People who, these days, dig in their heels against electric vehicles remind me a little of Charlton Heston.
No, I'm not talking about his dystopian 1973 movie of a future, "Soylent Green" (set in 2022, by the way), in which the world's natural resources have been exhausted and everyone has to eat little personalized crackers.
I'm referring to when Heston, as a leader of the National Rifle Association, ended a speech by raising a musket above his head and declaring enemies of guns could have his when they pried it from his "cold, dead hands." It was dramatic, like Moses descending from Mount Sinai, but with only the Second Amendment chiseled in stone.
OK, so what's the connection to electric vehicles?
I was cruising through my Facebook account the other day when a someone I know urges "Don't buy an electric car." She was astonished anyone would consider it and cited her experience from 40 or so years ago with a gas-powered sports car that had all sorts of electrical problems. Thus, electric cars are a horrible idea.
Her comments seemed rooted in the notion that someone is going to force Americans to buy electric vehicles. And I've heard from others in our state who sound prepared to give up their gas-powered vehicle when ... well, yeah, back to the whole cold, dead fingers thing.
I had to shop twice in the last 18 months for new vehicles, one for a kid going off (if the University of Arkansas counts as "off") to college and secondly for a high school student whose hand-me-down vehicle was totaled. At least during that experience, I didn't see any salesmen twisting people's arms to get them into an electric vehicle. In fact, we couldn't even find a hybrid (gas plus electric) vehicle to buy. Gas-powered cars are still king of the hill.
But I don't get the antagonism toward other people buying electric cars when they decide it's the right choice for their transportation needs. Is it because Democrats seem more focused on promoting alternative energy and electric transportation? Is an electric car akin to political treason if you're Republican?
Owning or not owning an electric car ought not be a political decision. It's as simple as buying a pickup truck, a sedan or a boat: Buy the one that best suits your needs.
I don't suggest every aspect of electric cars has been worked out, but the technology for them is more advanced than ever. I don't have an electric car. I drive a pickup. But should I ever decide to get a Tesla or some other electric vehicle, what's the harm to you, if you're one of those who want to be antagonistic about them?
I switched to an electric lawnmower a few years back. I'll never go back to the messy gas and oil engines. My lawnmower gets the job done, and a lot more quietly. If I were bush-hogging 20 acres, electric might not be my choice. What's the line from the old commercial? "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." Well, don't hate me because I'm electric.
I'm awaiting my electric bicycle's arrival, too. Why? Because they're incredibly fun to ride. And if I can ride it to work or elsewhere from time to time, so much the better that I'm not burning gas. And even with electric peddle assist to help get up Fayetteville's hills, I can still get some exercise but not end up gasping in a roadside ditch.
Elon Musk said people will buy electric cars when they match the convenience of the gas-powered car. That hasn't, for most people, happened yet. But I won't look askance at my neighbor if it works for him or her.
More power to them.