I recently got a great deal on my third EV, the 3rd electric vehicle, which reminded me of just how much more diverse this process is compared to buying a regular gasoline car. Buying an electric vehicle in California is much the same as buying any other type of car. Carmakers make limited numbers of EVs, so finding a vehicle that is right for you can be tough.
Electric cars are in such high demand that very few dealers have cars available to test-drive–we had to go for an hour just to find one model. Scott Case told Forbes Wheels that, due to the high gas prices and car scarcity, many electric vehicle owners are holding on to their EVs rather than trading in and upgrading, and as such, used EVs are available at just about a quarter of the rate they need to be. Still, about 290 million cars, trucks, and SUVs are registered in the US today, and since late 2010, there has been just 1.6 million all-electric cars sold, with just one all-electric car model. If you can find one (and you can afford it), there is arguably no best luxury all-electric vehicle on the market today.
The annual fuel costs for an electric vehicle are less than half those for gas-powered cars. While it is true that gasoline is not the only expense that comes with driving, there are situations where driving an electric vehicle may actually end up being cheaper in total. The amount of money the average driver spends on gas also can add up, meaning electric cars can potentially save drivers money over the long term. While many EV owners opt to set up a charging station in their homes to increase convenience, many EV manufacturers offer free charging at public charging stations.
You should also consider incentives to install electric car charging equipment, which are usually offered by the local utility company. Plus, EV charging stations are becoming more prevalent and easier to find. California drivers also might qualify for Clean Fuel Rewards Electric Vehicle Rebate Program The California Air Resources Board also offers a Point-of-Sale Rebate up to $750 toward the purchase or lease of a new electric car that is fully electric or a plug-in hybrid, as part of its Clean Fuel Rewards program. While the electric car council has found that between 70-80 percent of electric vehicle drivers charge at home, many drivers do not have the luxury of installing a charging station in their homes.
You will also have to get a licensed electrician to come into your house and check your electric panels and wiring, ensuring your residence is capable of supporting a charging station without making upgrades or improvements. If you can, try charging the vehicle in your house to ensure that your plugs are compatible.
Before making the purchase, verify remaining battery life/warranty, electric motor condition, tires status, charging options, and vehicle mileage. With electric cars, there are indeed comparable limitations, and having one that is capable of filling up the batteries fast enough for your lifestyle is the difference between having a good electric experience and having an awful one. Another reason is that a battery pack eventually needs replacing, so the older the electric vehicle, the sooner costly repairs are needed.
This is particularly the case if you are buying the electric car as your second car. Here are strategies that I have developed in my past 10 years buying electric cars, and they can help you land a better deal on the right vehicle. A good EV salesperson can be aware of incentives that you missed, contractors who install domestic charging units, and they may also help you determine whether or not an EV is the right car for your needs.
Even when asking prices are similar, the actual costs of buying used EVs may differ between states due to sales taxes and vehicle fees. The second-vehicle costs will also be determined by where this reporter lives: A Recurrent Auto study found used EV prices could differ as much as 33% across states, a large fluctuation that I am not willing to pay in advance, which also partly undermines the point of getting a used vehicle in the first place. This reporters first step was figuring out what I was willing to spend to add a second car to our household, balancing how much it would be used versus what it will cost to maintain.
In under two minutes, this reporter had set up all of the filters that I wanted on my used car, including price, age, size, electric. On the day we went, we called ahead and made sure there was no sold-off model. Since I planned on getting a Hyundai Kona Electric, I knew that I would receive a check for $2,000 in rebates from the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program in California, as well as $1,500 in price reductions for a third EV from my electricity provider, Southern California Edison. The used price for an EV is a lot closer to ordering one on the Tesla Model X 2020 site.
Electric car prices Average prices for all new cars (gasoline and electric) according to J.D. Consider tax credits, rebates, and incentives Electric cars are generally more expensive than their internal combustion-engine equivalents. You can determine the efficiency of an electric vehicle relative to a traditional vehicle by looking at the amount of energy it uses. How long an EV takes to recharge (and how many miles of range it represents) depends on many factors, including battery size, the cars overall efficiency, its onboard charger, and the capabilities of both an external charger — technically an electric vehicles utility, or charging, device, the one that goes on your wall and connects to your car — and the electric circuitry feeding it.
Electricity, especially if accessed at home, is typically cheaper than gas for every mile driven. The Volkswagen ID.4 compact SUV is not the least expensive electric vehicle you can buy, but with an initial price of $41,955 (including $1195 destination charges, but without incentives), it offers plenty of EV for the money.