2nd
#ElectricCar — Mindfulness
My neighbor, Scott, said it best in describing my electric car relationship: mindfulness.
The driver of the electric car is mindful of the car’s range, and the distance between origin and destination.
The driver of the electric car is mindful of opportunities to charge the vehicle and possible bail-out locations in the event a unforeseen traffic jam crops up leaving the vehicle underpowered.
The driver of the electric car is mindful of the conditions at the destination — if the usual parking space nearest the charging station is blocked, an ungainly extension cord gets rolled out.
The driver of the electric car is mindful of energy use en route with a keen sense of the opportunity cost of aggressive acceleration and profligate use of climate control.
The driver of the electric car is mindful of pedestrians in parking lots and other low-speed, and therefore low-sound situations, to be more vigilant of (avoiding) colliding with people.
The driver of the electric car is mindful of the car’s charging status, and keeps an eye on a mobile phone or email account, to check for signs of unexpected interruptions in charging or for a sign of a completed charge.
Thinking of the internal combustion engine car, and all the assumptions we’ve come to expect of its performance, the ubiquity of gas stations, and the speed with which a gas tank can be filled makes all of us who drive cars especially un-mindful of our use of energy.
We expect a gas station on every block, and we expect that in only five minutes or so, we’ll be on our way—ready to drive another 300 miles or more.
Imagine a world in which gas stations were as plentiful as today, but it required five hours to fill up. That would change some driving habits.
Or alternatively, imagine a world where it takes thirty minutes to fill up, but the car’s range is effectively only 150 miles.
Both of those alternative realities may be in our short-to mid-term future using electric vehicles or other, alternative energy sources.
Today’s hybrid is the ultimate transition vehicle—it causes us to take no special action at all, and boosts our usable vehicle range. For drivers ready to be more efficient, but remain checked out—a hybrid may be a good choice.
But driving an electric car every day forces the driver to be mindful. It’s up to individuals to judge whether the inconvenience is worth the effort.
But for those willing to be a bit more mindful, the electric vehicle is undeniably a smooth ride, especially when you take a moment to not think about it so much.
This is the fifth in a series on the state of electric vehicles in 2012.
« Part 1 of the Electric Car Series: “On the Bleeding Edge”
« Part 2 of the Electric Car Series: “A Recent History”
« Part 3 of the Electric Car Series: “Nissan Leaf Test Drive”
« Part 4 of the Electric Car Series: “Charged Up”
Part 6 of the Electric Car Series: “Difficult Conversations” »
Part 7 of the Electric Car Series: “Secret Message: Like Really Cheap Gas” »
Part 8 of the Electric Car Series: “Getting Legislative” »
