Photo Credit: iStockIf you own an electric vehicle, you may already have run into a frustrating misconception: some people still insist an EV is somehow "not a real car."That was the complaint one BMW IX owner recently brought to Reddit. "How do you respond to people that think electric cars are not real cars?" the user wrote in a post in r/electricvehicles. The BMW owner wrote that people they knew kept knocking the IX for being quiet and for running on electricity rather than gasoline. The poster pushed back, noting that the SUV "can utterly obliterate most cars on the road" while also delivering instant torque and advanced tech.AdvertisementAdvertisement"A lot of these guys don't even know how to change their windshield wiper fluid, but act like mechanics from Mad Max," the original poster wrote. "They'd also never go back to gas if they spent a week driving an electric car and had the proper charging infrastructure." The thread drew hundreds of comments from drivers who said they had experienced similar conversations. Many Redditors shared the same advice: not every debate is worth having, and sometimes it's best to let people hold different opinions."The world is full of people with wrong opinions. Pick your battles," one user wrote. A few commenters suggested that this kind of criticism says more about cultural resistance than any real understanding of EVs.AdvertisementAdvertisementOne person wrote, "I've driven and owned both types - have you?" while another said many anti-EV critics "don't know what they're missing."The exchange reflects a broader reality for EV owners. Even as electric vehicles become more mainstream, some of the pushback remains emotional rather than practical.Commenters pointed to everyday costs, convenience, and performance.Several commenters mentioned fuel savings first. One said gas was "nearly 5 dollars a gallon," and they were happy not to need it. Another wrote, "I haven't bought gasoline since 2019." Others described EV driving as costing less per mile than gas-powered cars.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe performance angle also came up often. Some longtime drivers of manual and automatic gas cars said EVs still feel deeply engaging to drive, especially because of their quick acceleration.Commenters suggested focusing on lower fuel costs, less maintenance, quiet operation, or the fun of instant torque. One person joked that an EV is "like a toy car" only in the sense that it has "almost zero running or maintenance cost."These comments reflect a common sentiment among EV owners: once they make the switch, many have little interest in returning to gas-powered vehicles. Lower maintenance requirements, reduced fueling costs, quieter operation, and the instant torque that delivers quick acceleration all contribute to an ownership experience that many drivers find both more affordable and more enjoyable over time.Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
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