Answers To Your Electric Vehicle Questions:
There has never been a better time to buy an Electric Vehicle.
Prices have come down, a wider range of vehicles is available, Federal and State tax rebates still apply, and the planet could use our help! If you’re considering an electric car for your household, here are some FAQ’s to help you in your decision making.
Can you afford an electric car?
EV’s come in many sizes and prices, just like gasoline cars. At the outset, most were more expensive than their comparable gasoline counterparts. But today, the competition is heating up resulting in continuous downward price pressure, and carmakers who’ve introduced electric vehicles are anxious to move their inventory and recoup their investment costs. The net result is that even considering purchase price alone, an EV may turn out to be cheaper than a combustion vehicle.
Add to this the fact that EV’s get a Federal tax credit of up to $7500, depending where the various components were made, and New York State provides an immediate price reduction of $2000 on electric vehicles through NYSERDA’s “Drive Clean” initiative.
So the bottom line is, purchase price of a new or used EV may be equal to or lower than the purchase price of a comparable combustion engine vehicle.
Are there additional savings over the life of the vehicle?
The economics improve even further if one takes into account the total cost of ownership of the vehicle over time. Electric vehicles use less energy (saving in fuel cost), and have fewer maintenance requirements than their gasoline fueled counterparts. By adding together purchase price, fuel or energy costs and maintenance/repair costs, it’s likely the EV will cost significantly less to own and operate over a 5-8 year period than the gasoline engine car.
There is far less maintenance on an EV compared to a gasoline vehicle since there are fewer parts requiring regular maintenance (such as oil changes, spark plug changes, belts, hoses, and pumps), and many parts that last longer than those of gasoline vehicles such as brakes* and most internal engine parts. The EV has no catalytic converter or exhaust system, no car emissions, no timing chain, valves, pistons, etc. and its motor has essentially one moving part - the rotor. For this reason, electric motors are very reliable. Li-ion batteries have lasted a long time as well. Overall, you can expect the EV to provide several thousand dollars in savings over a gasoline vehicle over 10 years.
Here’s a typical calculation showing cost of ownership of a Tesla Model 3, vs. a gasoline powered Chevy Malibu, both similar level sedans.
Fuel cost per 100 miles of driving:
Malibu: $11.25 (32mpg average x $3.60 per gallon average gas price in NY)
Tesla Model 3: $5.75 (Charging at home at $0.23/kWh)
Maintenance over 5 years:
Malibu: $1,718. (Oil changes, belt/hose replacements, spark plugs, brakes, etc.)
+ New Tires: $1500
Tesla Model 3: $0
+ New Tires: $1500
Source: caredge.com/chevrolet/malibu/maintenance
The EV will also save a few dollars on inspection fees as well, as there is no emissions test required.
Total 5 year cost of ownership:
2023 Malibu:
Purchase price: $30,000.00
Fuel Cost based on 12,000 miles driving: $6750.00
Maintenance and Repairs: $3218.00
_______________
Total: $39,968
2023 Tesla Model 3
Purchase Price: $40,000
Less Federal and State Rebates: $9,500
Net Purchase Price: $30,500
Fuel Cost based on 12,000 miles driving: $3342.00
Maintenance and Repairs: $1750
_______________
Total: $35,592
Difference: $4,376
What kind of driving experience can I expect?
There are many more positive aspects of EV’s that are less talked about, but really do add to your driving experience. These are just a few:
Acceleration: Electric motors generate a lot more torque (rotational power) than combustion engines, which gives the EV the advantage of very fast, powerful and smooth acceleration. This is actually a safety feature as it allows the driver to quickly move around slow moving vehicles, pass on highways and avoid obstacles.
Smooth and Quiet Ride: The ride is totally quiet with the exception of tire noise. Typically, the batteries are located in the middle of the vehicle (usually under the seats), so weight is evenly distributed resulting in superior handling.
Storage and Cargo: Electric motors are comparatively small and are usually mounted directly to the axles of the vehicle, so the absence of a gas tank allows for a larger trunk and the absence of an engine compartment allows for a “frunk” - in other words, an EV is likely to have much more storage and cargo capacity than a comparable sized gasoline vehicle.
Single-Pedal Driving: One side benefit many people may not be aware of is dynamic braking, which allows the option of single-pedal driving. EV’s take advantage of the vehicle’s forward momentum to re-charge the batteries by using the electric motor as a brake when slowing down. To the driver, this means that if you take your foot off the accelerator, the car begins to brake rather than coast. This function can be disabled, but it really takes only about 30 minutes of driving to get fully used to it, and it adds to the range of the vehicle because the battery charges slightly ever time you slow down or stop. *It also means the driver needs to use the brakes very infrequently (sudden stops only), thus extending brake pad life to what may be 100,000 miles before replacement.
Vehicle Access - There is no need to “start up” an EV. Just approaching the vehicle with a phone or key fob will unlock the vehicle and turn on the electronics, making it ready to drive. The same is true when you leave the vehicle, it will turn off and lock itself.
What is the lifespan of an EV battery?
The first thing to note is that all automakers currently offer at least an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on EV battery packs.
The U.S. Department of Energy, meanwhile, predicts today's EV batteries ought to last a good deal past their warranty period, with these packs' service lives clocking in at between 12 and 15 years if used in moderate climates. Plan on a service life of between eight and 12 years if your EV is regularly used in more extreme conditions.
This link to CarandDriver.com provides a more detailed look at battery life and conditions affecting it. caranddriver.com/features/a31875141/electric-car-battery-life/
Are you looking to help reduce climate change and save some money?
An electric vehicle (EV) is a very effective way to reduce your carbon emissions. Societal and individual transportation accounts for around 25% of all greenhouse gasses emitted by the U.S. Life-cycle emissions are about 60% less than a gasoline car. If you use solar electricity to charge your car, your total carbon emissions are very low, but even if you use the grid, your emissions are much lower than a fossil fuel vehicle.
How far do you drive each day?
One of the biggest concerns we hear from potential EV owners is “range anxiety” - the concern that you might find yourself without enough charge left to reach your destination and no accessible charging station within range. Consider this, however. The vast majority of trips we take (for most of us - over 95%) are likely to be within the range of the vehicle. EV’s can travel 200-300 or more miles on a single battery charge, so unless you drive more than 100 miles each way on a regular basis, you will rarely find yourself in a position where you need to charge while out on the road.
On longer trips, you will need to charge at a public or commercial charging station. In this case, most EV owners will plan their trip in advance and map out the sites where they’ll stop for a charge. Many EV’s have GPS programming built into the car that will map out the trip for you and identify the optimal charging stop(s). There are also apps that will do this for you if your vehicle does not. Finally, the nation’s charging infrastructure is rapidly becoming as robust and convenient as our gas station infrastructure. Chargers are more powerful, allowing EV’s to charge faster and the density of charging stations is increasing continuously across the country.
What about convenience?
Many people wonder why the charging stations in Warwick’s public parking seem to be under-utilized. There are so many electric vehicles in town - why do we rarely see them at the charging stations? The answer is that almost all EV owners who own their own homes are charging their vehicles at home. Not only does this cost less than
charging on a commercial or public charger, it is far more convenient. One of the joys of owning an electric vehicle and charging at home is that every morning when you get into your car, the “tank”, if you will, is full. At the end of the day, when you’ve put your car away for the evening and connect it to the charger, you know you’ll wake up with a full charge again tomorrow.
In NY state, where we pump our own gas, you’ll never again have to find yourself outside in 20 degree weather holding onto an ice-cold gas pump handle while the smell of gasoline drifts onto your clothes.
Will winter cold affect my battery?
Some people have expressed concern about cold temperatures having a negative effect on battery capacity. For most EV’s, winter temperatures will decrease the capacity of the batteries by about 10% which, for most drivers will not make much of a difference. However, you should take this into consideration when purchasing an EV and deciding how much vehicle range you may need.
How should you make an EV selection?
Just like any car. Look at the price, look at the features, and look at the frequency of repair record for a given model and year or for previous years (see Consumer Reports, for example). Test drive it to make sure it provides the performance and comfort you expect. Talk to people who have the vehicle.
Testimonials
Several Sustainable Warwick members have purchased and driven EVs for a number of years. A short summary of their experience is provided below.
Nissan Leaf (2015). Bill Makofske purchased this car after it sat at the dealers lot for a year and the dealer was anxious to sell it to provide room for 2016 models. “It had 46 miles on it”, said Bill. “They dropped the $33,000 price tag by $10,000; with the $7500 tax credit, the price was about $15,500. The range was 93 miles so my plan was to use it locally, and use my Prius for longer trips. We take it to places like West Milford, Vernon, Monroe, Middletown, Port Jervis and Newburgh. Over 9 years, we put an average of 7500 miles a year on the Leaf and about 4000 miles a year on the Prius. It now has 55,000 miles on it. As we approach the 10th year, we have had almost no repairs. We rotate the tires every 5000 miles and have replaced the tires once. The cabin filter gets replaced periodically. We love the car. We charge it in the carport overnight at 120 v. using solar electricity from our PV panels.”
Tesla Model 3 (2018). Greg Galluccio was anxious to replace his hybrid vehicle with an EV, so as soon as his lease was over, he test drove the Tesla Model 3. “I’ve had many vehicles - luxury cars, SUV’s, standard sedans and sports cars and this is by far the finest vehicle I’ve ever owned” says Greg. “Acceleration is better than my ’77 Corvette and it handles better than my BMW 3 Series sedan. I charge it from my home which runs on solar panels, so I don’t pay for fuel. It’s quiet and comfortable and has so many unique features I can’t even remember them all. One of my favorite things about owning this car is that I receive regular over-the-air software updates that range from small tweaks (like an upgraded display) to actual operational improvements in the drive train or braking system. By the way, the car is now 5 years old, has 44,000 miles on it and aside from replacing the tires at 38,000 miles, it has never been serviced.”