Answering Your Most Important Electric Vehicle Questions!
Thinking of making the switch to battery-powered mobility? Here are some reasons why transitioning to EVs might be the right thing to do.
We recently came across a Car and Driver article — Why Should I Care about EVs? and 19 Other Things You Want to Know about Electric Vehicles — that tried tackling different aspects which may motivate or demotivate someone from making the transition to electric vehicles. Overall, the post does a phenomenal job answering commonly-asked EV questions as well as debunking battery-powered car myths. So while you should read the whole thing, the article refrains from delivering a concrete verdict.
So, I thought I’ll mention some key takeaways from the story and also highlight some points where the article missed the mark. I’ll also share some additional points that will help you better understand the EV segment. Let’s dive in!
Hit the Nail on the Head
Where will the electricity come from?
- From the grid without causing any crashes, as there is plenty of power to go around.
How does the outside temperature affect range?
- EV range is based on an optimum operating temperature, and any drastic change in the said temperature will affect the overall driving range. The use of the HVAC system can also significantly reduce the driving range.
Are EVs actually environmentally friendly?
- Yes. Much more so than gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. However, battery production does have some dire humanitarian implications.
Should I worry about the electromagnetic radiation an EV gives off?
- Nope
Are plug-in hybrids brilliant or dumb?
- While answering this question in the article, Ezra Dyer eloquently said, “A plug-in will always be a dumb purchase if you never plug it in.”
What happens when an EV runs out of juice?
- The same thing that happens when a car runs out of gas. However, if you’re in an EV that still uses a 12-volt lead-acid accessory battery, then there is a good chance that you’ll have to recharge that battery separately while replenishing your lithium-ion pack.
What do all these new terms and acronyms mean?
- BEV = Battery-electric vehicle
- CCS = Combined Charging System
- CHAdeMO = CHArge de Move (DC fast-charging connector for Nissan Leaf and Mitsu-bishi Outlander PHEV)
- Charger = Component that helps you recharge your battery pack.\
- EVSE = Electric-vehicle supply equipment (industry term for charger)
- ICE = Internal-combustion engine
- J1772 =“The SAE standard for EV charging and the connector all non-Tesla EVs in the U.S. use for Level 1 and 2 charging.”
- kW = unit of power- 1 Kilowatt = 1000 watts
- kWh = When 1 kilowatt is consumed for one hour of operation
- Level 1 =120-volt AC charging
- Level 2 = 240-volt AC charging
- Level 3 = DC fast-charging
- MPGe = Miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent
- PHEV = Plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle
- Regenerative braking = Deacceleration caused by electric motors to convert braking force into electricity to recharge the battery pack.
SOC = State of charge
Do EV batteries degrade like cellphone batteries?
- Yes
Can I own an EV without home 240-volt charging?
- Yes, but a Level 1 charger can take days to replenish a discharged EV completely
How does the EV tax credit work?
- You get a one-time rebate of up to $7500 (starting from $2500), as long as your taxes exceed the rebate amount that your vehicle’s gross battery capacity qualifies for.
Is an EV cheaper to own than a gas car?
- Depends on a wide range of factors like your insurance group, type of purchase, tax group, and change in depreciation over time.
Will EVs ever be as affordable as today’s cheapest gas cars?
- Possibly
Is a battery breakthrough imminent?
- It is a strong possibility
Close but No Cigar!
How much range do I need?
- There is no one-stop tool that can help you determine your range requirements as it relies on several factors that vary over time. According to Federal Highway Administration, an average person drives around 13,500 miles annually. Personal range requirements depend on individual preferences, local weather conditions, driving conditions, battery quality, etc.
Can I tow with an EV?
- Yes, check out our take on the 2022 F-150 Lightning Pro. But know that towing reduces range, sometimes dramatically. That said, Ford designed the Lightning to calculate range based on trailer size and its combined weight with your load.
How do I prep my garage for an EV?
- You can get a dedicated charging interface and even upgrade to a Level 2, or a Level 3 charging setup. (Click HERE to learn more!)
Are used EVs the bargains they appear to be?
- It is tough to say. The depreciation of EVs is much higher than their ICE counterparts right now, but as automakers embrace electric mobility, we should see a decline in depreciation. EVs are also more reliable than IC combustion models, but like with any other vehicle, you must ensure the EV (both car and battery) is in good condition.
What Else You Need to Know
Why are EVs important?
- Electric cars seem to be wining their ongoing battle with ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, as many automakers have already announced their plans to stop developing combustion motors. As this trend becomes more popular, we might find ourselves bidding farewell to gnarly exhaust notes quite soon, and in the long run that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The noise generated by an IC motor is indicative of the many components that operate simultaneously to generate mechanical power.
- This is also the reason why IC motors are not as reliable as electric motors, which have far fewer moving parts. When we take into account the energy vector transition, IC motors prove to be incredibly inefficient as most of the energy generated by combustion engines is lost to heat. Electric vehicles on the other hand deliver 80% efficiency, as they consume electricity directly, which also makes up for the strain the growing number of EVs put on the grid.
Can EVs support our power grids?
- Offerings from companies like Tesla and Hyundai come equipped with bidirectional charging capability. This will allow automakers, customers, and fleet owners to use their EV’s vehicle-to-grid interface, and redistribute residual power back to the grid in exchange for subsidies in electric utility costs. At the moment, utility companies are also offering many charging incentives to EV owners. Range anxiety is also a major concern for many EV buyers, and factors like temperature can indeed have a substantial effect on the efficiency of batteries.
- For this reason, OEMs are constantly developing battery tech. In recent years, there have been some great advances in supercapacitors, solid-state cells, and lithium-ion battery technology. Rapid charging is also enhancing the practicality of electric cars and as EVs do not produce any emissions, they also become carbon-neutral much faster than ICE vehicles.
Is now the right time to buy an EV?
- If a battery-powered vehicle can meet all your motoring needs, and if you’ve been thinking about making the switch to EVs, then go ahead and join the ongoing electric revolution.