On 12 Feb 2015 at 9:09, Robert Bruninga via EV wrote:

> We need to focus on educating the
> public that EV's are best used for local travel and commuter cars.

That's a pretty steep uphill climb.  

With enough will and budget it can be done for some minor adjustments.  In 
the space of about a decade, advertising from GM, Ford, and Chrysler 
convinced American auto buyers that they really wanted trucks instead of 
cars.  It helped that they also made trucks much more car-like.

But in general, it's a losing proposition trying to sell people stuff by 
making what YOU think they should want, and then educating them on what it's 
good for and why they should want it. Rather, you sell them stuff by making 
what they already know they want and need.

"Here's a car that costs more than one that runs on gas.  Oh, by the way, 
don't expect to drive it all the places you could drive a gas car.  Sorry."  
That's just not a viable ad campaign.

I'm a longtime fan of EVs, but I also recognize that they''ll never take 
more than a tiny fraction of the vehicle market until one or more of the 
following happen :

1. They match the utility of an equivalent ICEV (including range per 
"tankful")

2. They sell at a price which matches their relatively lower utility

3. They offer something that dramatically and powerfully compensates for the 
utility handicap

4. It abruptly becomes crushingly expensive and/or extremely inconvenient to 
get fuel for an ICEV.

Some ebikes accomplish #2.  Tesla does #1 and #3.  

I know, other EVs accomplish #2 through (potentially) lower fuel and 
maintenance costs.  That works for a few customers, no doubt including most 
of us on the EVDL.  Regrettably, we're in the minority.  Most folks are 
short-sighted and consider only the initial purchase cost.

David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA
EVDL Administrator

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