’ve already revealed a number of accounts of nationwide park visits right here at CleanTechnica. Within the articles, I shared priceless info on the best way to get to them and get probably the most out of an EV journey to the world.

Listed here are a couple of examples:

One other factor I wish to do alongside the best way is enhance the charging state of affairs for parks. By working with native companies in particular person, I can join them to EV charging firms to get the work of including extra charging began!

I Can’t Do This Effectively On My Personal

To actually make an influence and show that inexpensive EVs could make it out to the entire parks, I’m going to wish some assist from readers. I’ve whittled what I want down over time by accumulating tenting gear, however as a consequence of some altering household wants (and a sick pet that should come alongside on most journeys), I now have to get a small used camper with onerous sides to tug behind my Bolt EUV.

After procuring round on FarceBark Market and Craigslist, I’ve discovered that I can do that for about $10,000 (together with cash to make repairs/upgrades to an older camper). I’ve additionally deliberate my subsequent journey, and might be going to Nice Sand Dunes Nationwide Park in southern Colorado. In whole, together with a bit of for my time spent documenting the journey, that may price me about $1933.

This brings the overall to $11,933.

For future months, I’ll have already got a camper, so all I’ll ask readers to assist with might be EV charging, some campground charges, a couple of meals, and a few cash to pay for a couple of days of my time. So, this undertaking will want little or no going ahead after this preliminary fundraiser.

If this appears like a undertaking you’d be excited about serving to with, consider donating via GoFundMe here.