My family and I were traveling when we were passed by a gasoline-powered truck pulling a sickeningly eco-green colored trailer with an EV truck on it. Why was this new super-duper environmentally friendly truck being towed by the environmentally “destroying” gasoline-powered vehicle? A little research revealed the answer. The driver was towing his super-duper truck because this is the tried-and-true way to get an electric vehicle from one location to another.
Comparing EV trucks to gasoline-powered trucks, the contrast is shocking. While the Ford F-150 Lightning EV truck’s claimed range is 320 miles, the range is actually closer to 270 miles. Thus, according to the Pickup Truck Talk website, the rig must “stop every 3.5 hours, find a charger, make sure the charger works, and then wait an inconsistent amount of time (chargers have different rates of charge) to get back on the road again.” Claimed charging time is 30-45 minutes. EV advocates allege this is the same amount of time to fill a gasoline-powered vehicle. Additionally, they say “nobody fully charges.” On trips, I always fill my gas tank in far less than 40 minutes.
Of course, everything changes during cold winter months. Lightning’s range drops 35% during freezing conditions due to heating the cabin, reducing the range to 175.5 miles. Conventional internal combustion engines use engine heat to warm the cabin.
Trucks are purchased to haul things. The Lightning driving range decreases 24.5% carrying 20 bags of concrete mix (~1,400 pounds), dropping the range to around 204 miles. During freezing weather, this range drops to 133 miles.
Then of course there is vacation season. A Lightning was compared to a GMC Sierra 1500 half-ton gas-powered 6.2-liter V-8 truck. Hitched to identical 6,000-pound campers, the Sierra’s driving range was 280 miles, while the Lightning’s driving range reduced immediately to 160 miles, but it “barely made it 88 miles before requiring a charge.” “Sucking down the electricity much faster than anticipated, the data offered on the screen in the EV truck didn’t show accurate range estimates.”
Traveling with electric trucks is termed “nerve-wracking and frustrating.” It was stated, “Imagine stopping every 100 miles or less with a nearly dead battery.”
Please note that “most charging stations aren’t set up for pull-through charging.” This means on your “vacation,” before your 30-45 minute wait to recharge every 88 miles, you will also “enjoy” unhitching your trailer to charge your EV. What fun!
In a Detroit to Denver drive, an EV driver paid ~$193 for charging, which took more than 5 hours. Fuel for the gasoline-powered vehicle cost about $300, but saved 5 hours. So, the gas-powered vehicle’s trip cost $107 dollars more, but the EV added over 5 additional hours to the trip. You have to decide which is more important, time or money.
However, according to the Anderson Economic Group, “In Q4 2022, typical mid-priced ICE [Internal Combustion Engine] car drivers paid about $11.29” for fuel for 100 miles of driving. This was “~$0.31 cheaper than the amount paid by mid-priced EV drivers charging mostly at home, and over $3 less than the cost borne by comparable EV drivers charging commercially.”
Concerning charging the EV, we have a new expression to add to our society, which is “the range of anxiety.” This is when your vehicle is saying, “I need a charge,” and you are trying desperately to find a charging station before you run out of juice. My understanding is that these charging stations can be hard to find and are often are in places you don’t want to be.
By the way, your EV truck will probably cost about $20,000 more than a comparable gas-powered truck. Also, EV batteries typically only last 100,000 miles. If you ever need to replace your battery, they cost $15,000-$23,000. Are EVs supposed to be considered disposable?
While all this seems bad for the future of EV trucks, it’s actually worse when you research personal testimonies. One Lightning owner said he bought his vehicle because that’s considered “responsible citizenship these days.” After purchasing his $80,000 EV truck, and paying over $10,000 for a home charger, he took his family for a 1,400-mile trip from Winnipeg, Canada to Chicago. His first recharging stop took 2 hours to recharge from 10% to 90%. At his second recharging stop, he found the charger was dysfunctional. So, he traveled to another station. It, too, was dysfunctional. Then he noted that his family was “really worried and stressed at this point.” With only 12 eco-friendly-miles left, he had to tow his EV to a Ford dealership where he rented a gasoline-powered vehicle to complete his “vacation.” He stated EVs are the “biggest scam of modern times.”
Even Ford’s CEO drove a Lightning truck on a trip and said it was a “reality check.” He further stated, “Charging has been pretty challenging.” Charging to 40% took 40 minutes, meaning a 90% charge would have taken an hour and a half.
Then there’s that other issue. Remember after Hurricane Ian where EVs were “exploding all over Florida” when salt water mixed with electricity? The extremely hot fires from these explosions are almost inextinguishable. It takes 3,000-8,000 gallons of water to extinguish an EV fire. Comparatively, it takes 1,000 gallons of water to extinguish a gas-powered car fire. What about water conservation?
Are these explosions just a rare salt-water induced problem? In New York there have been 108 lithium-ion battery fires reported this year, injuring “66 people and [killing] 13.” In 2022, over 200 fires from batteries on e-bikes, EVs and other devices have occurred. One fire killed four people and left two others in critical conditions. “In just three years, lithium-ion battery fires have surpassed those started by cooking and smoking as the most common causes of fatal fires in New York City.”
If you purchase one of these super-duper trucks, don’t forget to purchase your explosion suit and fire extinguisher. Also, don’t forget to purchase your EV’s sickeningly green trailer, so everyone will know how environmentally conscious you are, as you tow your electric truck with your gasoline-powered truck. Vroom vroom.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
