As a new first-time owner of an electric vehicle, I thought it would be helpful to do a series of posts on some of the questions I had getting my first EV, a 2016 Chevy Spark EV, in January 2019.
Next on the EV discussion, let’s talk about the biggest factor besides the initial cost, and that’s range.
The #1 reason people don’t purchase EVs – even more than price – is range anxiety. The question is always, “Will this car get me where I’m going without running out of juice?” This is a legitimate concern, and depending on your answers to these questions, plus factors like your budget, may tip the scales for – or against – an EV. Let’s hit them quick.
1. Distance. How far is your drive? Is it a daily commute across town, or are you a sales guy traveling city to city? You need to factor in what your driving habits require. In my case, my commute is 25 miles round trip on surface streets. Even a short range commuter car like my Spark EV handles it well.
2. Terrain. My drive is all downhill to work, all uphill back home. I use very little capacity getting there, and a lot more coming back. For me it evens out, but if you’re in very hilly terrain, it can affect your range.
3. City vs. highway. Gas vehicles get better mileage on the highway. EVs are exactly the opposite: Range is better in city driving. This is due to lower speeds and lots of stop lights, which engages regenerative braking.
4. Access to charging stations. If your business has charging stations on site, you may be able to charge each time you get to work. Or there may be places on your route to charge should your battery start to run out of electrons. Even in a long-range version, factoring in where stations are along your route can decide whether an EV is right for you.
5. Weather. Wet or dry weather doesn’t affect EV’s, but cold weather especially shortens battery range. Hot weather can also affect it, and may hurt battery life in the long run. Which brings us to our last factor.
6. Liquid temperature management system. Living in an extreme environment like Las Vegas, having an active temperature management system for the battery was critical. A liquid cooled (or heated) battery becomes more important the more extreme your climate. In the desert, it’s very important, in order to keep capacity loss to a minimum.
In our last installment, we’ll talk about getting your vehicle serviced.