A Canadian man is calling electric vehicles the "biggest scam of modern times" after his frustrating experience with an electric truck.
Dalbir Bala, who lives in the Winnipeg area, bought a Ford F150 Lightning EV in January for $115,000, plus tax. He told FOX Business he needed the vehicle for his work, but also wanted something suitable for recreational activities such as driving to his cabin or going fishing. He also wanted an environmentally friendly vehicle as owning one is "responsible citizenship these days."
But Bala was quickly hit with the reality of owning and operating an EV soon after the purchase. The vehicle compelled him to install two charges – one at work and one at home – for $10,000. To accommodate the charger, he had to upgrade his home’s electric panel for $6,000.
In all, Bala spent more than $130,000 – plus tax.
Not long after the purchase, Bala got into a minor accident which, he said, required "light assembly" on the front bumper. Bala took the vehicle to the body shop and did not get it back for six months. He said no one from Ford answered his email or phone calls for help.
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The limitations of the EV truck became even more apparent when Bala embarked on a chaotic 1,400-mile road trip to Chicago.
Fast charging, level 1 stations – which only charge EV’s up to 90% – cost more than gas for the same mileage. On the family’s first stop in Fargo, North Dakota, it took two hours and $56 to charge his vehicle from 10% to 90%. The charge was good for another 215 miles.
On the second stop, in Albertville, Minnesota, the free charger was faulty and the phone number on the charging station was of no help, he said. The family drove to another charging station in Elk River, Minnesota, but the charger was faulty there as well.
"This sheer helplessness was mind-boggling," Bala wrote in an online post. "My kids and wife were really worried and stressed at this point."
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There was no other level 1 charger within range of Elk River and his vehicle only had 12 miles left.
"By now it was late afternoon. We were really stuck, hungry, and heartbroken," Bala said.
Bala ultimately had the vehicle towed to a Ford dealership in Elk River and rented a regular gas vehicle to complete the family’s trip to Chicago. The family picked up the F150 on their way back to Winnipeg.
"It was in [the] shop for 6 months. I can’t take it to my lake cabin. I cannot take it for off-grid camping. I cannot take for even a road trip," Bala wrote. "I can only drive in city – biggest scam of modern times."
Bala told FOX Business he believes the government needs to do more to "provide consumers with the right information."
"People have to make the right choices. I want to tell everybody to read my story," he said. "Do your research before even thinking about it and make a wiser choice."
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"The actual thing they promised is not even close. Not even 50%. And once you buy it, you're stuck with it and you have to carry huge losses to get rid of that. And nobody is there to help you."
