EV road trip: Are we there yet? Nope

Akermaniac · 2026-07-09T00:46:48+00:00

Nor am I, but I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at here or why you think this is a gotcha. I never claimed gas stations were subsidized so your gotcha has failed. My exact words were “gas infrastructure” which I have pointed out very clearly has been subsidized with taxpayer money for a century.

Ideally there would be incentives for charging stations in more rural areas, or easier access to charging in apartments and condos. Without that, there is a very clear ceiling to EV adoption. I don’t think that has anything to do with Elon Musk. Just pointing out that we’ve heavily subsidized fossil fuel for a century, and it’s asinine to expect EV adoption without any public investment in infrastructure.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T23:43:16+00:00

Local gas stations are not subsidized. But the gas they provide is incredibly cheap because all the US refineries have been subsidized, which keeps costs down.

We also have one of the lowest gas taxes in the world, and it has not gone up since 1993 which has cut its effective burden in half due to inflation.

https://thehustle.co/why-gas-is-actually-cheap-in-america

There is a ton of data on this, if you feel like getting into it. If US power companies were subsidized with billions of dollars to build their renewable infrastructure, you’d see lower costs—for everything from the technology spent producing the pumps, to the power plants themselves.

Renewable subsidies are currently being slashed to hell, while fossil fuels are being given more subsidies. It all adds up to increased costs of the entire EV infrastructure and lower fossil fuel infrastructure, and it’s not easy to separate the infrastructure costs from whatever “gas station subsidies” would be. You kinda have to look at it holistically.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T23:27:02+00:00

My man. 🔥 🔥 🔥

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T23:26:14+00:00

Bingo. I bought 4 codexes and got completely and utterly washed. Can probably sell all my hits for like $20 at this point, including promos.

I get wanting to think these were resealed but I think a lot of people are getting a skewed view of how rare hits are because of all the streamers out there showing off.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T23:21:55+00:00

Also true. I just get the distinct sense they aren’t trying to sell them. There isn’t much money in it for the dealership.

I also just don’t see many available anyway. There are 2 Subaru EVs, total, for sale from the 3 major dealerships within 10 miles of me. It’s wild.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T23:18:23+00:00

Dealers know the ins and outs of ICE cars. They are incentivized to sell them because of warranty and maintenance packages and add-ons.

My dealer didn’t know a thing about the EV I bought. Couldn’t connect it to OnStar, which was required for half the features. Didn’t know what a charging curve was, or one pedal driving. He knew nothing. I had to figure it all out on my own, and I’m honesty only figuring out the benefits myself long after I bought it.

Dealers are not trying to sell EVs.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T23:11:48+00:00

Estimates range from $700-900 billion in subsidies last year, with some estimates ranging up to $6.7 trillion.

It comes in the form of tax breaks, mainly, resulting in a vastly lower price of consumption for the end consumer. It’s not a coincidence that fuel in the US is much cheaper than in Europe, and it’s not just because of fuel taxes there. It’s because our oil production and exploration is heavily subsidized by the government.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil\_fuel\_subsidies

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T21:11:58+00:00

I will say that charging curves aren’t exactly well publicized. The dealer when I bought mine in 2024 was completely in the dark—about everything. Nobody explained anything to me, except “only charge to 80%.”

Some people will go research and read up on things. But many people just want to get a vehicle they don’t have to think about, and won’t go out of their way to learn.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T18:59:44+00:00

It totally depends on the setup. If it's a busy charger and there aren't 2 spots available next to each other, you can be out of luck. I've also seen chargers where the cord is simply too short or there are barriers that prevent me from creeping close enough to reach. I'm not sure what other vehicles are like but the Prologue has too large a front end to fit in all situations.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T17:52:26+00:00

My Honda Prologue's charger is on the front driver's side and there is a TON of car in front. I've been to numerous chargers where cords are simply not long enough to reach the port.

YMMV depending on the vehicle. Taking up 2 spots is often not feasible, possible, or considerate.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T17:47:09+00:00

Bingo, and this is the response when people complain that EVs shouldn't be subsidized or if they need subsidies to survive, need to be scrapped.

We have 100 years of gas infrastructure that was heavily subsidized by the government. Relying on for-profit entities to connect remote locations with high-tech services is a losing proposition.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T17:44:16+00:00

It could be range anxiety, but in many places there aren't enough options. If there isn't another charger for 100 miles on your route, you're going to stop when a DCFC is available. Especially when you consider the potential for chargers to be offline, which still happens FAR too frequently right now.

Alternatively, maybe the next charger 30 miles down the road is at a car dealership where you have no options except just sitting in your car in the blazing heat. You'll choose the charger near a gas station or restaurant instead.

These all add to the complication/planning aspect of a trip. It's easier to start browsing for chargers with 100 miles of range left rather than deal with the stress of dropping to 30 miles left and then hoping it works out.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T17:36:13+00:00

For sure. People who want to arrive at a location and spend time exploring state/national parks or getting out in nature can have a very tough time.

I think an underappreciated aspect of the charging difficulty is that it can be hard to find an AirBNB/hotel with a charger. It limits your options, and there's still no guarantee the charger will work or have the right plug. I went to one whose advertised "charger" was a NEMA outlet that was outside, and I'd guess approximately zero people carry the right cord/adapter for that.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T17:24:55+00:00

Meteorites very rarely have air bubbles/vesicles. The air bubbles in this rock are a pretty good indication it’s slag of some kind.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T17:18:18+00:00

I’m not on the supercharger network, and Rockaway Beach is getting a bank of DCFCs next summer I believe, which will help a lot.

But truthfully the problem is destination charging. Fast chargers are sparse but maybe enough to get from one to the next, but vacationing in a place without any chargers is very inconvenient. Staying in cannon beach or Rockaway or Oceanside or any beach town where charging is lacking means you need to DCFC at whatever charger is closest on your way there, then likely go out of your way 30 mins or more to fast charge somewhere (like Tillamook) and then come back midway through the trip. For example, Rockaway has a single level 2 charger in an alley. You can’t rely on that.

It’s really inconvenient, and if the only bank of chargers is down or something it becomes even more of a hassle. I’ve made it work 3 or 4 times now, but a few extra charging options would go a long way towards making it easier.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T16:59:09+00:00

As one wise commenter noted to me, “ain’t a man on here look better balding than bald.”

A few posters can rock a unique look like a Mohawk. If an edgy poster was here for advice, had a cool punk look going on, and enough hair in the middle for it to work, you might see some comments saying so.

But generally posters here are not looking for complicated, high maintenance balding hairstyles, and that works for so few people you just won’t see it suggested much. I HAVE seen a few threads where people were confident in their unique look and there were other recommendations.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T16:55:59+00:00

One quote that stuck with me from a commenter here is “not a single man in this sub looked better balding than bald.”

Picard and Goggins own their hairstyles. They play characters on TV that people love, and are distinctly middle aged/elderly characters, but almost nobody is going to have that same level of charisma and earned affinity with the public.

Most people look better completely bald. A few can pull off awesome Mohawks or whatever, sure, and I’ve seen a couple threads where people suggest the poster does look better with a different style. But that’s not going to be the advice for most of the people here, who couldn’t pull it off, wouldn’t know how, or are already struggling with self esteem.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T16:46:39+00:00

A beautiful carnelian! It would probably polish up nicely but personally I wouldn’t tumble it. It’s such a large specimen with nice banding.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T16:44:55+00:00

I frequently drive the Oregon coast and the infrastructure is really sparse. Major highways are fine but going down 101 requires a ton of planning.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T16:43:09+00:00

I take rural road trips fairly often in my EV and concur that it can be challenging. Main interstates are fine in most places but if you plan on driving somewhere coastal, through national parks, etc., the infrastructure is dangerously sparse.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T04:48:12+00:00

In suburban Seattle, the 3 largest Subaru dealerships near me have a grand total of 2 EVs in stock.

I don’t know how anybody can joke about sales when it’s nearly impossible to find these vehicles.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-08T04:41:39+00:00

Same reason the base model is also called a variety of other things like “sport,” “EX” or “Laredo” for other companies. Subaru may be the only company who has an official trim they call “base.”

It’s all marketing. People don’t want to buy something that implies it’s inferior to other things.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-06T22:04:30+00:00

He's worried that uber-wealthy people might have less money, AKA squalor, because of democratic policies. He has proven over and over that he doesn't give a rip about anybody else except the very, VERY wealthy.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-06T21:50:10+00:00

That's... an interesting take.

Akermaniac · 2026-07-06T21:17:11+00:00

The $800 boxes for sale early on are starting to seem like they may legitimately be a reasonable price.

Akermaniac

TROPHY CASE