Driving electric does more than help the planet and your wallet by saving trips to the gas station, it also cuts down maintenance costs, offers convenient charging, and desirable tax incentives to persuade car shoppers to take the initiative of buying electric. Check out why Westport and Tiverton locals are interested in purchasing an electric vehicle at First Ford .
If you're looking to avoid consuming gas completely, you'll want to opt for an all-electric vehicle. All-electric vehicles are solely powered by battery and charge via an at-home charging station or publicly accessible charging station.
A Plug-in Hybrid will operate on battery and then switch to gasoline if the battery is too depleted. Depending on your commute, you may not need to use gasoline at all, saving you hundreds to thousands of money and time you would normally spend at the gas station. Recharge your battery via a charging station just like an all-electric.
With a regular hybrid, everything operates the same as a plug-in hybrid, however, the battery doesn't recharge via charging. The battery will charge itself during regenerative braking and tends to have a smaller battery than a plug-in due to this method.
Charging times vary depending of the type of charger used.
Level 1 chargers use a standard household outlet and charge about 2-5 miles of range per hour, making Level 1 a good choice for plugin hybrid vehicles but not battery electric vehicles.
Level 2 chargers can be installed at your home by a professional electrician and charge about 10-20 miles of range per hour. A good choice for any EV when charging overnight or all-day is possible.
Level 3 fast chargers are the most efficient and can be found at commercial locations. Level 3 can charge about 60-80 miles of range in about 20 minutes, making it a good choice for any EV when a quick charge is needed on the go.
For plugin hybrid vehicles a standard outlet (Level 1) will be enough for overnight charging. For battery electric vehicles, a Level 2 charger will require professional installation by a licensed electrician. If you live in an apartment or condo, consider talking with the property owner about installing a charger or use a nearby public charger. Talk to our sales staff to find out more about charging from home.
Most batteries will last between 100,000 and 200,000 miles when properly cared for. With battery technology continually advancing, that number will continue to increase. If you can keep your battery between 20% and 80% charged most days and avoid extremely hot temperatures, you can expect your maintenance to be minimal.
Other advantages of owning an EV include:
This will vary depending on the local price of electricity and gas and where you are charging (at home or public charger), but most EV owners can expect to save on fuel cost. A recent Consumer Reports study found the “typical EV owner who does most of their fueling at home can expect to save an average of $800 to $1,000 a year on fueling costs over an equivalent gasoline-powered car.”
Source: Benjamin Preston. October 08, 2020. EVs Offer Big Savings Over Traditional Gas-Powered Cars.
https://www.consumerreports.org/hybrids-evs/evs-offer-big-savings-over-traditional-gas-powered-cars/A recent Consumer Reports study found “maintenance and repair costs for EVs are significantly lower over the life of the vehicle – about half – than for gasoline–powered vehicles, which require regular fluid changes and are more mechanically complex. The average dollar savings over the lifetime of the vehicle is about $4,600.”
Source: Benjamin Preston. October 08, 2020. EVs Offer Big Savings Over Traditional Gas-Powered Cars.
https://www.consumerreports.org/hybrids-evs/evs-offer-big-savings-over-traditional-gas-powered-cars/* Indicates a required field
