The Biden Administration and the green energy left insist consumers must switch to electric vehicles to save the Earth. Of course, they ignore that mining the materials needed for the batteries, manufacturing the cars, and even charging the costly vehicles all require fossil fuels to make them happen. Unfortunately, that doesn’t move the needle regarding the potential governmental push to mandate EVs to the driving consumer eventually.
The obstacles are numerous for automakers and daunting and expensive for consumers. Charging stations are few and far between and can be crowded and expensive; the vehicles themselves are pricey and unreliable, and the advertised range and performance aren’t comparable to real-world usage. This has led many consumers to nix the idea of making the switch, resulting in unsold inventory piling up on dealer’s lots.
The resulting sluggish sales prompted dealers nationwide to pen an open letter to the Biden Administration asking for more time to allow customers to get comfortable with the idea of a battery-powered vehicle. It remains to be seen if the plea from auto dealers will make a difference, but as more negative press piles up about the pricey cars and trucks, the more consumers may choose to stick with gas-powered options. Another recent report suggests owners could be in for a painful surprise should they need body work on their EV.
New data shows EVs can be far more costly and time-consuming to repair after a crash. According to the Wall Street Journal, one Rivian owner suffered a bowling ball-sized dent under his rear taillamp, which would be a reasonably cheap and easy repair on most vehicles. Instead, the unwitting truck owner lost his vehicle for over two months and that cost him $22,000. Part of the issue is the advanced technology involved with EVs: many repair shops aren’t trained to repair these vehicles.
CCC Intelligent Solutions, a company that processes insurance claims for auto repairs in the U.S., reported that last year, average repair costs for electric clocked in at $6,587 while the gas-powered alternative cost $4,125. Manufacturers have touted the reduced amount of maintenance and upkeep that EVs supposedly need, considering there are fewer moving parts that need attention than gasoline-powered cars.
Increased repair costs are also driving up insurance premiums for electric customers. It is reported that EV owners pay more than a hundred dollars a month in premiums than gasoline-powered owners. Marc Fredman, chief strategy officer for CCC Intelligent Solutions, said: “People are used to hearing that EVs have fewer parts than a combustion vehicle, but that is not the case in collision repair.” Along with the parts and labor concerns, EVs also require special storage needs while undergoing collision repair.
There are no simple solutions on the horizon. Many shops may choose not to perform repairs or charge a premium because of the added risk. This likely will lead consumers to pay more to repair vehicles they already paid a high price. It is just another pitfall looming for green energy and the EV industry, and one that will be costly.
