It’s that sense of anticipation when you just know something momentous is happening. A well-established consumer fact of life is that our transportation decisions are second only to where, how, and in what we choose to live. If you’re familiar with the Tesla Model S, the Nissan LEAF, and the Chevrolet Volt, you already know the way has been paved for alternative choices in automotive propulsion.
As of this writing, myev.com lists 18 of the “hottest new EVs” for the 2019 and 2020 model years—hard evidence that the future is here. Strikingly, each one highlights longer ranges than previous versions, with manufacturers including three new models of Tesla, along with entries from established manufacturers of gasoline-powered cars such as Audi, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Nissan, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Porsche, and Volkswagen.
The Big Switch
While most of us still suffer “pain at the pump” as oil prices fluctuate, an increasing number of drivers are smiling as they cruise the highways fully charged in electric-powered or partially electric-powered (hybrid) vehicles. A technology once reserved only for golf carts, bumper cars, and forklifts has now forced the automobile industry to change the way it does business.
In 2018, EVs constituted only 2 percent of total auto sales in the United States, but investment banking firm J.P. Morgan projects that by 2025, EV sales will be up to 38 percent. And according to a poll of potential car shoppers reported in January on cleantechnica.com, “34 percent of Americans expect to buy an EV in the next 10 years.”
As one might expect, online sources for information on EVs—outlining both their advantages and the possible pitfalls—are varied, depending on the information you’re after and its veracity. Among the sources consulted for this report, we zeroed in on the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative and its consumer guide titled Electric Vehicles: How Much Do You Know? published in October of last year. The guide sets out to address questions on the costs of electric-vehicles, the options available, where to purchase them, how often and how long they need to be recharged, where charging stations are, how home-charging will affect electric bills, and environmental impacts. So, here’s “where the rubber meets the road.”
“Charging Up”
Cruising along quietly in a battery-powered vehicle sounds like a no-brainer in the grand scheme of car ownership, but while technology is still basically in its infancy, the big challenge is how and where to find a charge when you need it. Naturally, those who choose an electric car will want to have a home charging station—think phone charger, only a much larger capacity. One issue is that the charge time varies considerably depending on the battery size, from under 30 minutes to over 12 hours. A typical 60-kilowatt hour battery takes less than eight hours, with a seven-kilowatt hour “charging point.”
But what about fretting over where to get a charge on the road? In E parlance, that’s called “range anxiety,” and according to several sources, it’s the leading reason potential buyers still don’t trust battery power over gasoline. According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, a total of 23,271 charging stations (20,304 public and 2,967 private) are operational in the United States. While California predictably leads all states in number of stations and Alaska has the fewest, Maryland has 1,867 public and 205 private charging stations in the state—and that number is projected to grow. How many will be enough, however, is still an unanswered question.
Prospects for EV Tax Incentives
Despite claims that EVs are three times more energy efficient and cost about one-fourth the price of running a gas-powered car, according to Smart Energy, the up-front investment in an EV over a conventional vehicle is still substantially higher.
To help level that playing field, however, as reported on April 10th by Forbes magazine’s Jim Gorzelany, “a bipartisan coalition introduced a bill that would extend the one-time federal tax credit for buyers of electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen-powered vehicles.” The bill, supported by the automobile industry, environmentalists, and EV suppliers, is called “the Driving America Forward Act.”
But even if it passes both houses of Congress, the article admits, it faces a veto from the White House, where Chief Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow has already announced elimination “in 2020 or 2021” of the tax credit that had been “enacted in 2010 to help spur sales of plug-in vehicles.” But, Gorzelany concludes, “things tend to change rapidly in Washington, so stay tuned.”
According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center, a total of 23,271 charging stations are operational in the United States
State Incentives
According to Maryland EV, a nonprofit electric-vehicle education and outreach resource organized by the Baltimore-Washington Electric Vehicle Initiative, Maryland put a tax incentive in place as well, which went into effect on July 1st. The state “offers an excise tax credit of up to $3,000 for the purchase of qualified plug-in electric vehicles.”
Maryland also has an incentive in place for charging stations. The Maryland EV reports that the state’s EVSE Rebate Program “offers 40 percent of purchase and installation price, up to $700 for residential installations, $4,000 for commercial installations, and $5,000 for retail service stations.”
How all this will translate into savings for consumers is still a gray area, but it should mean more charging stations available to ease that previously mentioned “range anxiety.”
Environmental Implications
Aside from the fact that automobile manufacturers have been reading the electric-vehicle tea leaves for years and seem to be fully on board to follow the new trend, the environmental implications seem to be just as important, if not more, to consumers.
According to Smart Energy, vehicle emissions from internal-combustion engines come in two forms: air pollution and so-called “greenhouse gasses”—notably, carbon dioxide and methane. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates “11,435 pounds of emissions annually are associated with operating a gasoline-powered car, and 4,455 pounds of emissions are associated with operating an EV—about 2.5 times fewer emissions.”
These numbers for EVs can increase and even “be carbon free—by taking advantage of rooftop solar and community solar options, with or without energy storage, or enrolling in ‘green power’ plans,” Smart Energy claims.
An Electric-Vehicle Testimonial
As this story developed, it became obvious that one especially pertinent source of current information on EVs would be somebody who owns one. Thus, we went to Shaun, a young, local, married professional with an infant son who agreed to share some specific insights.
Why did you decide on an EV? “We bought a fully electric Tesla for a few reasons: 1) We hope that the science proclaiming them as environmentally safer is accurate. 2) The cost per mile is lower, despite the higher up-front cost. 3) They have some of the best safety ratings on the road, and we had a baby on the way.” Shaun also says his family’s EV “provides a great ride,” while it’s also “pretty interesting and feature-rich.”
How does the car ride? “The handling is very good because of the amazingly low and distributed center of gravity provided by the in-floor batteries.”
What about tire wear? “The tires stick to the pavement like glue, but this does cause them to wear a little more quickly, from what a service tech told us.”
What was the biggest revelation after buying an EV? “Generally, we find that owning an electric car is a lot like having a smartphone on wheels, with all the benefits and frustrations that would entail. The connectivity, sensors, and other features are still often a surprising pleasure to us, but then there are times when things don’t work or we have to ‘reboot’ our car. Like any new technology—and this has a lot of new technologies—bugs are still being worked out.”
What specifically did you discover about Tesla? “Since it’s also a new-technology company, it’s still figuring out a lot of things, from supply and internal communication to car basics that older companies perfected decades ago. For instance, the motors and batteries are top-notch, but the glove box feels a little flimsy.”
How have you fared in getting a charge when you’ve needed it? “You should plan to have a home charging station if you buy all-electric, then most of your charging occurs during longer trips. The large in-dash display provides a very easy-to-use charging-station overlay on the map. It will even calculate the shortest route with the shortest number of stops for charging, and display full instructions with time and range estimates for each stop. We have not yet had to wait to use a charging station but that apparently does occur on the West Coast, where the electric-car density is higher.”
When did you really put the car to the test? “We recently took a trip to Québec and found that the car performed well, even over the long stretches of Québec and Maine forests that offered no charging options. It was our first time going so far with no safety net—200 miles. But the computer’s range estimates were perfect. When we stop for charging, it’s often at highway service stations or convenience and fast food stores, so we use it as an opportunity for a longer rest stop. Often, hotels and restaurants will even offer free charging for patrons.”
How were the economics of the trip? “On the nearly two-week trip from Maryland to and through Québec, to Maine, and back home, we spent $5 on electricity (per 200 miles). That’s a huge fuel savings.”
What is the most important feature of the car to you and your family? “We love the fact that our son is not in the back seat breathing in as many fumes. We hope that putting up with the higher up-front costs and some minor frustrations help to give him a better planet. Plus, it’s also pretty fun to drive!”
