Kelly Willett has been driving a Tesla Model Y for about six months, and that made her 18 miles from Anchorage to Eagle River that much more enjoyable.
While driving down Glenn Highway on a recent afternoon, he showed off the car’s instantaneous torque, a common feature in electric vehicles.
“And then, of course, the acceleration on the road is nice, it’s probably my favorite, or one of my favorite [parts],” he said. and safely. “
Willett is part of a small, developing network of electric vehicle owners in Alaska.
The Biden administration needs that number to grow particularly across the country in the coming years. It proposes strict new pollutant limits that would require up to two-thirds of new cars sold in the U. S. to be sold in the U. S. In the U. S. , the U. S. is electric until 2032. This can cause disruption. in Alaska, where EV infrastructure is minimal, but local owners say that, in most cases, it’s already simple enough to get around in one.
“It’s been a wonderful car so far,” Willett said. “I like the generation and the driving, and the fact that there is no maintenance. The only maintenance I have for the car is to put windshield washer fluid on it. And that’s it. “
Willett stockpiled for more than 10 years to buy his Model Y. She’s been interested in the sustainability movement since studying biology in college, but says she’s also fed up with the maintenance costs of her Subaru.
She said the car fits her Alaskan lifestyle perfectly. Willett does cycling, ice climbing and hunting, with his dog Nala, who was lying in the trunk area.
The Chugach Electric Association estimates that there are more than 2300 electric cars (including plug-in hybrids) on Alaskan roads. That’s still a small part of the total number of cars, but in Anchorage alone, that number has risen as much as 120% since then. June 2021.
Dimitri Shein is the director of the Alaska Electric Vehicle Association, a nonprofit that advocates for electric vehicle infrastructure in Alaska. He said electric cars are the next evolution of driving.
“People like to link electric cars to the environmental movement. But I think at some point you realize that the explanation for why electric cars are becoming popular and mainstream is that they offer anything else and offer convenience and utility. “said. ” And they’re fundamentally bigger cars. “
But Alaska’s notoriously long, freezing winters can be problematic for electric cars. Batteries don’t work as well in the cold. Shein said winter temperatures can deplete some EV batteries by more than 30 percent. Miles, he said loss is not a problem, especially for commuting.
“When I drive my car in the summer, I can probably go 3 days without plugging in my car at home to qualify it overnight,” he said. “And when I drive in winter, I have to plug it in every day or two. “, depending on how much he has driven and how bloodless he is. “
He, compared to plugging in his car with charging his phone at night, is as undeniable as that.
Of course, charging that big battery increases your electric bill. But Chugach Electric’s app estimates it costs less than a fraction of the cost of filling an average car with gas.
Sean Skaling is Senior Director of Business Development at Chugach. He said electric cars are also to blame for about 60% less carbon emissions, although the app still relies primarily on fossil fuels to generate electricity.
“Electric cars put most of the inherent energy stored in the battery on a drive ahead, whereas a gasoline vehicle, there are safe estimates, and it’s a range, but let’s say like 25 percent of the inherent price of fuel, the price is going to move the car,” he said.
“And the rest is largely heat waste. Part of this occurs when you brake, waste heat, use friction brakes to brake, and then regenerate electrical energy to put back into the battery for later use. Therefore, the cars themselves are much more efficient.
Attempting a long-distance adventure, especially in winter, can be challenging, as the state has a handful of fast chargers along the rail belt. But Skaling said there’s more to it than you think. He said a colleague drove 1,200 miles across the state. during a recent weekend.
“He went to Anchorage, Homer, Fairbanks, Glennallen, Anchorage, all in one weekend. I used ten high-speed chargers,” he said. I mean, this is just evidence that I think we’re in more of a position than most people think. There are many more charging stations than you think.
Skaling said there are 12 active fast-charging stations on Alaska’s road network lately, but many more are on the way thanks to $52 million in recently approved federal infrastructure funding. Chargers