What makes electric cars stand out?
“Ha, just for the license plate, right?” As a “new energy car media” + “new energy car owner,” I often feel a little bit inadequate when facing this kind of question, and my own feelings may also be a bit uncertain – if it weren’t for the license plate, would I buy a new energy car?
Therefore, we invited a senior oil car owner who has never driven a new energy car to experience the driving experience of a new energy car. Because he already has a license plate, the interference of license plate in the follow-up replacement of vehicles is excluded (okay, not completely excluded, but at least it eliminates the bonus points for new energy, and you can think about the logic yourselves).
To express his feelings more clearly, the article will be presented in a Q&A format. Here comes our modifying old gun!
Q: So, RS 3 or Model 3, which do you like more?
A: I chose Model 3 (actually because I’m tired of RS 3)
Both cars have their own advantages. For commuting, I choose Model 3. In congested traffic, the assisted driving allows me to switch between the throttle and brake without stopping. RS 3 can consume 30-40 liters of gasoline in second gear with air conditioning in congested traffic in summer. During the two days of experiencing the Model 3 Long Range, I drove about 190 kilometers and consumed about 250 kilometers of endurance. Part of it is due to driving habits and part is due to air conditioning. I used fast charging for once and spent about 40 yuan. Under the same conditions, RS 3 may require 200 yuan of 98 gasoline. So, for commuting, I prefer to choose Model 3. Moreover, Model 3 can also bring me the same acceleration experience as RS 3, except for the downshifting and engine’s aggressive power that RS 3 can bring to me.
Q: What is the most probable car you will buy next?
A: Probably an electric car.
When I first joined the company, I was considering buying a manual GT 86 or BRZ to find back the feeling of driving a manual car when I first learned to drive. But after a few experiences of being stuck in rush hours, I gradually gave up this idea. After test-driving iNEXT and Model 3 for a few days, I might choose the newer and more comfortable iNEXT with a rich car machine system, or the high-performance Model 3P, or the not-yet-released JiKe 001 (I watched 42 Garage’s new test-drive video and my expectations are very high, but the waiting time for delivery is too long).
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars compared to oil cars, and what is the most critical reason that caused you to switch to a new camp?
A: The advantage is driving experience, and the disadvantage is energy replenishment.The advantages of electric cars, as I have experienced several times, include quietness, lower driving costs, and faster throttle response. The corresponding disadvantages may be the problem of gasoline vehicles occupying charging stations when using charging piles. Even though some charging stations use electronic locks to solve this problem, the probability of occurrence is still high, as I painfully learned after driving around 4 charging stations all night.
Q: Do you think gasoline cars have greater mechanical aesthetic appeal than electric cars?
A: Yes, I think so! Because I have only disassembled gasoline cars, not electric ones. The number of engine components in gasoline cars is probably much greater than that of electric motors (in my personal opinion, since I don’t know for sure).
Q: Do you think cars are tools or toys?
A: I still think cars are toys in my mind.
During the test drive, I only used the assisted driving function twice, in heavy traffic situations. For the rest of the time, I still chose to manually control the Model 3. The deep throttle at each intersection, the limit braking in the enclosed section, and the limit cornering test made me feel that although it is an electric car, with no roaring engine or explosive exhaust, it is still very fun to drive, and the state of the entire chassis is still quite good. Of course, under ideal driving conditions, I didn’t even have the desire to deep throttle; I just wanted to drive steadily according to the navigation and enjoy my favorite music. If I get married and have children in the future, I will definitely choose a Tesla Model One.
Q: I heard that you are really good at modifying cars. The question is, gasoline cars have more space for modification, especially in terms of the power system. Electric cars are limited in this aspect. Do you think gasoline cars are more interesting to modify?
A: Power modification is not the only joy of playing with cars. Don’t underestimate the impulse of young people to tinker.
In fact, modifying electric cars is simpler than modifying gasoline cars because there is no engine to alter. In contrast, the gasoline engine modification projects can be described as countless. However, many gasoline car enthusiasts enjoy the process of modification from planning to parts procurement to installation. Seeing their dream car step by step being modified, all the hard work, fatigue, and money spent at that moment are all worth it.
However, to give an example, someone asked a mountaineer, “Why do you climb mountains?” The mountaineer said, “Because the mountain is there.” The same applies to modification. Why do you modify cars? Because it can be modified. Since there is not much room for modifying the power system of electric cars, their playability can be explored from other aspects. Don’t underestimate the impulsive nature of young people; they can tinker with anything and make it flourish.
Q: Finally, do you think that in the foreseeable future, electric cars will surpass gasoline cars in terms of market share? If so, predict a time frame.
A: Yes, even I am switching camps, indicating that times are really changing.In my opinion, as of now, I believe that the market share of electric cars will catch up with that of traditional fuel cars within a very short period of time in the future. This can be seen as a general trend as not only many new electric car manufacturers are emerging, but also traditional car manufacturers such as BBA and Volkswagen are developing new energy vehicle models. They are no longer purely transforming from oil to electricity for the sake of new energy subsidies like they did for plug-in hybrid power in the past few years. Major automobile companies are also researching and promoting pure electric vehicles. I think that it will be enough for the market share of electric cars to surpass that of fuel cars in 3-5 years.
Q: Finally making a commitment, when is the latest you will change your car?
A: Work hard! Change the car before the end of summer at the latest!
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.