What's the worst place in the USA to own an electric car?

Photo above - aftermarket "go in the snow" accessory kit for the Tesla Model 3. I want to invest in the company that makes these if Maine succeeds in mandating electric vehicles . . .

What's the worst place in the USA to own an electric car? People are jumping up and down, screaming with excitement: “Call on me, professor, I know !!!!” Technically, everyone who answered Alaska IS correct. Cold weather is the kryptonite of lithium-ion batteries (so is recharging them - they occasionally catch fire). When it gets below 32 degrees, EV owners never get the range and battery durability they were promised. But let's confine this "worst EV state" quiz to the lower 48. And the answer is . . . Maine. (see link at bottom)

Democrat legislators in Maine just postponed their new law to require everyone to use electric cars. Democrats! Are THEY now also traitors to the cause? Actually, it appears some legislators couldn't even get to the state capitol to vote, because large swaths of Maine are still trying to get electric power restored. The culprit was a RAINSTORM, not a blizzard. But don't worry, blizzards are coming too. When you get huge amounts of ice and snow, the power might go out for a LOT longer. Because ice covered trees . . .

So Maine's electric car mandate is being delayed. At least until the lights come back on. Outages still dominate the front page of The Bangor Daily New, (Maine's largest newspaper, 39,000 paid subscribers, when it's not a blizzard). Once the Bangor News front page pivots back to ice fishing, THEN electric cars – and snowmobiles – could be on the agenda again.

“Pineys” (Maine is the Pine Tree State) shouldn't be blamed for the mischief that takes place in their capitol Augusta. Augusta doesn't even have its own newspaper. They read the “Waterville Sentinel”, with about half the circulation of the Bangor News. State politicians in the capitol probably rejoice that they have no official newspaper.

You'd think someone in Maine would have been watching national TV or have internet access, though. California is in the news a lot because wildfires keep kneecapping the electric grid, and putting rural residents at risk of being burned to a crisp because they can't charge their Teslas and make a quick getaway as the flames approach. In California, if you don't live on a bus route, and you want an electric car, you'd be wise to pay up for a solar roof, too.

Maine doesn't get that much sunlight. The sun will set before 4pm there today. But that's hardly relevant, because it's also cloudy most of the winter. And Maine's not a big candidate for wind farms, unless the few days of the year it's a Nor'easter are taken into account. Are Teslas good in the snow? The jury is out. The Cybertruck was recently mocked for getting stuck in about 6 inches of fresh powder. It apparently has 5.8 inches of ground clearance (this is true - stop laughing).

I'm neither for or against electric cars, or solar panels, or wind farms. I think they should all be in the mix, as consumers (taxpayers/voters) decide. That's NOT what's happening in Maine – or in Washington DC. Career politicians with law degrees - and who can't name the two atoms which are needed to make snow - are deciding how electricity will be generated. And that electric power also MUST replace everything else we depend on today - pronto!! Except maybe when it rains or snows . . .?

I'm just sayin' . . .

Maine delays key vote on phasing out gas-powered vehicles (bangordailynews.com)

joe438 · 61-69, M

When they catch on fire though, can't you have a heat exchanger in your garage to heat your house? 😃

As you noted, cold weather is the worst problem for the car, and a lack of charging stations would be a deal breaker. Areas that have few stations far apart would also be a terrible place for an electric. You stated it nicely - it's fine to put them in the mix and let consumers decide whether it's a solution that works for them. I've been in a few and the only one that I thought seemed like a well made car was the Leaf. Friends who have Teslas complain about the build quality (seats coming apart, etc). I'd be curious about the Ford Lightning truck is I was a truck person and had cash to spare but I haven't seen one up close.

What seems to be happening in the Boston suburbs is that the availability of more reliable batteries and motors is making the electric bike the vehicle of choice for a lot of commuters. The market finds a way to settling - maybe the inane push of the electric cars is going to get more of us on bikes.

RunTheJulz · 46-50, F

@SusanInFlorida both extremes affect your battery 🪫 health in lithium ion batteries but heat is far more dangerous as the batteries become more unstable and susceptible to fire 🔥 via the cascading effect of insufficient cooling or so I’m told by my electrical engineer friend. I’d rather drive a nuclear powered car than a Tesla but I’m happy with gas powered and reduced usage and cycling whenever possible. But that’s just me.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@RunTheJulz when i bought my new phone (samsung S24+) the AT&T clerk gave me some disclaimer NOT to charge it beyond 80%, or let it drop below 20%. evidently both of those cause accelerated battery degradation. So in effect I have only 60% of the advertised battery capacity.