If you are thinking of buying an EV, we have got a few tips for you, and we are going to keep this brief, sweet, and to the point. Heres the strategy that I have developed in my past 10 years buying electric cars, which can help you land a better deal on the right vehicle. I recently got a great deal on my third EV, and it reminded me of just how much the process is different from buying a regular gas-powered car.
Since I planned on getting a Hyundai Kona electric vehicle, I knew that I was going to receive a check for $2,000 in rebates from the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, as well as $1,500 off the cars price from my electricity provider, Southern California Edison. My third EV also qualified for the $7,500 federal tax credit, which brings the total amount of potential support available to me to $11,000.
One is the electric car tax credit, an incentive of $7,500 which applies to both electric cars and plug-in cars. Tax credits and rebates offered by your locality, state, or the federal government to electric car buyers can make a big difference in making a plug-in car more affordable.
Consider tax credits, rebates, and incentives EVs are generally more expensive than their internal-combustion-engine equivalents. Annual fuel costs of electric cars are less than half those of gasoline-powered cars.
Electric cars typically offer at least 200 miles of driving range per charge. An electric cars driving range is how far it will travel in one charge. You can determine the efficiency of an electric car when compared to a traditional vehicle by looking at the amount of energy that it uses.
Identifying How you can Charge Your Electric Car If you have decided that an EV is the right car for you, you need to consider how you are going to recharge your vehicle. To determine what your needs are, first, take inventory of the usual uses you make of the vehicle. From where you would be charging up to how much range you will need, car-buying experts say that a number of things to think about when swapping your gas-guzzling vehicle for an electric vehicle.
Carmakers make a limited number of electric cars, so finding a vehicle that is right for you may prove challenging. 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.
EVs do not have many moving parts, so buying used is probably a valid option. This is particularly the case if you are buying the EV to use as your second car. If you had more than one car, the electric vehicle did not have to be perfect for each scenario, Harto added, and the used model might have been a better fit. After doing that inventory, buyers might be surprised to learn an electric car offers enough range for their needs, Jennifer Newman himself said.
If you want an electric vehicle that can remain on the road for extended periods of time when away from home, consider narrowing down your search to EVs that have an acceptance rating above 50kW. You may wish to restrict your search to EVs capable of using Level 3 quick charging stations. Even if you take occasional trips out of the electric vehicles range, you could plan on using public charging stations and do fine. Some owners who take their EVs on short trips across town have found that level one charging is sufficient for topping off their cars batteries at night back at home.
While the EV Council found between 70 to 80 percent of EV drivers recharge at home, many drivers do not have the luxury of installing a charging station in their homes. While national charging station networks are booming, and smartphone apps are making finding chargers–and paying for power–easier than ever, public chargers are not yet nearly as abundant or as reliable as conventional gas stations. Sites such as PlugShare and ChargeHub let you check out current charging stations near you, which are set to grow by the thousands over the next few years as the inevitable EV revolution accelerates.
For instance, your electric utility may have deals on domestic charging stations, as well as lower-cost, off-peak electricity plans for charging at night. Many EV manufacturers also include convenient add-ons, such as free recharging on your chosen charging network during certain periods, or up to a specified energy limit. Electric cars have a wide variety of charging options, including quick-charging, standard charging, and slower charging.
You will also want to get a licensed electrician to come out to your house and check your electric panels and wiring, making sure that your residence is capable of supporting the charging station without making upgrades or improvements. Before making your purchase, verify remaining battery life/warranty, electric motor condition, tires status, charging options, and vehicle mileage. We have broken down the electric vehicle buying tips into bite-sized pieces so the experience is one that leaves you feeling recharged about your new vehicle purchase.
Expanding means while up-front costs may be higher, there’ll be more options available as mainstream brands dip their toes in the electric-car sector. This growing interest in electric cars has led to advances in the available financing, including green car loans and tax credits.
Note that GM and Tesla electric vehicles are ineligible for $8, as both automakers exceeded their sales volume caps under this program. The repeal means that such car companies, which had previously reached the 200 sales cap–such as Tesla and GM–will once again qualify for the federal electric car tax credit.