The Clayton County Energy District has utilized multiple resources to promote electrification and energy efficiency, including $50,000 in grant funding from the Upper Mississippi Gaming Corporation to install chargers across the county. A large portion of fossil fuel use in the United States originates from traditional vehicle travel. Transitioning to electric vehicles, especially those charged using renewable energy, can significantly reduce carbon emissions and offer real benefits including improved driving experience, comparable costs to traditional gas-powered vehicles, and conserving limited resources. Continue reading for Clayton County resident Grant Langhus’ story of going electric.
“Amber and I [Grant] purchased an Audi e-Tron battery-electric SUV in 2001. Our immediate families also own a fully electric BMW i3 and several Tesla’s (Model 3, Y, and X). The elephant in the room always seems to be range – our vehicle’s real-world range is roughly 200 miles (because, like gas/diesel, we never empty the tank completely). On paper, that’s half what you’d expect in a comparable gasoline vehicle, but consider 1) we charge in our garage nightly, therefore most of the year never need to take time out of our busy schedule to fill-up like a petrol vehicle would, and 2) when we do travel cross-country, 200 miles is equivalent to 4 hours of ‘butt time’; we have a 7-year-old which means we’re going to be pit-stopping every few hours anyhow. We plan our trips – and charging – accordingly to minimize and sometimes even eliminate the impact of a 20-to-30-minute fast charge.
We also installed solar in 2023, entirely ourselves, from pulling permits to carrying the panels to our rooftop. While we can sell power to the grid, our system includes storage and also works off-grid; we charge our EV entirely from the electricity we produce. There is nothing more conservative right now than energy independence…not to mention, cost savings!
Our vehicle weighs 5,500 pounds, or about half a ton more than its gasoline counterpart; that’s the curb weight of a three-quarter ton or more pickup truck. Our EV can tow just as much, too! While towing at highway speed decreases range [in any vehicle], we only tow locally therefore range is a non-issue. If we keep our speed below 45, there is no impact to range. Unlike internal combustion, towing is a dream, dare I say, fun! I always offer the example of backing over a full-height curb: traditionally, you’d feather the accelerator pedal until the vehicle lurches and you overshoot the curb. With electric however, we can literally ease a 2-ton trailer inch-by-inch, even just half-way up a curb and stop if we so choose, etc. The torque and control are unlike anything.
I’m also proud that we’re conserving fossil fuel. While we’re not concerned with our carbon footprint in the least, we still value petroleum. (Interesting side note for those who do care about carbon footprint: our EV was built by Audi entirely carbon-neutral, with the battery being 100% recyclable). Petroleum is a finite resource, and Mother Nature is not laying down new petroleum nearly as fast as we’re using it. I believe biofuels to be a risky gamble at best; they’re not only a lot of work in a good year, but are subject to rain and drought in a bad year…unlike wind and solar. I’d prefer to conserve our petroleum for when we truly need it – like air travel and national defense. Squandering fossil fuels only kicks the can down the road to our kids, which bothers me.
We’re always transparent with folks: EV ownership, while amazing, is not necessarily for everyone. The largest drawback is that you’ll need to think about how you refuel: while electricity is accessible in far more places than gasoline (like when we easily took our EV into the rural mountains of Tennessee a couple years ago, charging overnight on simple 120v outlets), 400 to 800 volt fast-charging stations are still far and few between compared to petroleum. It takes thought travelling long distance in an EV. Those unwilling to strategize how and where they drive can (and should) still dip their toes into EV ownership through plug-in hybrids, however!
We also need to be transparent about the costs. Our goal isn’t to sell EV’s to everyone then risk giving them a bad name; we want to build trust and empower folks to want to become EV owners after their own careful deliberation. Our particular vehicle’s fuel cost per mile breaks even when gasoline is around $3.00 a gallon and electricity is 17 cents per kWh. If gasoline is cheaper or electricity is more, then our vehicle could potentially cost more to operate. Considering solar, however, in a couple years when that’s paid off our EV’s fuel will be ‘free’ – which isn’t possible with petroleum.
While we don’t need oil changes, EV’s, being much more spirited to drive brimming with all that horsepower and torque, do go through tires faster. As EV’s are heavier than internal combustion counterparts, tires are typically larger and more expensive, too. EV registration is also more costly as the state recoups road tax up-front that would otherwise be hidden in price of petroleum at the pump. There aren’t necessarily any cost savings unless you consider tax (or other) incentives.
Would we buy an EV again? In a heartbeat! In fact, I can’t wait for an all-electric future. While we love (and still own) old-school V8 muscle, I can’t help but notice how….primitive….internal combustion is starting to feel. EVs are such a blast to drive; they stick to the road, offer neck-snapping acceleration, allow us to save petroleum, and help us achieve energy independence. We’ve actually discussed nearly all the drawbacks here, but only just skimmed the surface of the benefits: More reliable, safer, less maintenance, no standing at a gas pump or warming up engines in the winter, will always start when below freezing, can be used as a generator to power home during power outage…etc. etc. etc.!”