Can You Afford An Electric Car
EVs tend to be pricy to buy but can be more affordable to lease. Finding federal, state and local government incentives can also reduce sticker shock. And, even if the monthly payment is higher than a comparable gas car, operating costs are lower.
Gas vehicles cost an average of $3,356 per year to fuel, tax and insure, while electric cost just $2,722, according to a study by Self Financial. Find out how much you can save with the Department of Energy calculator.
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How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last
Most manufacturers give an eight-year or a 100,000-mile warranty on their batteries. Most batteries in electric cars today are designed to last for at least 12 years and could still be performing well for up to two decades.
Batteries in electric cars gradually become less efficient over time. In much the same way that batteries in mobile phones need more regular charging after theyve been in use for a few years.
But the technology is improving all the time and even after a decade of use, they should still give your electric car reliable service.
One option you might prefer is to lease your battery. Not all manufacturers offer this, but if you’re able to do this it can give you peace of mind.
It means that should it go wrong or start losing its charge, you can easily get it replaced as part of your leasing contract.
It also reduces the initial price of the car, although you will have to pay an ongoing monthly fee for the lease of the battery.
In general, electric cars suffer less wear and tear simply on account of there being fewer moving parts to go wrong.
It means it’s likely that a used electric car will be in better condition than a petrol equivalent that has done the same mileage.
How Far Do You Need To Drive On A Single Charge
Although almost 60% of all car trips in America were less than 6 miles in 2017, according to the Department of Energy, the phrase range anxiety scared many would-be early adopters.
Teslas became popular in part because they offered 250 miles of range. But the range of many EVs between charges is now over 200 miles even the modestly priced Chevrolet Bolt can travel 259 miles on a single charge.
Still, EVs have a road trip problem, according to Josh Sadlier, director of content strategy for car site Edmunds.com. If you like road trips, you almost have to have two cars one for around town and one for longer trips, he says.
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The Benefits Of Electric Vehicles
As EVs become more mainstream, the costs are dropping rapidly and there are a wide variety of benefits for drivers making the switch. From the environmental impact to the savings you can make on fuel, tax and maintenance costs, electric vehicles could help you save significant amounts of money.
On a cost per mile basis a fully electric car could cost you a quarter or less of what a traditional petrol or diesel car might. These savings quickly add up, see how much you could save on each journey when driving an EV by using our special Journey Cost Calculator below.
Are Electric Cars The Future
Now, this is a big question, while electric vehicles are superb vehicles for going green and lowering emissions, they may not be the ultimate, end solution.
You also have to think about their incredibly slow take-up by the big players. Ford have only just released their Mustang Mach-E, BMW currently only have one pure EV, the i3, Mercedes first all-electric model, the EQC is about to go on sale, and only this year Audi introduced the e-tron.
These are the worlds biggest car manufacturers, and theyre only just fielding their first electric vehicles. To put that into perspective, the Tesla Model S went on sale in 2012.
It shows a lethargic, almost resilient move to electric bythe main manufacturers. So what is the future?
Well, its rumoured the slow development of EVs is due to a tendency for the big manufactures to look past them as the overall silver bullet, hydrogen is said to be the real future for our cars by some
It only takes a few minutes to fill up a hydrogen car, muchthe same time as it takes to pump petrol or diesel. It can also give the sortof range were used to in our current vehicles.
In simple terms, theyre still an EV, driven by electricity and propelled by motors. The only difference is they use hydrogen rather than a huge built-in battery. The car turns the hydrogen into electricity, which powers the motors.
And what do they emit? Pure water.
It does however use a lot of energy to make the hydrogen, energy which could be going straight into EVs.
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Electric Cars Are Better For The Environment
Owning an electric vehicle is like giving our planet a high five. We reckon youre well and truly entitled to feel a little bit smug about your purchase – because choosing electricity over petrol is simply the right thing to do by our environment. Electric cars generate zero exhaust emissions. That means there are no nasties getting out into the atmosphere.
Vehicle Registration Fees Are Cheaper For An Electric Vehicle
In Arizona, youll also enjoy lower registration fees when you go all-electric. Through 2022, the registration for fully battery-powered electric vehicles is calculated based on 20% of the EVs value versus 60% of the value of a vehicle that has an internal combustion engine.
Be sure to read our blog post about electric vehicle price and range myths vs. facts.
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It’s A Big Question These Days So Here Are Some Things To Consider If You’re Wondering About Purchasing An Electric Car
If you’re considering your options for your next car, you won’t be able to ignore the growing presence of electric cars. Pretty much every mainstream manufacturer offers at least one electric model now, and the movement towards an electric future is in full swing.
So, you’re asking yourself: “should I buy an electric car?” It’s a very difficult question to answer, but we can certainly help you understand if buying an electric car is the right decision for you.
Considerations including charging, battery range and cost are all vitally important in the electric car buying process, but there are an increasing amount of electric cars on the market which can tick all the boxes you need them to in order to consider them a viable purchase.
Ultimately, the decision is yours to make, but we’re here to help you make an informed decision, and hopefully before too long you’ll be enjoying your first taste of electric motoring. Read on for insight into buying and owning an electric car, and whether going electric is the right thing for you.
How To Charge Any Electric Or Hybrid Car Using A Plug: Everything You Need To Know Explained
Electric cars use electricity from the national grid, rather than being filled up with fuel like with a conventional petrol or diesel car. Like you might plug in a mobile phone or laptop to charge it up, you do the same with an electric car. Plug-in hybrid vehicles are a bit of an exception, but only because you can do both theres a petrol or diesel engine under the bonnet that needs to be refuelled in the same way as weve always done, but also a small battery that can be charged up using a plug socket under a flap in the cars bodywork.
Unlike with laptops and phones, though, you probably wont be using a household three-pin plug to charge up your car. This is certainly possible, but its not a great idea it can be so slow that a car can take over 24 hours to charge. Home wallbox charging units are the solution to this problem at home, as they can cut the charging time down to a few hours. If youre not at home then there are public rapid-charging stations that can even top-up in a matter of minutes. In the future it may be possible to sell energy stored in your car’s batteries back to the National Grid at peak times.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about charging your electric car. Its much easier than you might think, although there are some things to consider including the types of charger, connectors and how to pay for public charging.
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What If An Electric Car Doesnt Meet My Needs
It’s understandable you might have some doubts about diving headfirst into this unknown pool of electric cars. But you can alleviate some of those doubts by taking the halfway house approach and instead opting for a hybrid or plug-in hybrid model.
These cars offer some of the benefits of electric car driving, with the option of limited electric-only driving and somewhat reduced running costs, while also maintaining the security of a petrol engine for those times when you really need it.
What Can You Afford
Yes, electric vehicles cost more than similar gasoline-powered vehicles, but the sticker price tells you only so much. Federal and state tax breaks, utility grants and other savings can help to offset the cost.
The federal government offers a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles. It has run out for customers buying a Tesla or a G.M. car, but its still available for many other electric vehicles. Take the Nissan Leaf. A new basic model costs nearly $32,000, but after the federal tax credit, the price drops to less than $25,000. And states, cities and even utility companies offer incentives for buying electric vehicles or installing chargers at home.
Electric vehicles are also cheaper to own. A recent Consumer Reports study found that the average electric vehicle driver will spend 60 percent less to power the car, truck or S.U.V. and half as much on repairs and maintenance no oil changes needed when compared with the average owner of a gas-powered vehicle.
Buying used could be a cheaper way to get an electric vehicle, though evaluate the car you are buying carefully, particularly the quality of the battery, because it will degrade over time. That said, a used electric vehicle could be a perfect choice for a second car for errands, commutes and other short trips.
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Alternative Fuel Vehicles Are Available
Another valid point for not buying an electric car alternative fuel vehicles are available in the market. Electric vehicles are not the only alternative for conventional vehicles.
Other types of alternative fuels are used in vehicles to enhance performance. Commonly used alternative fuels are explained in this post.
Why should you buy an electric vehicle if alternative fuel vehicles are available?
Societal Collapse Isnt Cool
This should be #1, but since our priorities are often totally screwed up, I postponed stating the obvious:
Society is totally, ridiculously, superbly, insanely screwed if we dont electrify transport and switch to clean electricity ASAP.
Like, ASAP not in 510 years, not by 2050, but right freakinnow. Or we can just let society collapse and order up an onslaught of climate wars. Whatever.
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Et Wealth In Collaboration With Cardekhocom Helps You Weigh The Pros & Cons Of Electric Cars To Find Out If It Is The Right Time To Pick One We Also Offer A List Of Electric Cars Currently In The Market And Those Likely To Be Launched Soon
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Is An Electric Car Economical To Own
Electric cars cost more to buy, but theyre more affordable to run than gas-powered cars. For one thing, fuel costs are lower. On average, it costs $300 to $400 per year to charge an electric vehicle, depending on when and where you charge it. A typical plug-in hybrid costs about $700 per year. By comparison, a gasoline car can cost you $1,000 to $2,500 a year to fill up. Electric cars are also a lot cheaper to maintain and service because they have fewer moving parts and dont need oil changes. You can even save money on your car insurance.
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What Should I Know About The Battery
Essentially when you buy an electric or hybrid car you rent the battery separate to the car, and every five years you are given the opportunity to change the battery.
Some people think these batteries need replacing all the time, but this is not the case. The only way in which the batteries can be prematurely worn out is if they are not charged correctly.
Because of this, when you buy the car you need to make yourself aware of the manufacturers policies and best practice guidelines. Speak to your retailer to make sure you know how to charge the battery properly.
The Smooth & Silent Drive Is Surreal
What does driver after driver and passenger after passenger rave about after testing out an electric car? If not the instant torque, its the smooth and silent drive. In fact, this often comes first. Naturally, people freakin love a smooth and quiet ride. The rumbling explosions of a gasoline engine and all the crazy mechanisms that are in place to make that engine work and not harm you are, surprisingly, not that enjoyable to most of us. But we dont realize how much nicer life can be until we drive an electric car instead.
Its so quiet! Is it really on? Oh my gosh, were driving?! Its so quiet! Thats so nice.
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Making A Final Decision On Buying An Ev
As you can see, going electric isnt as easy as just replacing your old petrol or diesel car with a new one.
Currently, the switchover just isnt that seamless for everyday car buyers, you have to have serious money to purchase something that has the equivalent range as your cheap as chips diesel car.
You need to consider how you use your car, is it for short journeys, do you drive to and from work then to the shops at the weekend?
If theyre all local trips with infrequent longer distances, an EV will be perfect for you.
Equally, you need to be committed to keeping the car for at least 3-5 years to really see the returns when it comes to those savings.
The good thing about EVs is there are far fewer moving parts to go wrong, and batteries have been seen to last up to 10 years while only losing about 10-20% of their original capacity. So buying an electric car could well solve your transport needs for a decade to come.
Whats clear is times are changing, and with the government looking to ban the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles , we only have 10 years to work out where the industry is heading.
What Will You Use The Car For
While there are a few luxury electric SUVs on the market, most EVs are smaller sedans or hatchbacks with limited cargo capacity. However, the coming wave of electric cars are more versatile, including vans, such as the Microbus, and trucks, such as the F-150 Lightning, the electric version of the popular Ford F-150 pickup.
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Shifting From Conventional To Electric
Around the world, countries are increasingly moving towards car production and ownership that is entirely electric, according to Ever Charge.
If you’re considering being part of the transition by picking up an electric vehicle, you should understand how the costs of an electric vehicle may be different and where you’ll be likely to save compared to conventional engines.
If Youre Currently Thinking Of Replacing A Petrol Or Diesel Car With A Pure Electric Model Should You Make The Leap Now Or Wait For The Next Generation
More than 23 new fully electric models are due to go on sale before the end of this year, along with a host of plug-in hybrid versions of popular models. And although sales of fully electric vehicles were still relatively modest in 2020, if you factor in hybrids and plug-in models as well, electrified vehicles accounted for one in every 10 cars sold.
So, is now the time to trade your internal combustion-engined car for an electrified one? Well, there are plenty of tempting EVs to choose from, whether youre in the market for a city runabout like the Fiat 500 or a large SUV like the BMW iX3. And even the less performance-orientated ones generally have zippy performance, so theyre fun to drive.
The first thing to consider is whether you have the ability to charge an EV at an affordable location, such as your home or workplace, so you can avoid the sometimes pricey public charging options and reap the savings of driving on electric rather than petrol or diesel. You might be able to have a home charger installed, and this is an additional cost to consider, although using the £350 government grant towards this means you could get a charger installed for free or for a small fee.
According to market analysts, sales of EVs are predicted to increase exponentially over the next few years Bloomberg predicts one in five new cars sold will be electrified by 2026. This and ongoing improvements in battery technology should help to push prices down.
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