EV Expectations Vs. Reality
August 21, 2022
When thinking about an electric vehicle, also known as an EV, a thought that might come to mind for most people is intimidation of the unknown. As the world of technology evolves daily, there is more conversation about EVs. However, with lots of interest in EVs, there come questions, concerns, and opinions on the matter.
Before driving an EV, the expectations for the car can be more negative than positive. To the uneducated mind on EVs, one might think, “Oh, that car won’t get very far before running out of battery,” or “The car must be complicated to drive.” So, one question is, what if you need to charge the car away from home? Is it worth it to me to buy one?
EVs are cars that are powered strictly through batteries underneath the car, so no gas is required. They are charged by an outlet more powerful than a standard outlet that your cell phone or toaster would use. When purchasing an EV, consider having a home charger installed at your home – outside or in a garage. This way, an EV owner can charge at their home and get into a healthy routine of charging the EV every night, just like you would a cell phone.
EVs can travel far, farther than one might think. During a 45-minute drive, you can cover about 30 miles of road, with about 230 miles left to go in its single charge. The average person drives about 50 miles a day. Therefore, your average EV could cover about 2-3 days before charging it again. So, what do you do if you must charge while away from your home charging station? Public charging stations are becoming more and more available. So, with a simple app on your smartphone, you can quickly tell where each charging station may be. The cost to charge varies depending on the charging station. However, this means no more stops at a gas station ever.
Does an EV drive smoothly? YES. While sitting in an EV with it on and running, you won’t even hear a sound coming from the car. When you start driving, it’s smooth. Imagine what a smooth driving car would feel like. Take that vision and make it smoother. The car has speed and is easily controlled like any other gas-powered vehicle. EVs are also very simplistic. There are no controls that make you feel like you’re on a rocket ship from NASA, and the car’s interior design doesn’t make you feel like you are someone from the future. It’s just an average vehicle. The only exception is; that it might make you feel like you are too cool for school.
Nonetheless, there can be a few drawbacks with EVs to consider. For example, EVs are very much “local” vehicles. As of today, it can be a long process if you were to take an EV on a road trip. In addition, EVs can only go so far until the battery runs out; halfway through your road trip, you might have to make a 1-2-hour pit stop to charge the vehicle. Another downside may be the cost of the EV itself. The market for an EV right now can be expensive, but as more car owners become EV owners, the hope is that the price will decrease. Finally, electric vehicles are still relatively new to the technological society, so even for most EV developers, some kinks need to be figured out in this further advancement.
Now ask yourself: “Is an EV right for me?” There are lots of factors to consider before purchasing an electric vehicle. You must ask questions such as, “is it the right financial decision for me?” “How much do I travel in my vehicle per day?” These questions are important, so reaching out to your Corporative before making this purchase is a great idea. The Co-ops have great resources, such as an Electric Vehicle Calculator, to help you determine how much you would save if you purchase an electric vehicle.
The best thing you can do is to become educated about EVs. Learning about EVs can make your expectations match reality. Happy driving!