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The other night a commentator appeared who believes that seniors should be driving EVs; Don’t think so say ICE vehicle owners

Just because someone has a bright idea about seniors and EVs doesn’t mean they want to hear it
Posted: February 16, 2024 - 8:48PM
Author: Marc Stern
Ford Fusion On The Road -- Not Everyone Needs An EV

Seniors Don’t Want EVs

Lately, I have been taking a closer look at “EVs” for seniors, and the only thing I can think of after looking at this thought is that there are no good EVs for seniors. The reason is that they don’t need them.

Sidebar Story: Who says everyone needs a different car? Subaru has a number fo vehicles to look it is just expensive.

Look at some seniors driving their internal combustion-engined vehicles during the week. Most of the trips are small – to the market, drugstore, or doctor. Indeed, does a senior whose driving range may be minimal need a brand-new EV? Indeed, is there any reason for the owner of a perfect ICE vehicle to get involved with a new EV,

After studying this issue from as many sides as possible, I came away feeling that there is no good reason for anyone who owns or nearly owns a good ICE vehicle to get rid of it. Let’s face it, the ICE vehicle won’t be driven that far, and if it is driven, it will be driven for relatively short distances.

The reason I am looking at this particular item of the automotive world was a quote by a – no-doubt serious fellow – who believes seniors “need” EVs. After talking with residents of the senior village where I live I came away with the feeling that most car owners in the village will continue to drive their ICE vehicles.

A Key Economic Reason

One of the key reasons is just economic. One family of seniors owns a vehicle nearly down to the ground. They are only one of two payments from reclaiming the title to the vehicle and owning it down to the ground.

The person pushing EVs for seniors believes that they are becoming “more and more affordable” for seniors. Ah, he’s the thing of this argument. When you stack up the number of “affordable” EVs, they are not that affordable. Or, to put it in the words of the owner of a 2017 ICE vehicle, “Why would I invest all that extra money in an EV? The only reason would be to help clear a vehicle from a dealer’s inventory.

It isn’t up to seniors to help move a dealer’s inventory. It is up to the dealer to set things up so that folks who can afford EVs can buy them.

One of the biggest reasons that the person is pushing this silliness for EVs for seniors is that he believes they are affordable. Most seniors don't seem to agree. A Maverick is a nice rock-solid vehicle

Let’s Look Closely at the Situation

Let’s look at this before we move along. Right now, most EVs are in the upper-30/lower-40 range. That is the wall that ICE engine vehicle owners face when a guy like the one who is pushing EVs for seniors makes his claim.

After talking with 8 or 10 neighbors here, they have a message for the guy pushing EVs for seniors. It’s not a kindly message either. It comes down to leaving us alone with your EV advocacy. We can’t afford them, and we don’t have to worry about them for the foreseeable future.

Indeed, it will take lots of messaging to get an ICE engine car owner to give up that adorable vehicle. That’s it.

Ford Motor Photo

Marc Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in venues including Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and others. You can follow Marc on Twitter or Facebook.

 

 

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