“but based on my math I still pay 21¢/gal “
Let’s look at the Nissan Leaf. The Nissan Leaf states it gets 126 mpg equivalent (MPGe).
Nissan Leaf: Miles per Kilowatt Hour of electricity = 3.3 miles per kWh on flat roads and not accelerating. (Real world tests show only 2.8 miles per kilowatt hour.)
To go 60 miles, 18 Kilowatt Hours of electricity are needed by the Nissan Leaf.
Electricity = $0.125 (12.5 cents) per Kilowatt Hour on average in the US. (Low of 8 cents, high of 37 cents. I pay the average of 12.5 cents.)
18 Kilowatt Hours @ 12.5 cents per Kilowatt Hour = $2.27. This also assumes no loss of energy due to the chemistry of the batteries, charging heat, cable losses, etc., which there is loss of energy in all that but we have no figures to go on so we will not add those energy losses at this time.
A cost of $2.27 with gas at $1.75/gallon = 1.30 gallons of gas equivalent, which equals 46 MPGe at 60 miles total distance travelled, not 126 MPGe as the Leaf states.
To actually get to 126 MPGe, gas would need to cost $4.75 with electricity at 12.5 cents per kilowatt hour. So, it looks like those MPGe numbers are based on the highest gas prices we have ever seen, and those were short lived prices, and of average electric costs.
When gas costs come down so does that MPG equivalent rating. Also, as electricity costs increase, that MPG equivalent rating falls even further. People paying 17 cents for electricity, such as in Vermont and Rhode Island, will see only a 33 MPGe rating with gas at $1.75.
This is one reason why liberals like Obama need high gas prices, to justify electric cars. Luddites hate machinery, oil, and gas and want to get it banned by whatever lies are needed. Ironically, they also hate coal for those electric plants to power those electric cars. Ten years ago coal produced 51% of our electricity in this country. Obama has been closing coal plants like crazy so we are down to 40% coal production of electricity. That is causing an increase in electric rates, so that MPGe will fall even further as that happens.
So, no, you are not getting 21 cents per gallon equivalent. Compared to other light weight gas vehicles that can also get 46 mpg, such as the VW Jetta, you have no savings at all at 46 MPGe.
Connecticut is over 20¢/KWH. New York is 19.4¢
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_5_6_a
“So, no, you are not getting 21 cents per gallon equivalent.”
Yes I am and have been for some time. I pay an EV rate which benefits customers charging at home with off-peak rates and super-off peak rates running as low as 2-5¢/kWh.
Plus I plug in at work for FREE (please call me a “moocher”) because of an EV app I have on my phone. If you’re smart enough, you’ll make an EV be as cheap as possible—like me.