Posted on 11/24/2021 3:16:48 PM PST by Jacquerie
Learn more about the experience of going green and the cost of electric vehicle ownership.
Concern for the environment and lower long-term costs has led millions of Americans to say they’d be likely to consider an electric car for their next automotive purchase. But many still have serious questions about how making the switch would impact their routine—and their wallets.
Here are facts to help you better understand how electric vehicles (EVs) can affect your bank account and the environment, and what to consider if you’re thinking about getting one.
How far can an EV go on a charge? Most EVs can run about 200 miles on a single charge. In comparison, a typical gas-powered vehicle has a range of 400 to 500 miles on a tank of gas. However, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, U.S. drivers travel an average of 31 miles per day.
Electric vehicle consideration: Do you plan to use it for commuting or long distances? It’s best to find an electric car with an operating range that exceeds your expected use. EV range is reduced by 41% when temperatures drop to 20 F and the car’s heater is used, and by 17% when they rise to 95 F and the car’s air conditioning is used, according to AAA research.
How long does it take to charge a battery? The short (and unhelpful) answer: It depends. Recharging a depleted battery with household current can take 12 hours or more—a problem if you’re in a hurry but not if you simply charge the vehicle overnight. Many public chargers are faster, with some able to replenish half of the battery’s range in less than an hour.
Electric vehicle consideration: Are you willing to upgrade your electric service at home to support faster charging? And what is the availability of charging stations where you typically drive? There were more than 43,000 EV charging stations in the United States as of summer 2021—but only about 5,000 were fast charging stations, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Availability varies widely by state, but you can find charging station locations through the AAA Mobile app (see them at the Near Me map filter). One other thing to know: AAA Roadside Assistance is beginning to offer charging capability on its vehicles in some cities and states—so a recharge could be as close as your phone.
re EVs affordable to buy? EVs start at a little more than $30,000; high-end EVs can run to six figures. But be sure to check for federal, state and local incentives, which can bring down the price.
Electric vehicle consideration: Think about friends and family who own EVs and talk to them about the experience. AAA surveyed EV owners and found that:
96% of respondents said they would buy or lease another EV. 43% said they drove more now than they did with a gas-powered vehicle. 78% reported also having a gas-powered vehicle in their household, but they said they did most of their driving (87%) in their EV. Are maintenance costs higher for EVs than for gas-powered vehicles? No. AAA research from 2019 indicates that although the overall cost of EV ownership1 is 8% more than gas-powered vehicle ownership (because of higher depreciation and finance costs), some individual expenses are substantially lower.
The cost of electricity to drive 15,000 miles a year averages $546; the cost of gas to drive the same distance is $1,225.
Electric vehicles don’t require oil changes or engine air filter replacements. If an EV is maintained according to automaker recommendations, it costs $949 annually to maintain, $330 less than a gas-powered car.
Are electric vehicles really that green?
Total emissions associated with driving EVs are still typically less than those for gasoline-powered cars.
Although EVs produce zero direct emissions, emissions may be produced by the source of their electrical power, such as a power plant, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Conventional vehicles, on the other hand, produce direct emissions through the tailpipe, through evaporation from the vehicle’s fuel system and during the fueling process.
You can estimate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with charging and driving an electric vehicle where you live by visiting this calculator from the U.S. Department of Energy.
No, Ohio is 38.5 cents per gallon.
I got a question ... Can the seats in electric vehicles be used as Electric Chairs?
Less than 1% of vehicles on American roads are EVs and 18% of EV owners go back to gas.
Charging inconvenience/time are the top reasons mentioned for going back to gas. EVs have a market, but it has its limits for now.
because they are still “novelty” vehicles.....gonna be a long long time before they replace the 300 million ICE cars in America alone....whole thing is silly.
Even moderate distance driving would be almost impossible. A 180 mile drive to Phoenix or San Diego, from Yuma, or LA from Santa Maria California, would take 2-3 recharges (one way) vs a 3 1/2 hour drive conventionally.
I live in a very rural area with hot summers and cold snowy winters and several times a year make 350 mile round trips in one day to the nearest city for medical appointments. I'll keep my gas powered 4WD.
just say there were 200 million EV’S on the road....do you know what kind of electricity that would have to be produced to power them??...it would be chaos....price of electricity would absolutely sky rocket....unless there is a serious major break thru in the technology, EVS will remain a novelty...
These things only make sense if you ALSO have a gas car, and use the electric car for short local trips (which for most households constitutes most of their driving)
Apparently, we will have to more than double electricity production, if we have to replace all gasoline cars with electric ones.
Just get that with solar on wind!
That being said, I like it as an individual choice. If EV's keep improving and keep coming down in price I might replace one of my two gas cars with an EV. In some ways an EV has advantages and in other ways a gas car has advantages. Plus my wife and I have talked about it and think we'd like diversification in energy options. Basically, if gasoline is sky high we'd shift most of our driving to the EV, and if electricity is sky high we'd shift to gas (but use both cars on the days we drive on separate chores for the day).
Then combine that with if you've installed solar onto your house because you happen to be in an ideal situation for it (which I have done), then there are some days in which my solar gives me more power than I need. It'd be nice to direct the excess power to charging an EV for "free".
‘Woke’ communism like this is why I cancelled AAA.
Not to mention that the plastic polymers that go into these things depend on PETROLEUM.
Not to mention that the plastic polymers that go into these things depend on PETROLEUM.
Nationally, for 2021, coal is the energy source for around 23% of all electrical generation.
From here:
https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=table_1_01
I love calling all-electric cars “coal-burners” to their owners’ faces.
when you wake up from la la land...let me know...
the females that drive electric cars are usually “coal-burners”....heh heh....
The logical replacement fuel for ICE is probably hydrogen…if you can make it cheaper and cleaner (like using nuclear energy)
On April 6, Granholm signed a document that listed the stocks she had divested from; however, she left out her 240,520 shares of Proterra, which she estimated at the time to be worth up to $5 million, according to the full financial disclosure report she submitted four days after her nomination. ….
On November 1, both Granholm and Vice President Harris traveled to New York to announce 25 projects that were awarded $200 million in Department of Energy grants, including $127 million in grants from the SuperTruck 3 initiative. At the event, both Granholm and Harris stood in front of a backdrop of Proterra buses, while announcing the Department of Energy’s grant recipients. At least three of the five SuperTruck 3 recipients had partnered with Proterra. In fact, roughly $76.8 million of the $127.8 million SuperTruck 3 grants announced that day went to a company with ties to Proterra, meaning these Proterra-linked companies garnered over 60 percent of the grants Granholm and Harris hyped that day.
The open corruption of our oligarch masters is frightening.
We are not self-governing.
Circle-Back Psaki admitted that high gas prices were designed to force us into EVs.
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