Curious about EV? Turns out you’re not the only one.
We polled visitors to the 2023 New York Auto Show to find out what car lovers wanted to know about electric vehicles.
They had a lot of enthusiasm for the electric vehicles on display, and there were also a lot of questions: about costs, charging, environmental benefits and more.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about electric vehicles.
How do electric vehicles help the environment?
– Hershy Katz, Brooklyn, New York
Electric vehicles help the environment because they produce much less air and climate pollution than gasoline-powered vehicles. This is true even though much of our electricity grid still runs on fossil fuels.
As our electricity grid becomes cleaner, with more renewable energy online, electric vehicles will also become even cleaner. A gas vehicle will continue to pollute as long as you drive it.
Concerns about mining the minerals we need for electric vehicle batteries are real and need to be addressed. (Oil drilling, of course, has its own environmental drawbacks.) The advantage of electric vehicles is still huge: a mid-size electric vehicle produces 60-68% less greenhouse gas emissions per longer than a gas car.
How far can an electric car travel on a single charge?
— Diana McCall, Tampa, FL
These days, a new EV can go anywhere from 100 miles to over 400 miles on a single charge, depending on the make and model.
Among EVs in the 2023 model year, at least 35 get more than 300 miles on a charge, and seven top out at more than 400 miles. Many of the more affordable electric vehicles get more than 250 miles on a charge.
For a vehicle’s range, see the official estimate from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Just remember: As with EPA gas mileage estimates, performance may vary.
Are electric car prices coming down?
— Caroline Bailey, Brooklyn, New York
Electric vehicle prices have fallen considerably in recent years and evidence suggests that prices will continue to fall. In fact, in February alone, the average price of an electric vehicle dropped more than $1,000.
Today, the sticker price of at least three electric vehicles is under $30,000, and 10 models sell for less than the average cost of a new non-luxury car: $44,700. In addition, there are a number of federal, state and local incentives and rebates that can reduce the cost of an electric vehicle by thousands of dollars. The full federal tax credit alone is up to $7,500, depending on the model and whether you buy or lease. This online resource from Consumer Reports can help you learn more.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car compared to the cost of gas?
– Vivian, Brooklyn, New York
Simply put, electricity is almost always cheaper than gasoline. In fact, one of the big selling points of electric vehicles is that they generally cost much less to fuel, even in areas where electricity prices are high. This calculator from the US Department of Energy can help you understand the basics and compare fuel costs, vehicle by vehicle.
And keep an eye out for utilities and other incentives that can further reduce the cost of charging. Many utilities have lower rates for charging during off-peak hours.
What is the difference between a regular hybrid and a plug-in hybrid?
— Octavian, Queens, New York
Hybrid cars run on batteries and gas engines. They pass perfectly between both types of power, without the driver requiring effort or attention.
Most people are more familiar with gas hybrids, which don’t need a plug to recharge. Instead, they capture some of the energy created during braking and store it as electricity in their batteries. This electricity reduces the need for gas, giving hybrids better mileage than most conventional cars. Some hybrids can even drive a few miles on their batteries alone.
Plug-in hybrids generally have larger batteries that can go farther on electricity—between 9 and 51 miles before switching to gas. Like gas hybrids, they capture some energy while braking and store it in their batteries. But they get most of their electricity by plugging into an outlet or an electric vehicle charger.
While plug-in hybrid batteries don’t store as much juice as fully electric car batteries, the battery range is often enough to cover many people’s daily local driving, meaning they only need to use the gas engine for trips longer
How can I find public charging points for electric vehicles?
— Multiple people
Phone apps are usually the way to go. These include PlugShare, Google Maps and Apple Maps, ChargeHub and the apps distributed by various charging companies. Some of these apps, like Apple Maps, can even plan your route so you have plenty of charging options available.
The apps tell you the location and type of charger available, but not always if another driver is using a particular charger or if the charger isn’t working. (The new federal rules are designed to improve reliability and access to information about specific shippers.)
And access to the charger is getting better. Charging chains and retailers like Walmart, Taco Bell and Subway have plans to install tens of thousands of new chargers in the coming years, and the federal government will build 500,000 charging stations with funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Act passed in 2021 .This effort includes $2.5. billion to expand access to public electric vehicle chargers in underserved urban and rural communities.
How long does it take to charge an electric car?
— Malkie, Monsey, New York
This depends on the type of charger you are using.
A level 1, or trickle charger, is just a regular outlet, the kind of plug you’d plug a light into or your phone into. All electric vehicles come with a special cable that allows you to plug your car into a wall outlet and get 2-5 miles of charging per hour. This works great if you’re charging your car at home overnight.
Since most people in the US drive less than 40 miles a day, you can probably cover your daily commute and errands with a trickle charger.
Level 2 chargers provide up to about 25 miles of juice per hour. Most public chargers, the kind you’d find in a supermarket car park, are Level 2.
If you want to install a Level 2 charger in your home, you need to plug it into a 240-volt outlet, the kind you might plug a clothes dryer into. You may already have one accessible, but most Level 2 charger installations require a qualified electrician. And, to further ensure safety (240 volts is a lot of juice), make sure the charger is UL listed.
Level 2 chargers cost about $200 to $1,000 without installation, but rebates, tax credits and incentives can save up to $1,000 in some states and utility districts.
Level 3, also known as superchargers, are super fast. They can charge an electric vehicle’s battery up to 80% in an hour and many can offer a 50% charge in 15 minutes. Tesla, Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint offer Level 3 chargers, as do some government agencies in New York, Vermont, California, and other states.
Are electric vehicle batteries recyclable?
—Ian Mirthes, New Jersey
Good news here: there are impressive options for reusing and recycling electric vehicle batteries. Some companies are already using spent electric vehicle batteries that can still hold some charge to store electricity generated by solar panels.
Similarly, up to 95% of an electric vehicle battery can be recycled, making the critical minerals they contain ready for reuse in batteries. There are some challenges involved. Electric vehicle batteries are not as easy to recycle as, say, an aluminum can. And the price of recycled minerals from batteries is still high. But several U.S. companies are ramping up battery recycling plants, another way the electric vehicle industry is creating domestic jobs.
