Well, you want to play your bit in reducing the use of fossil fuels, and you are thinking of getting an EV (Electric Vehicle). Many manufacturers sell electric vehicles, but which is best for you? Everyone’s needs and driving preferences are unique. On a 100% EV, how far can you travel? How trustworthy are they? Exist any savings? To assist you in deciding if this technology is appropriate for you, some of these questions will be addressed here. Guide on ev charger equipment?
Three different EV models are offered. But are they prepared for the spotlight? Your choice.
- Just electric for dedicated EVs
- Electric range extension with a gasoline engine
- Charge-only vehicles
An electric-only vehicle is a dedicated EV. By 2012, four models will either be available or anticipated.
- Nissan Leaf is a four-door, five-passenger hatchback that runs exclusively on batteries. Nissan claims that its estimated range of 100 miles between charges is adequate for 90% of Americans. A 220-volt outlet takes at least eight hours to charge fully, while a 110-volt outlet takes longer. A starting price of $33,600 is anticipated. An eight-year or 100,000-mile guarantee covers the battery and associated hardware.
- The battery replacement will probably cost $18,000. December 2010 is the expected release date.
A two-door, two-passenger pure battery electric vehicle is the Mini E Cooper. Its predicted range, in the best-case scenario, is 156 miles. The average driver can travel 100 miles between charges. A 240-volt, 48-amp outlet will charge the device in around 3 hours, whereas a 32-amp outlet would do it in about 4.5 hours. - With a 110-volt, 12-amp outlet, the charging process takes about 26.5 hours. The battery takes up the entire back seat. Therefore this is a two-passenger car. It takes some getting used to the regenerative braking, which begins when the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator. As a result, the car starts to slow down before the brakes are applied. BMW is leasing these automobiles as part of a unique program. A replacement is being created that will be based on the 2011 BMW 1 Series.
- The Ford Focus EV is a four-door car with an electric motor based on the 2012 Focus. The prototype’s lithium-ion battery pack has a capacity of 23 kilowatt hours and a potential range of 100 miles. A 220-volt charger takes about 6 hours to charge fully.
In 2008, Tesla Roadster first went on sale. It is a two-seat sports automobile with a $111,000 price tag. Its fiberglass body is based on the Lotus Elise. - This car is a rocket; it can go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. With a sizeable 53-kilowatt-hour battery pack, it boasts a 245-mile range. 3.5 hours are needed to charge using a specialized 240-Volt 70 amp charger entirely. The interior is pretty simple, and the ride is stiff and jarring. Due to the large, wide sill, entering the cockpit is awkward. Behind you, the large battery cooling fans continuously blast. Tesla is working on a model S vehicle that will cost less than $50,000 and go on sale in 2012.
Electric range extension with a gasoline engine
The only vehicle that fits this description is the Chevrolet Volt. It is a car with four doors and four seats. Because fof the T-shaped battery pack, the Volt does not have a rear bench seat like most automobiles. It can travel 40 miles on electricity alone. GM claims that 75% of commuters will be satisfied with this. An electric motor is powered by a small gas engine running when the battery level falls below a specified threshold.
Before refueling or charging the batteries, the total range is 300 miles. The Volt can run without ever being plugged in, according to GM. The fuel efficiency will be impacted, though. The Volt takes four hours to charge using a 220-volt outlet and eight to ten hours using a 110-volt outlet. Due to its smaller battery, the Volt can be charged more quickly than other electric vehicles.
The Nissan Leaf’s battery warranty also applies to the Volt. An eight-year or 100,000-mile guarantee covers the battery and associated hardware. The Volt has a starting price of $41,000. The Lithium-ion battery replacement costs about $8000, which is $10,000 less than the Leaf. The electric motor has a 273 pound-feet of torque and 149 horsepower. These torque figures are comparable to those of a V-6 engine.
Powered Hybrids
As of this writing, no manufacturers are making plug-in hybrids. For the Toyota Prius, certain aftermarket businesses do make aftermarket add-on batteries. These add-on batteries have an additional cost of about $11,000. The extra battery increases the gas mileage by about 50% for the first 35 miles. As the battery runs out, the Prius switches back to its conventional hybrid mode, at which point the fuel economy somewhat deteriorates due to the added weight of the storm. Toyota is putting the electric Prius to use in business settings. Models for retail consumers are not anticipated until 2012.
Many things to think about before buying an EV
What driving habits do you have? What will be your most extended trip distances? If your pure electric vehicle’s battery fully dies and no charging facilities are nearby, you will be trapped. Due to the lengthy charge times, the car won’t be operable again. The longer-range Volt is more helpful in this situation. Faster than waiting for the battery to charge is filling the gas tank.
Engineers estimate that using other electrical features like air conditioning, heating, lights, windscreen wipers, and playing music can use up about 50% of the battery power, reducing the vehicle’s range.
Although the lithium-ion battery life is unknown, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf’s eight-year, 100,000-mile warranties offer peace of mind.
money saved
A typical EV costs.04 cents per mile (depending on the electric rates in your area). You can compare that to a Toyota Corolla that gets 30 mpg and costs $2.80 per gallon or $0.09 per mile.
Government rewards
Each automaker’s first 200,000 EV purchasers are entitled to a $7,500 federal tax credit. Regional incentives are also available; for instance, California will double its $5000 tax credit for “zero emission” vehicles. Examine your neighborhood for incentives there.
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