Whether you’re looking to buy your first EV or you’re considering adding one to your existing fleet, there are a number of advantages to owning an EV car. These advantages include reduced emissions, lower maintenance costs, and greater acceleration.
Recharging time
Using the right EV charging technology can significantly reduce recharging time for EV cars. A fast charging station can add up to 200 miles of range to an EV battery in a mere 15 minutes.
Charging technology is getting faster, smarter and more affordable. New “solid state” batteries offer increased stability at fast charging speeds.
Typical charging time for EVs is 15 to 45 minutes. Some public fast-charging points can deliver an 80 percent full battery in just 30 minutes.
There are many factors that affect the charging time for EVs, including temperature and battery capacity. Charging time is also affected by the power of the charging station.
Cost of ownership
Buying an electric vehicle is a big decision. While the benefits are clear, the total cost of ownership can vary widely. Some of these costs can be mitigated by government incentives. Some states are offering special registration fees for electric vehicles as high as $225.
Using the Department of Energy’s cost comparison tool, you can compare the cost of a conventional gas car to an electric vehicle. The tool takes into account your annual driving habits, loan information, and EPA data. You can adjust the fuel costs to local prices.
In general, a traditional gas-powered car will cost you about $1,255 a year. Meanwhile, an electric vehicle will cost you about $300. These costs are largely due to depreciation.
Lower smog pollution
EV cars have many advantages, such as lower smog pollution, fewer emissions, and less waste. However, a full study of health benefits of EVs is necessary to ensure optimal policy outcomes. Several studies have shown that EV-derived health benefits are less clear than those from CO2 reduction.
There are also regional differences in health benefits. For instance, in a recent study by Holland and colleagues, benefits are largest in metropolitan areas.
In addition, different EV and power generation mixes can influence health outcomes. For example, combustion-only energy generation is associated with large increases in PM2.5. In addition, health benefits for O3 are smaller than for CO2, and the benefits are greatest in areas with combustion power generation.
Better acceleration
Compared to gasoline cars, electric vehicles offer better acceleration. This is because electric cars are generally lighter and quicker to accelerate. Electric cars also produce a lot of torque. This is because electric motors don’t require a complex transmission or gearbox. Electric vehicles produce maximum torque instantly when you hit the throttle. This makes all electric cars fun to drive.
Another benefit to EVs is their ability to produce a lot of torque from zero revs. This is an important factor because torque is what gives acceleration. Gas powered cars have to gear up and down to get maximum torque. Gas powered cars also use more fuel when accelerating at high speeds. The reason is because the higher the speed, the more energy it takes to overcome increased drag.
Less maintenance
EVs, which are battery-powered vehicles, can save you money on fuel and maintenance over the life of your vehicle. In fact, a new study shows that EVs require less maintenance than conventional vehicles. This is because they use a regenerative braking system, which stores energy back into the battery pack when the vehicle slows.
The study by Consumer Reports is based on data from hundreds of thousands of members. It found that the first year of ownership, an EV owner spent $7 on maintenance, whereas a gas-powered car owner spent $30. This is not an apples-to-apples comparison, however, because a gas-powered vehicle has a much larger number of components. Nevertheless, the maintenance cost savings for an EV can be significant.
EV adoption in major metro areas
Increasing EV adoption in major metro areas may help reduce local air pollution. A large portion of local air pollution is due to combustion of fossil fuels in vehicular transport. These pollutants have negative health effects. EVs can significantly reduce tailpipe emissions. In addition, many policies are designed to support electric vehicle adoption. They include the rollout of public charging stations. A recent report from the Department of Energy determined that EV drivers should be within three linear miles of fast-charging stations.
The density of charging stations in major metro areas has been found to correlate with higher EV adoption. However, the mechanisms underlying greater density are not well understood.