5 EV myths that I think should die sooner than later

It should come as no surprise that EV sales have risen over 10% each year since 2014, and even though they might not reach that number in 2026 due to tax credits ending in September, there are still some out there that are unsure about the validity of the platform.

I have my own opinions about how these companies are operating, but there’s no denying that, as a day-to-day vehicle, EV cars are a responsible purchase. However, there are some out there who still believe some things that weren’t even true back when EVs first hit the market well over a decade ago now. A myth is defined as a “widely held but false belief or idea.” If we want to have a good dialogue around EVs, these five myths need to die a quick death sooner than later.

1

“EVs can’t drive in the rain”

Who would make a car that couldn’t?

This first one stems from a pretty basic fear more than anything else — the fear of electricity and water in the same space. I’ll grant that this is warranted. After all, nobody wants to go swimming during a lightning storm for a very good reason, but in that same vein, what manufacturer would make a car that you couldn’t drive in the rain? That makes no sense to me. Sure, I’ve welded a few rear differentials in my time, and those were sketchy in the rain at best, but most EVs are on all-wheel-drive platforms, anyway. There’s quite literally no real difference between using a drill in the rain and what an EV does with its motors.

This fear is more rampant than you might think, though. In a truly shocking study, nearly 20 percent of drivers thought that they couldn’t take an EV through a car wash. Come on, people — we’ve got to be better than that. No car company would produce something that can’t be used in the rain, full stop.

2

“You’ll be stranded without a charger”

They’re more available than you might think

When EVs first hit the market, I’ll relent that the infrastructure simply wasn’t where it needed to be for the vast majority of people. However, this is 2025, and even though some like to think it hasn’t, time always marches on. Now, there are nearly 200,000 public charging stations in the US alone, and nearly every major metropolitan area has a plethora of stations where EV owners can charge up in a hurry. Additionally, most gas stations built to support interstate travel have implemented them along most major highways, making road tripping in an SUV more doable than ever before.

Arguably the best thing about owning an EV, though, is that you can simply opt to charge it yourself at home. Some companies offer free home charger installation with the purchase of an EV, but even if you do have to pay for one out-of-pocket, it sure beats the long-term money you’ll spend on traditional gasoline going from place to place.

3

“EVs are slower than gas cars”

This was never true, and the math backs it up

As someone who grew up going to the racetrack, and still spends quite a lot of time there, I so want this to be true. However, reality has other ideas, as EVs are far and away more impressive than their internal combustion counterparts at just about every turn. The real performance beauty comes when molding the two together, such as what’s being done right now in Formula One, but when it’s a straight-up head-to-head contest between electric and gas power, there really isn’t any competition.

Electricity wins that match-up more times than not. It takes serious firepower to stack up to even basic levels of EV acceleration, and that’s before getting into the high-performance models like the Tesla Model S, Lucid Air or the Rimac line. For instance, Carwow posted a video recently of a Kia EV6 GT, which is by no means a chart-topper in terms of performance, beating a new Lamborghini in a standing 1/4 mile drag race. Don’t believe me? Then it’s a good thing I’ve got evidence.

4

“Cold weather kills your range”

These aren’t AAA batteries we’re talking about

This one is further down the list because, admittedly, freezing temperatures do hamper the EV range, but not nearly as much as some naysayers would have you think. Much like the block heaters in pickup trucks, most EV companies now release cars with heat pump technology to maximize range under even the most strenuously cold circumstances. We’ve talked about this issue before, and there is plenty of room to work around.

In a Recurrent study, researchers found that on models with heat pumps installed, the maximum range dropped by around just 10 percent on some of the most popular EV models on the market, like the Tesla Model X and Model S. While some lower-tier cars like the Volkswagen ID.4 did see a more significant drop-off, it wasn’t tested with a heat pump. Simply put, if you live in an area of the country that regularly sees freezing temperatures in the winter months, buy an EV with a heat pump, and the problem will essentially fix itself. If you have a home charger installed alongside it, you probably wouldn’t even notice a difference in the performance of your car, regardless of temperature.

5

“You can’t tow with an EV”

One look at torque figures will tell a much different story

For a while, EVs were limited to the sedan and SUV space, which led some to believe that towing with an EV was a futile venture. However, that could not be further from the truth in 2025. In fact, there are now brands on the market, like Rivian, that solely produce EV trucks and SUVs designed to fit into a more rugged lifestyle than the traditional EV buyer lives. Major automotive brands like General Motors and Ford also produce full-sized pickup trucks in EV form now with astounding torque figures.

This is a myth that simply isn’t founded in logic anymore.

I’m not sure how much more proof we need that some of these myths need to go by the wayside. In 2025, it still feels like EVs are battling the same things that they did at their inception, despite making big strides towards being a more consumer-friendly option off the lot. I’m by no means the biggest proponent of EVs that there is on the planet, but if we ever want to have a real, open discussion about their validity, we need to get our facts straight, and these five myths are preventing anyone from doing just that.