EV Buyers Guide
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Assess Your Situation
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Learn about EV features
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Try It and Buy It
1. Assess Your Situation
As with any vehicle purchase, it’s important to choose a car that fits your specific needs. Electric vehicles follow the same principle, but there are some things you should consider when determining which EV model best fits your lifestyle:
Tips and Additional Resources
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Calculate how much you drive here: insert link
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You can calculate how much money you would save on fuel with this estimator: Alternative Fuels Data Center: Vehicle Cost Calculator
Range
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What is Range?
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Range refers to the distance you can travel on a single charge before needing to recharge. While most new EVs have a range between 100-500 miles per charge, this number can vary depending on factors such as battery size and capacity, driving speed, weight, terrain, outside temperature, and the condition of your tires.
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Battery Electric Vehicles use electricity alone with a bigger battery that has a range between 100-500 miles.
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Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles have a range of 200-600 miles, but their electric battery range is only 15-60 miles with the rest relying on the gas engine.
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How Much Range Do You Need?
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The U.S. Department of Transportation found that the average American driver travels 29 miles a day. Most EVS significantly surpass this range, but it is important to consider which battery size you need.
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EVs come with options for different battery sizes. Larger batteries considered to be better, but they also cost more.
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If you need to travel longer distances, there are some additional considerations:
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Charging takes longer than refueling with gas, but this can be planned ahead. Numerous apps such as PlueShare and A Better Route Planner (ABRP) are available to see what public charging infrastructure is available on your route.
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What's the Deal with Range Loss?
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Since EVs are more sensitive to aerodynamics, their range can be affected by a variety of conditions:
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Driving at higher speeds reduces efficiency, so slowing down can help extend range when needed.
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Extreme temperatures are the most likely reason for temporary loss of range since climate control draws power from the battery, but range will return to normal on less extreme days.
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For Maine Winters, you should ensure that the EV has 50% more range than your mileage needs, as this is the highest expected range loss.
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Range loss is not a new phenomenon with EVs, as it also affects gasoline-powered cars. It's just become more noticeable with EVs since charging takes more time and planning.
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If you want to see how a specific model performs in real-world scenarios, many detailed range tests are available on YouTube.
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Tips and Additional Resources
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Visit Efficiency Maine's Electric Vehicle Charging webpage to learn more about Connector Types and Installation Information:
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View a comprehensive guide to "How to Select and Install a Home Electric Vehicle Charger" Here: EV-Home-Charger-Guide.pdf
Charging
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What charging options do you have?
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Most EV drivers charge their car at home more than 80% of the time.
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Level 1 and 2 chargers are for daily use, while Level 3 chargers are typically used for quick recharges need during longer trips. Charging infrastructure is becoming more common across the country, but some areas offer more convenience than others.
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Although adapters exist, it is important to assess whether a vehicle plug type is compatible with local public infrastructure.
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Homeowners: Installing an EV charger is a long-term investment.
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If you drive less than 30 miles a day, Level 1 "trickle chargers" use standard wall outlets but will only charge a few miles of range per hour. These typically cost $130-230, but may require additional fees if current electrical outlets need any upgrades or rewiring.
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Level 2 Chargers charge faster, but installation can cost from $1,000 to $3,000.
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Renters: Confirm that your community or building has charging infrastructure or check for public charging options through the available apps.
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Workplace: Check to see if your workplace has any charging infrastructure that could offset the absence of home charging.
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Plug In Hybrids are also an option for if at-home charging is not an option, but having two engines to maintain can be an additional strain.
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How Quickly Do You need to Charge?
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Charging speed is the amount of time it takes an EV battery to fill up. It is typically measured in kilowatts (kW), and the higher the kW, the faster it charges. Recharging rates are not standardized across manufacturers, and so different cars can charge at different speeds. Charging speeds for electric vehicles can vary depending on the car’s capabilities, the specifications of the charging station you use, and various environmental factors (such as battery temperature, charger type, and how full your battery already is)
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Charging Curve:
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EVs have a Charge Curve that refers to how an EV will charge faster when low, but slower when it is near a full charge. It typically starts to slow down at around 80% charged to protect the health of the battery. Something to consider is that you want to buy a car with a higher range than you need each day so that you can quickly charge the mileage you need without having to wait for the last 20% recharge when it slows down.
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2. Learn about EV Features
EVs use different terminology and measurements
Charging Measurements
Kilowatts (kW) measure how quickly energy is transferred from the charger to an electric vehicle’s battery. In contrast, kilowatt-hours (kWh) indicate the battery’s total energy capacity, similar to the size of a fuel tank in a gasoline car. The amount of energy added during charging is calculated by multiplying the charger’s power in kW by the charging time in hours. For example, a 50 kW charger operating for one hour delivers 50 kWh of energy. However, every vehicle has a maximum charging rate it can handle, so even if a charger can supply 150 kW, the car might only accept 100 kW, limiting the charging speed. Typical EV battery sizes range from about 50 kWh to 200 kWh, depending on the vehicle’s size.
Fuel Efficiency Measurements
The three common fuel efficiency measurements are:
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Miles per killowatt-hour (miles/kWh): Measures how far an EV can travel on one kWh of electricity. An EV with a 50 mile/kWh can travel 50 miles on each kWh of battery capacity. The higher the better.
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Kilowatt-hours per 100 miles (kWh/100 miles): How many kWh the vehicle uses to travel 100 miles. A 25kwh/100 miles means the car will use 25 kWh of electricity to travel 100 miles. The lower the better.
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Miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe): Equates the electricity used by an EV to the amount of energy in gasoline. It is based on the converstion of 33.7kwH being equal to one gallon of gasoline.
Battery Degradation
Be aware that electric vehicle (EV) batteries do lose some capacity over time, but the decline is generally minimal. On average, battery degradation is about 1.8% per year, meaning most EVs can retain the majority of their driving range for well over a decade. This isn’t unique to EVs as traditional gasoline vehicles also lose efficiency and range as they age.
The rate of degradation for EVs varies depending on how manufacturers design and engineer the batteries.
To provide peace of mind, most manufacturers back their EV batteries with warranties that guarantee a certain level of capacity retention over several years.