Life is getting a lot easier for electric vehicle drivers — and for those who are considering investing in the technology.
Charging infrastructure is growing in numbers in the United States thanks to increased government investment, improving refueling access and reducing range anxiety. Meanwhile, incentives such as the Inflation Reduction Act are helping people access tax credits and discounts to make the cost of buying a tailpipe-pollution-free vehicle much more affordable.
However, anti-EV sentiment apparently persists among drivers of gas-guzzling machines.
In a Reddit post, shared with the r/electricvehicles community, one user detailed a bad experience while driving their Ford F-150 Lightning, the electric alternative to the popular dirty-fuel-powered pickup truck.
"Has anyone experienced road rage from driving an EV?" they titled the post, adding in the caption: "I had an F250 that was rolling coal and tried to run me off the road today. The irony is I have the least EV looking EV [with] an F150 Lightning. Anyone else experienced something similar?"
For those unfamiliar, "rolling coal" refers to the act of purposefully sending out a cloud of smog from a vehicle's tailpipe, achieved when drivers modify a diesel engine.
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This black cloud filled with toxins and particulate matter is often directed toward EVs on the road, but cyclists have also been the victims of this irresponsible act.
It's thought this is a form of protest toward perceived environmentally friendly actions. Drivers who love their internal combustion engine cars are apparently threatened by the rise of the electric vehicle as well as efforts to reduce the production of planet-warming pollution by avoiding cars entirely.
Sadly, other Redditors had also witnessed or been the victims of similar incidents.
"I had a friend tell me … this exact same story just the other day," one user said. "I wonder if you're the same person?"
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"The Lightning is absolutely the target for traditional truck owners," another added. "It's an offense that hits close to home, on their turf. It'll happen more and more."
But incidents such as this are not deterring EV purchases. According to the International Energy Agency, nearly one in five cars sold worldwide in 2023 were electric, with a year-on-year increase of 35% compared to 2022.
With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reporting that 28% of planet-warming emissions in the nation were from the transportation sector in 2022, this is encouraging news as we try to halt the rate of rising temperatures — which are increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, damaging crop production, and affecting animal habitats.
The actions of some drivers — who maybe haven't yet found out the benefits of EVs, such as lower refueling costs and reduced maintenance — will not stop the charge. Sooner or later, ICE drivers will be in the minority as we move toward a cleaner planet, and more than likely, a lot of the critics will become converts when they actually test-drive an electric model and realize it's not the threatening bogeyman they think it is.
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