Saving Green: Thinking EV? We’re sharing lessons learned by driving one
Whoosh! What was that really quiet car that just flew past at high speed? Probably an electric vehicle (EV). In this article we will describe our experiences with the shorter-range 2015 Chevrolet Spark (82 miles) driven by Al and his wife, and a longer range 2019 Tesla Model 3 (285 miles) driven by Mac and his wife.
Mac and Janice celebrated retirement with a road trip, camping with their dog as they drove from Moscow to Michigan. Everything fit into their Tesla. They had a blast — easy, fast driving and much cheaper than driving their Subaru. Al and Diane enjoy scooting around the Palouse in a small, easy to park, economical car which easily makes it up to Moscow Mountain trailheads complete with their dog.
We have seen both positives and negatives to driving an EV. One positive is fuel costs: we both usually charge our EVs at home, where it’s cheaper than commercial charging. Both cars sip electricity at around 2 cents per mile, compared to 16 cents per mile for gas for the Subaru. This is like paying 50 cents per gallon for gas instead of $4 per gallon and translates to a savings of $1,400 per year with 10,000 miles of driving.
We both get substantial savings from reduced maintenance of EVs. They have no oil changes, alternators, timing belts, fuel pumps, spark plugs, water pumps, radiators, head gaskets, etc. that must be maintained on gas vehicles. It’s estimated that EV maintenance costs are less than half those of a gas car.
Although the carbon pollution produced while manufacturing an EV is slightly higher than that for a similar size gas car, the much-reduced pollution while driving an EV cancels this out after an average of about one year in the U.S. EV carbon pollution while driving is proportional to the amount of fossil fuel used for electricity generation — electricity generation and your EV will become cleaner simultaneously. In our region with lots of renewable electricity, an EV’s average life-time pollution will be about 1/4 that of a comparable gas-powered car and will still be less than a gas car even in coal-heavy West Virginia.
Although Al paid only $11,000 for his used Spark, new EVs in the past were more expensive than comparable gas cars. New EVs and gas vehicles are now very close to price parity (around $50,000). New Tesla Model 3’s (341 mile range) now start at $46,000, and if you hurry you can still snag a 2023 Chevrolet Bolt (259 mile range) for $20,000 after the $7500 federal tax credit (tax credit info at https://bit.ly/3HCsevT).
EV range is reduced in cold weather due to decreased battery performance and the need for passenger heat. A gas car has excess heat for the passengers because roughly 80% of the energy consumed is wasted as heat rather than used for locomotion. Electric motors convert about 90% of their battery energy to movement, so there is little excess heat available for cabin heating. Heated seats save battery energy. In cold weather our cars’ ranges are reduced by 30-40%, a real consideration with longer trips and charging stops.
How long will an EV’s battery last? Federal law requires warranties for eight years or 100,000 miles, but many warranties are substantially better than this, and the batteries typically last 10-20 years.
Slow charging rates on the road can be a concern for EV owners, but this is improving. How long does it take to charge? From empty to an 80% charge can take 14-70 minutes with a Level III fast charger, up to 10 hours with a 240-volt outlet, and up to 40 hours at 120 volts. The charging rates of different EVs can vary, a consideration for longer road trips. Tesla superchargers routinely add 120 miles to Mac’s Model 3 in 15 minutes.
On long trips, it’s good to pay attention to the locations of commercial charging stations. This is greatly aided by apps like PlugShare and the on-board apps in many EV’s.
Although commercial charging stations are proliferating, their availability in some areas may be a challenge due to the acceleration of EV sales. In 2023 1.2 million EVs were sold, with 51 models now available in the U.S. with ranges of at least 300 miles.
Why not drive an EV that will save energy, save thousands of dollars each year and reduce your carbon pollution by 75% or more? If not as your primary vehicle, then certainly as a second vehicle for local/regional driving. We are both very happy with the cars we bought.
Cantrell is a longtime Moscow resident and member of the Palouse chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby. Poplawsky leads the Palouse group of the Sierra Club.
