To the editor: Your article on the problems with evacuating during a fire in an electric vehicle had a glaring omission: Without power, gas stations cannot pump.
We learned this the hard way during the Woolsey fire in November 2018. The fuel gauge on our car was under a quarter tank for a trip that usually takes 20 minutes — but when we evacuated, it lasted five hours.
Every gas station we passed had lost power. Since even hybrids like ours continue to burn gas during stop-and-go traffic, our fuel gauge was steadily dropping. Once we saw flames crest the ridgeline and creep down toward Pacific Coast Highway, our already tense situation became a lot more stressful.
Our experience evacuating in our new EV was completely different. The owner’s manual instructed us to use our home charger when electric rates are lowest and to keep the battery at 20% to 80% of capacity. We also learned that, even in slow traffic, battery usage is negligible: Unlike gas-powered vehicles, EV range isn’t impacted by stop-and-go driving.
Further, those who have solar power can easily recharge their vehicles even when the electric grid is down. And if they have a battery backup, their EVs can continue charging at night.
We’ve now been through multiple evacuations. With our gas-powered hybrid, our stress level went up with every passing minute. With our EV, our stress level dropped to zero.
Scott Tallal, Malibu
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To the editor: Implying that you cannot evacuate safely driving an EV stokes unwarranted fear.
Typical modern EVs have 300 miles of range, more than enough to escape any disaster zone. Living with climate change means you always should keep enough fuel in a gas car or charge in an EV battery to respond to an evacuation order.
In terms of refueling concerns, a long-term power outage is bad for either vehicle. Gas pumps require electricity to function. Furthermore, gas cars emit the carbon that has supercharged the extreme weather patterns that produced the L.A fires.
This is our new reality. It’s devastating.
Fearmongering endangers the public because the more carbon we emit, the more destruction occurs in community after community. Pretending gas-powered cars will keep us safe does a grave disservice to everyone. It means continuing to provoke an angry Mother Nature. We have to stop.
With the current political environment, I’m not surprised to see more EV bashing. But The Times should know better.
Susannah Saunders, San Anselmo, Calif.
