A few months ago, I was at a crossroads.

Do I keep my 13-year-old pickup truck, or do Suzie and I part ways after years of faithful service?

She was paid for, but her mechanical issues carried a hefty price tag. Suzie’s body was ravaged with the cancer caused primarily by the road salt of Northeast Pennsylvania’s winters. She also had a drinking problem, getting only 11 miles per gallon mostly on excursions shorter than 5 miles.

Suzie lived outside, relinquishing the space of the warm, single stall garage she once stayed in to her younger sister Bessie, my wife’s newer vehicle.

I realized Suzie’s time had come.

So I began shopping for a newer set of wheels, and gave some serious consideration to replacing Suzie with a new electric vehicle.

After all, they’re the future, right?

During my due diligence, I found several things about what many consider the future of the motoring public in this country.

First, EV’s cost more. Even with the subsidies and tax breaks, the initial cost of an electric vehicle seemed prohibitive after all the other charges and fees we pay for here in the Keystone State.

Then, there was the theory that I’d be doing my part to save the environment. A dealer told me that since I’d be ditching the old gas guzzler, I’d be doing my part to save the world since there would be no emissions.

Lest I forget, I’d be pocketing money like a billion-dollar lottery winner since I wouldn’t be stopping at gas stations on a regular basis. A recharge would cost a lot less than a fill-up at the corner gas station, too.

It all sounded good on the surface, and for some it might be.

Surely, with all these wonderful things, EVs had to be the way to go. Some of my friends already owned EVs.

I was heading down that road.

Then it hit me — the obvious question the reporter in me should’ve asked weeks before.

“So, how many of these things have you sold?”

One area dealer said they’d have trouble giving them away if it could happen.

Talk about putting the brakes on a potential sale!

Without getting into specifics, the salesman admitted that sales of EVs in the region weren’t setting any records at the time.

With a deal on hold, I headed for home with my trusty, rusty old Suzie. The real research began.

About those tax breaks, I realized that even though I might’ve benefited, somebody was paying the freight. I likened it to recent plans for student loan forgiveness. Other peoples’ tax money was making those discounts possible. Some of that money was already mine. Federal funds are paying for countless installations of charging stations, too.

When it comes to saving the environment, I realized I wouldn’t be putting much of a dent in saving the ozone layer, especially since about 60% of the electricity generated in the nation comes from coal or natural gas.

Take a look at EV charging. They say the least expensive way to charge an EV is using a regular home connection — think cellphone charger on steroids — that would repower the car overnight.

But what if you live in a place where parking is at a premium? I wonder how long an extension cord would have to be on a street full of duplexes or row homes in one of the area communities? And what happens during a snow parking ban?

Homeowners with off-street parking might have charging outlets at their homes, but the equipment isn’t cheap and installing it isn’t, either. For sure, charging stations exist, but supply hasn’t yet caught up with the small demand in our area. I’ve been reading about the inconvenience of having to stop somewhere for up to an hour to replenish a battery. And lately, “charger hogs” who plug in and leave their vehicles all day deny access for others.

Adding to all this is that EVs have a low resale value. How many people are willing to take a chance on how much oomph is left in the battery, what’s arguably the most expensive part of the vehicle to replace?

Given the weight of an EV, tires wear faster. For many, insurance costs more. Underwriters will often find it less expensive to “total” an EV due to possible battery damage, driving up costs.

Bessie still lives in the garage, but welcomed her younger brother, Zeke, a few months ago.

He’s shiny and new and sips gas at half the rate Suzie did, helping the environment in his own way.

I can live with that.

ED SOCHA | tneditor@tnonline.com

Ed Socha is a retired newspaper editor with more than 40 years’ experience in community journalism. Reach him at tneditor@tnonline.com.