To the editor:

In the rush to replace our dirty old gas-powered cars and trucks, some things were overlooked, which are now being exposed – the drivers.

The performance of EV units being quite similar to turning on a light bulb – “click” and its full acceleration at the first touch on the throttle regardless of other traffic, road conditions and weather, too, and EV drivers are causing a high number of accidents due to this lack of experience.

Weight is another danger, as amongst similar models, an EV unit will weigh 1,000 pounds more than the gas-powered model, and according to government records, in case of accidents, a simple “fender bender” often becomes a death scene. Logic says the heavyweight thumps the lightweight.

Then there is the budget-busting cost of battery replacement necessary after so many recharge cycles. When the total process of manufacturing and disposal of these batteries along with the cost to establish a network of recharging stations is added up, what is the end result on our environment and climate? Will the results accomplish what has been promised?

Batteries are just power storage units, and that charge in the batteries has to be produced somewhere by some electric power company fueled by coal, gas, oil, wind, solar – forget nuclear as that process from mine to reactor to waste disposal is the dirtiest for the environment and most expensive for all taxpayers. But there is more life for our old fuel-powered units as redesigned engines of 50 mpg and higher are ready and likely will hit the markets soon.

What about the energy problems that we hear nothing about, such as the normal efficiencies of power stations of around 25% and burning 245 tons of coal each hour and more losses of about 25% in the power distribution system — all before it gets to the customers so overall the power grid is much less efficient than the oil refineries and your old gas-fueled vehicle.

And what happens to the power grid if EVs reach just 30% of all cars and trucks on the roads? Complete meltdown. Many farmers and people living in rural areas have long ago found it wise to invest in gen-sets providing power so that 24/7 farm chores and rural living suffer little or no interruptions and losses.

Today, gen-sets are required for hospitals and extended care facilities, and now, many publicly used office buildings and major stores and apartment complexes are adding gen-sets as budgets allow. When possible, new EV owners might wisely add gen-sets to their list of “must-have items.” From recent published articles comes more bad news that with the first few attacks, the radicals have revealed how exposed and vulnerable the power grid is to destructive actions. The floodgates of widespread outages are wide open. Hello, terrorists.

John Richcreek, Seymour