Electric cars raise fears among some readers

When it comes to issues surrounding the head-long rush toward electric cars for everybody, I only scratched the surface last week.

This unfolding fiasco is also top of mind for many Ontario residents, judging by the number of readers who responded to my column via e-mail and social media with concerns of their own.

Of the comments received, only two offered any kind of support for electric cars. That support was anaemic at best.

This discussion is taking place in front of the backdrop of a multibillion-dollar deal under consideration for Ontario to buy power from Quebec. You might remember Ontario already produces more electricity than it can use. Today’s excess is sold at a loss to the U.S. while provincial residents pay through the nose.

With 10 months until the next election the Wynne government would be well advised to leave the energy file alone. Few believe they are capable of making a deal that will benefit the residents of the province. Plus, they already have messed the file up beyond belief and a deal with Quebec would only make things worse.

But I digress. Getting back to electric cars, an electrical engineer wrote that no one, let alone the politicians, are being honest or realistic on the subject.

He pointed out that the driving range per battery charge — an important measure for drivers going any distance — decreases in cold temperatures. So how would that work in Ontario, which we all know can be a pretty chilly place for six months a year?

This correspondent argued that the driving range figures also don’t take into account the energy to heat the interior and keep the windows defogged.

Electric cars produced in the early 1900s found the major drain on batteries to be the headlights.

The electrical engineer said most subdivisions today are supplied by a power distribution transformer that is sized for the “rule of thumb” consumption of the residents. Will there be enough power to charge more than a few electric cars without upgrading transformers and even power lines?

Another reader wrote, “I have difficulty getting economical repairs for my conventional car electronics. Who in my small town will have the equipment, training and spare parts?”

Another writer suggested that after 10 years, the battery issues, plus advancements in technology will make electric cars worth only scrap value.

A driver wondered what would happen when he left Toronto on a cold winter day with predictions of freezing rain, a common forecast in winter months.

In crawling traffic, how long can this driver keep his wipers, heat, lights and defrost going? “When my car batteries deplete and I am luckily able to pull over by the side of the road, where am I in the queue for being rescued?”

Another reader suggested cutting down on vehicle use is perhaps a better answer to the pollution issue. Ten years ago his family sold one of two cars and by using public transit, biking and walking, they saved enough to reduce the length of their mortgage from 10 years to four years.

And then there’s the granddaddy of all questions: What does one do when the power goes out for a long period of time?