I recently ran into a problem with my electric car. My windows got dirty.
In the desert we don’t have a lot of flying bugs that splatter on your windshield, so in the first couple months of ownership I didn’t have any issues. But in Phoenix, dust, grime, and occasionally bird droppings accumulate with time. This week the accumulation got to the point where I decided I really had to do something about it. I found that I wasn’t completely prepared.
I know what you’re thinking… Jamey! You’ve driven cars all your life. Surely you’ve figured out how to wash your windows?
Indeed. I have done it hundreds if not thousands of times. But as I looked at the increasingly opaque windows on my EV and wondered why I hadn’t yet taken the time to clean them, it occurred to me that window washing is not an isolated activity. It is a component of a broader system. And even though it seems with absolute certainty that washing the windows of an EV is just like washing the windows of a gasoline powered car… it isn’t.
I am well versed in the system of window washing for my old SUV. I pull into the gas station, swipe my credit card, start the gas pump, and then begin my search for the window scrubber with the best squeegee on the back.
The integrity of the squeegee is absolutely crucial. If you get a squeegee with rips or even little inconsistencies, the entire process can be maddening. I’ve gotten to the point where I know which gas stations have good squeegees and which ones don’t bother to fill their buckets with blue liquid. Gas stations that are bold enough to charge more than the station across the street have to justify that premium. Razor sharp squeegees and ample window cleaner fluid are two ways to do this and it can make a big difference for me personally. I’m often willing to pay a few extra cents for gas if they also provide good window washing equipment.
Once I have the proper tools in hand, I always start with the front windscreen. It is usually the dirtiest and needs the most scrubbing. Plus the first few scrubs push out lots of liquid. Starting with the windshield means that it drains neatly away through rain channels and out of sight rather than down the sides of your car and over the door handles.
After finishing the other windows, I do a special stop at the inside of the back-passenger door. That side of that particular window always has an array of odd smudges and food particles… perhaps a result of the fact that is where my daughter sits? Saving that for last limits the amount of dripping inside the car.
As you can see, even though washing car windows may be one of the most mundane activities imaginable, I’ve thought a lot about it and spent a lot of time doing it. But this experience doesn’t completely transfer to my new electric car because a linchpin in my entire window washing system is the gas station. Not only have I always relied on gas stations to provide the tools necessary to clean my windows, I’ve used the time that would otherwise be wasted while waiting for my tank to fill to do the actual washing. My window washing system has basically been on autopilot. I don’t even think about when I should wash my windows. It is simply a routine part of what I do whenever I full up with gas.
What do I do now that I don’t go to gas stations?
I find it curious that the public EV charging stations that I’ve used don’t have window washing equipment. It would be a quick fix to my problem. Alas, unlike gas stations, charging stations don’t have staff working there 24 hours a day, so doing anything other than automated transfer of electrons would get complicated and expensive.
I’ve also discovered that I’m not the only one out there struggling with this issue. I found an online EV forum where an EV owner who goes by the handle “Mellow Johnny” sought advice on the moral dilemma: “Should I Feel Guilty for using Gas Station Squeegees?” It seems that a lot of EV owners find it easiest to visit gas stations just to wash their windows. Some are willing to buy a bottle of Gatorade to compensate the gas station for the service they provide. Others contend that they have given the petroleum industry enough over the years that they are due a favor or two.
I’d like to keep my conscience free and clear, so I decided to take matter into my own hands. I took the first steps towards rebuilding my window washing system so that it is compatible with my electric vehicle: I set up a window washing station in my garage. Unfortunately, the system is no longer automatic. I will now have to block off time specifically to wash my windows. But the added bonus yesterday was that since I already had everything ready, I went ahead and washed some of my house windows. The time cost was minimal compared to my old approach that completely separated my house window and car window washing systems.
So, yes, the situation I’ve described here is one of the most mundane problems imaginable. But it is still something that took time and effort to address. EVs are new to me. And rethinking window washing is part of the process of transitioning from gas powered cars to electric cars. It is just one of the many little steps I will have to take to acclimate myself to a new system of transportation.