Billy Gibson
Keeping up with the emergence of the electric vehicle market is like listening to the hushed intonations of the announcer at the end of a 1960s-style soap opera.
Will a reliable charging network be constructed?
Will EVs become more affordable?Will drivers ever overcome their range anxiety?
Will the political winds change direction?
Tune in tomorrow. Same time. Same channel.
Scott Shepherd is no fan of soap operas, but he’s happy to give you his take on the topic. Shepherd is a career educator who has taken the EV leap and last June invested in Ford’s debut model: the Mustang Mach-E. Shepherd recently delivered a presentation describing his experience and insights to a group of electric cooperative representatives.
Subtitled “The Good, the Kind of Bad, and the Ugly,” the presentation was intended to be an unbiased, unvarnished and apolitical analysis of the investment he made last year. Though Shepherd admits to being somewhat of an EVangelist, audience members were eager to hear Shepherd’s comments to help them convey useful, accurate information to their electric cooperative consumers back in their respective service areas.
On the positive side, Shepherd said the advanced technology and the instant torque of his Mach-E deliver an exciting driving experience, and he likes doing his part to reduce emissions. His dealer, Jesse Johnson at Jan Busse Ford (Pioneer Garage, Inc.) in Highmore, was knowledgeable and ready to answer all of his questions and concerns. He noted that factoring in a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, he was able to save nearly $1,000 in his first 5,000 miles of travel in the Mach-E.
“There’s no gas tank to fill at over $3 per gallon and no oil to change,” he said. “A trip to Sioux Falls cost me $6 in electricity, compared to $49 in gas for an ICE (internal combustion engine).” that factoring in a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, he was able to save nearly $1,000 in his first 5,000 miles of travel in the Mach-E.
“There’s no gas tank to fill at over $3 per gallon and no oil to change,” he said. “A trip to Sioux Falls cost me $6 in electricity, compared to $49 in gas for an ICE (internal combustion engine).” standardized practices have yet to be developed.
“There can be a lot of inconsistent pricing with public charging stations,” he said. “Some require a connection fee plus a per-minute fee as high as 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The networks and the number of phone apps that are out there can be confusing, and I’ve also run across some charging stations that were malfunctioning.”
He pointed out that electric cooperatives, municipal utilities and investor-owned utilities in South Dakota and Minnesota are working together to create a charging network for public use that will reduce range anxiety for EV drivers. Presently, there are nine Tesla supercharger stations and four non-Tesla chargers in South Dakota, as well as more than 250 throughout the region and dozens more for the use of guests at hotels, campgrounds and other private properties.
Electrify America Fast recently announced the company is planning to install a bank of supercharging stations in Wall sometime in January, and state officials are looking to continue to invest money into light-duty charging stations from the second round of the Volkswagen Electric Vehicle Charging Station Program.
Johnson, Shepherd’s sales agent, said these days he’s getting lots of questions from scores of potential buyers who are ponying up the $100 refundable fee at www.ford.com to get placed on a waiting list for not only the Mach-E but also the new Ford F-150 Lightning, the company’s first electric-powered pick up. In fact, he has a personal spot on the Lightning list along with more than 160,000 others across the country. Tesla, GMC, Rivian and Chevrolet are also introducing their own pick ups.
“We’re getting calls from all kinds of people - retirees, commuting moms and dads, gear heads, collectors, technology buffs, environmentalists, farmers, you name it,” said Johnson, who has already sent two early adopting customers home with the Mustang Mach-E and has a third on his lot.
Johnson said car and truck dealers will have to redouble their efforts to provide service after the sale as the EV industry continues to emerge. He keeps his customers, including the many who are on the purchaser’s waiting list, apprised of any new developments in the market. For example, when manufacturers began recommending that owners refrain from exceeding an 80 percent charge - unless going on an extended trip - to extend the car’s battery life, Johnson made sure his customers got the memo.
In preparing for the transportation future, car dealers are having to make significant investments in education for their sales force, training for technicians and new service and maintenance equipment to accommodate EVs.
“EVs are fun to drive with their immediate torque and safe-driving technology,” Johnson said. “These vehicles are an excellent option for those wanting to forget about the price of gas, reduce maintenance and emissions. We understand they may not fit everyone’s lifestyle, but we see a definite place for them in the future.”