10 things to know about electric vehicles as Sheboygan startup aims to boost charging access
Alex Garner, Sheboygan Press
6 min read
A line of Tesla Superchargers at Taylor Heights as seen, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Sheboygan, Wis.
SHEBOYGAN - More Sheboyganites could consider buying electric vehicles in the future, but they may struggle to find a public place to charge.
Most EV charging stations in the state are concentrated in the Madison and Milwaukee areas. Some local destinations have chargers with long charging times and Festival Foods has fast chargers only compatible with Tesla vehicles.
Jared Soto, manager and founder of Dream Catcher Energies, LLC, said there aren’t enough public fast chargers. The start-up hopes to fix the lack of EV charging infrastructure in the area and maybe the state.
Dream Catcher Energies is still in the early stages, developing charging stations (Konnect Chargers that can charge within 15 minutes to an hour) and creating partnerships with businesses and municipalities.
As the company readies for the future, Soto and an electric vehicle owner share their EV experiences and thoughts on common EV complaints. Here's what they had to say.
1. Why are people buying electric vehicles?
A variety of reasons — like reducing carbon footprint, saving gas money and thrill-seeking.
Soto, who has a 2005 Prius and a 2016 Zero FXS motorcycle, was interested in EVs not only because of environmental interests but also the innovation.
“People growing up said an electric car would be impossible,” Soto said.
Logan Heinrich, a Tesla Model-S owner for almost 10 years, said he saved about $48,000 in gas switching to an EV because he commuted from the Milwaukee area to Sheboygan. However, he added he saved so much because he frequently drove high mileage.
Heinrich considered environmental impact and gas costs when buying a Tesla, but he also thought it was fun.
“I made the mistake of test driving one,” Heinrich said. “You get in, it's like instant torque. It’s stupid fun. It's like a turbocharged golf cart.”
Logan Heinrich, of Wauwatosa, Wis. glances to his Tesla while charging at a Tesla Supercharger spot at Taylor Heights, Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Sheboygan, Wis. Heinrich commutes often from Wauwatosa to Sheboygan, Wis.
2. What are common complaints about EVs?
Among the complaints:
EVs are unsafe, more expensive and less eco-friendly than gas-powered vehicles;
they take too long to charge;
they don’t travel far; and
they have batteries with short lifespans.
3. Are EVs safe?
EVs are generally as safe as gas vehicles because they also have to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA notes EV batteries must go through testing and the vehicles have safety features that can shut down when there is a crash or electrical shortage.
“You do have battery fires, but you also have gasoline fires and the gas tank explosions with internal combustion engine vehicles, which you don't hear about a whole lot,” Soto said.
"Battery fires are nasty and they're gross, but they don't happen that much," he continued.
About 212,500 vehicle fires occurred in 2018, according to most available data from the 2020 National Fire Protection Association. The report said there isn't enough data yet about frequency of EV-related fires.
4. Are EVs really expensive?
Soto said it depends.
Tesla vehicles are more expensive EVs on the market. They range from around $40,000 to more than $100,000, depending on the model.
But cheaper vehicles exist, like the Nissan LEAF (can range around $27,000 to $36,000) and Chevrolet Bolt (can range around $27,000 to $32,000).
5. Are EVs really environmentally friendly?
Generally, total greenhouse gas emissions associated with electrical vehicles (like battery production and power sources) are on average lower than gasoline vehicles.
Battery production may emit more greenhouse gases than gasoline cars in the manufacturing process, but the carbon pollution emitted in a gas car is still higher when looking at total greenhouse gas emissions over the vehicle’s lifetime.
Soto said the area's energy grid (largely coal and natural gas) will likely power Dream Catcher Energies' chargers. He hopes to transfer to solar in the future.
6. Do EVs take a long time to charge?
Soto said not necessarily — it depends on the type of charging station and vehicle.
EV chargers have different charging capacities.
Soto said Level 1 chargers take around 24 hours to charge, Level 2 chargers take around four to eight hours to charge and Level 3 chargers take a few minutes to an hour to charge.
If on empty, it would take Heinrich about an hour to charge his Tesla at the Festival Foods supercharger, but it typically takes him about 30 minutes if he just needs enough battery to get to the next place. He said charging used to take 45 minutes, but the company slowed the charging rate to increase battery life.
7. Do EVs travel far?
The average mileage range for an EV is around 200 to 300 miles while a gas car has an average range of 200 to 400 miles per tank. However, more expensive EVs from BMW and Mercedes can have ranges closer to 350 miles.
Soto said older or cheaper models typically have lower mileage, like the Nissan LEAF. The newest LEAF model can average around 100 to 120 miles combined on city roads and the highway.
Heinrich said non-EV drivers sometimes have “range anxiety” because EVs typically have a lower mileage range.
“Everybody's concerned. They're like, 'It's only got 200 miles, 250 miles of range,' but the average person doesn't drive more than 100 miles a day,” he said.
Heinrich’s Tesla has a 200-mile range, and he’s driven the Tesla on road trips to New Mexico and Pennsylvania.
He said his battery capacity decreased from a range of 270 miles over the past 10 years, which still works for him.
8. Do EV batteries have a short lifespan?
A battery’s lifespan depends on proper care of the vehicle but can last upwards of eight or 10 years.
Soto said his hybrid vehicle and electric motorcycle both have original batteries, almost 20 and 8 years old, respectively.
Avoiding charging above 80% or discharging below 10% can prolong the battery’s use, and warranties and recalls can typically cover costs of battery replacements, Soto said.
9. Where are charging stations in Wisconsin?
ChargeHub shows the type and availability of public charging stations across the U.S.
