Friends and family act uninterested, almost hostile, toward my car

[hankanddara]

I've had my 2015 FFE for exactly one week, and to say that I LOVE it would be an understatement! Yet, I feel the indifference that you talk about among my coworkers. I think, to be fair, they see yet another 4 door mid-size sedan exactly like their Accord, Camry, Altima, Malibu, etc, etc.

 

Most of them don't understand (or care about) all of the geeky, cool, techno stuff that makes me love this car, and when I show them the full gas gauge and explain that I've driven 600 miles without buying any gas, they're either mildly impressed, or say something like, "Wait till you see your power bill!"

 

Whatever. I love it, and don't really care what they think. I'm sure they get excited about stuff I don't care about too.

[howardbc]

Hi, hankanddara. Welcome to the forum! Congratulations on buying a very special car. You will find great information here on this forum from other very enthusiastic FFE owners.

 

I was glad to see your post, but at the same time very sad to be reminded that the general public still acts so strangely towards the FFE and its great technology. I hate to tell you, but the reaction you saw from your co-workers is not uncommon. You are being kind to describe them as just being uninterested.

 

I will have owned my 2013 FFE for 2 years in about 1 month and unfortunately the snide remarks and sometimes downright hostility have not changed one bit. Like you, I was so excited about my car that I couldn't imagine anyone else NOT being at least slightly interested. But that has been the case. Even my own brother-in-law, who knows cars very well, has to this day refused to even sit in my car – far less let me show him some of the neat things it does. My daughter and her husband also act as if they are just not interested – when I know they're very interested in other cars.

 

I think the amount of feigned disinterest and/or hostility depends on what part of the country you live in and the political climate there. I live in a very conservative city, but I would expect California to be more open-minded. Plus many folks just don't accept the reality of climate change, so I try to “sell” them on the money-saving side of the FFE. The level of ignorance among the general public about plug-in cars (hybrids and EVS) is really quite appalling. Sadly that includes many car sales people.

 

Fortunately there is a car club (the Electric Auto Assn) in my area and they have been a wonderful go-to source. One of the members told me that I am taking people out of their comfort zone when I tell them about my car. After almost 2 years, I just don't even bring it up anymore unless the person acts REALLY interested. And sometimes that does happen. I'll never forget the blue-collar guy in a pickup in a grocery store parking lot who asked me so many great questions.

 

I am really surprised to have never seen an article about what you and I (and many others) have experienced. I would love to hear what a psychiatrist might have to say about people like your co-worker who said “Wait till you see your power bill.” I call people like that the “Yeah, but”-ers. They don't bother to look up the facts. They just want to drop a t*rd in your punchbowl. (Sorry, but these people really make me quite angry.)

 

By the way, depending on your utility company, etc, it might cost around 50-60 cents to recharge your car. About the same as plugging in a refrigerator or space heater for 5-6 hours. (Fellow forum members, please correct me if needed.) You'll continue to hear the same old “Buts” like “Yeah, but what happens when your battery needs replacing.” Hello, my car doesn't run on alkaline batteries. And there are still some 2000 Priuses (with old NiMH batteries) that are still running.

 

I have solar panels on my roof and so they provide most of my power for my house and my FFE. Also, you can buy “green” power from some sources so that you aren't powering your car with dirty coal.

 

Sorry to go on for so long, but just know that you are not alone. We are pioneers as far as plug-in hybrids go, and we know we have something special. If you didn't own a regular hybrid before your FFE, you will learn the amazing way you can create your own “miles” just by braking gently. Your “free” miles are not done once the initial battery charge runs out. Try the trip meter and it will show you how many miles you get even after the first charge runs out.

 

By the way, I always get close to, or over, 1000 miles out of a tank of gas. I drive an average of 32 miles a trip, and almost 85% of those miles are electric. I will need to fill up in a day or so because I have company coming. But hey, I haven't filled up since November!

 

All the best to you.  

[Doug0716]

I still don't understand why you guys care so much if people are interested in your car?  If they don't want to hear about it then don't push it on them.  Doing so will just cause them to associate more negative feelings with both you and your vehicle.  It's kinda like the people that keep walking around with assault rifles because open carry is legal in their area... sure they're legally allowed to do it but all it does is make the people that are on the fence about gun owners think we're all a bunch of over the top nuts. 

 

I've had coworkers that were super interested in my car and I've had some that don't care much and give me the "electric bill" comment.  I just said "yeah, it costs money to charge it, but it's still 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of gas for that time and I hate spending time at the gas station.", there's nothing left to argue, they can take the information and do what they want with it.  Then when they tell me about their next vehicle is probably going to be a gas guzzling truck I engage them positively and ask them why they're leaning that way.  Everybody walks away happy, knows a bit more about each other and a bit more about the vehicle options out there.

[jeff_h]

I still don't understand why you guys care so much if people are interested in your car?  If they don't want to hear about it then don't push it on them.  Doing so will just cause them to associate more negative feelings with both you and your vehicle.

 

Well put - reminds me of a South Park episode from several years ago where some of the town's drivers wanted to fight "smog" and ended up polluting the town with "smug"... which may be what these co-workers could think about EV/PHEV owners if the owners are being pushy about the concept.  I've often been questioned "yeah but what about the electricity cost?" which some are truly wondering about while others are using as a retort -- to that I just tell them that based on my electricity rates that whatever I use on electric/battery runs the equivalent of about $1.20 per gallon in gas, and with that they can relate.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxBje9jSyIM

[lonzo71]

I now know what you mean.

Got my first hater today.

Funny thing is we had just been discussing the fruits of the Spirit with family.

A jeep- took his front tire and placed it on my rear tire to pin me in.

I took pictures cause it looked like he may have hit my wheelwell.

First I had to locate him and when I did I told him his vehicle may have rolled forward and hit mine. He told me he had done it on purpose. He was not impressed with the way I had parked to represent the Energi.... I wasn't violating any traffic laws and was legally parked. Then I politely ask him to move his vehicle cause I could not get out. I wasn't about to try and cause vehicle damage. I told him I didn't think it was necessary to hit my vehicle(rim only has his tire marks on it).

I had let him know I am an ordained minister after he cursed at me, plus he looked to me like he was just wanting a fight. I was trying to keep the peace, joy, love, goodness, gentleness, and TEMPERANCE .......my children were watching. I considered calling the police, but did not since it doesn't seem, once he moved, any damage was done.

I left more concerned about his soul and what his spouse must regularly endure then for the Energi.

Maybe he isn't originally from here....... since Virginia is for Lovers.

I would have called the cops, its called road rage and if he did it to you, maybe the next person will get it worse. I understand taking the higher road and all, but sometimes, by doing it, it gets passed along and that other person could get hurt or killed because nobody took it that serious. Next time, please call the cops.

[stevedebi]

I now know what you mean.

Got my first hater today.

Funny thing is we had just been discussing the fruits of the Spirit with family.

A jeep- took his front tire and placed it on my rear tire to pin me in.

I took pictures cause it looked like he may have hit my wheelwell.

First I had to locate him and when I did I told him his vehicle may have rolled forward and hit mine. He told me he had done it on purpose. He was not impressed with the way I had parked to represent the Energi.... I wasn't violating any traffic laws and was legally parked. Then I politely ask him to move his vehicle cause I could not get out. I wasn't about to try and cause vehicle damage. I told him I didn't think it was necessary to hit my vehicle(rim only has his tire marks on it).

I had let him know I am an ordained minister after he cursed at me, plus he looked to me like he was just wanting a fight. I was trying to keep the peace, joy, love, goodness, gentleness, and TEMPERANCE .......my children were watching. I considered calling the police, but did not since it doesn't seem, once he moved, any damage was done.

I left more concerned about his soul and what his spouse must regularly endure then for the Energi.

Maybe he isn't originally from here....... since Virginia is for Lovers.

You had a civic obligation to turn this guy in - if he didn't move. It is just a matter of time until he does something dangerous. It is part of what Paul talked about when he said we have to fulfill our duties to the authorities.  Since he moved, I believe you did the right thing. But it is important for your kids to know that being a Christian doesn't mean being a push over, nor does it mean being pushy.

[howardbc]

I don't flag strangers down and tackle them and force them to listen to me talk about my car. In the beginning I assumed that friends and family would at least be interested in the fuel-savings and the new technology of a plugin hybrid.  

 

There's more going on here than just people acting like they're not interested. Like I said in my last post, I don't even mention my car to anyone unless they ask me about it and appear to be genuinely interested. 

[flyingcheesehead]

Interesting. I haven't had that problem at all - Friends and family alike were very interested when I bought the car, and some of them still ask how it's going now that I've had it for a bit.

 

Of course, I'm a geek and so are most of my friends, and some family members! In fact, when my brother was in college, he and his friends would compete not to see who could get from point A to point B fastest, but who could get there using the least fuel!

 

Most people don't care about technology. Most people do care about money. I tell people it's roughly equivalent to $2/gal gas: I pay about 14 cents/kWh so it's about $1 to charge up and I'm getting about 20 miles/charge and 40 mpg in hybrid mode in the cold weather so that dollar is having the same effect as about a half gallon of gas. Share your numbers with them and they might find it interesting.

 

Or, they might rather talk about the weather, or their boat, or something you have no interest in. I end up being very quiet in some conversations because I find most people's lives a lot more boring than my own! :D I like adventure and I'd rather talk about how I recently flew myself over the Grand Canyon (I'm a pilot for fun) when there was a rainstorm nearby that caused a rainbow to appear over the canyon than about how their kid got sick or they like to mow the lawn or whatever. But, I don't think everyone shares my enthusiasm for aviation or technology or efficiency or any of the other things I'm into. You'd be surprised how many people don't really find much of anything interesting, and don't even really pay attention to what's going on in the world around them. Not much you can do for those people - Let them continue to exist, while you continue to live. :)

[shaggy314]

My quick answer for the electric bill is short and easy. My previous car got over 32 miles to the gallon and I had a monthly $130 gasoline bill. It is now $10. My electric bill went up $20 a month. So... Over $100 in my pocket every month.

 

I have two friends that let me charge at their house when there. After 6 months or so of offering to give them the $.80 it costs at most to fully charge... they tell me not to worry about it, having never accepted. I bring them beer. I even got one to buy a CMax.