Switching to an Electric Vehicle (EV) is one of the largest ways to cut down on your greenhouse gas emissions (an average of 5 tons of carbon per vehicle per year), save money, and have more fun behind the wheel.
You can begin exploring the answers to these questions in our Deep Dive. Our Energy Navigators can help you switch to an EV by exploring different models, how to set up charging, and financing options.
See if making the decision to switch to an EV is right for you by following these steps:
Interested in hopping on the Electric Vehicle (EV) train (or car)? You aren’t alone. In 2024, Vermont has seen a 44% increase in electric vehicles on our roads.
To learn more about EVs in Vermont, Drive Electric Vermont has plenty of resources and guides specific to our state.
And if you’re ready to choose your next ride, Motor’s EV Navigator is also a good place to start. They will create a free, personalized EV guide for you based on your needs and interests.
Electric vehicles have gotten a lot of attention in the past several years, but their history actually goes back almost 150 years. Watch this video to learn how electric vehicles aren’t just the latest tech craze.
Electric vehicles are extremely reliable. They have fewer parts than gas-powered vehicles which leads to less maintenance issues. Some studies have shown higher malfunction rates in EVs than in conventional vehicles. However, these numbers are mostly the product of software glitches in EV screens and backup cameras, a consequence of EVs being high-tech and rapidly-evolving.
To learn more about these software glitches, read this article.
Read what the people on Reddit have to say here.
Electric cars are as safe, if not safer than gas-powered vehicles.
The added weight of electric vehicles is an advantage in collisions. In collisions, injury claims from EV passengers were found to be 40% less than those from gas-powered cars.
Although electric vehicles catching fire is a popular topic in the news, studies have shown that electric vehicles are actually slightly less likely to catch fire than gas or diesel-powered vehicles.
Read this research round-up to learn more about the safety of EVs.
Since electric vehicles have fewer parts than gas-powered vehicles, they require less maintenance. In fact, electric vehicles only need to be serviced once or twice a year for tire rotations and check-ups. A Consumer Reports study found that lifetime EV maintenance is on average half as much as that of a gas-powered vehicle.
This is in large part due to the regenerative braking mechanisms in electric cars that allow for energy to be recovered as a car is braked, and reduce wear on brakes. Read more about regenerative braking here.
At home charging, and many public charging stations are dramatically cheaper than gasoline. Whereas the cost of gas tends to rise and fall dramatically, the average electricity rate in Vermont has remained steady over the past several years.
We are currently working on creating a financing guide to your energy transition, but until then you can read Drive Electric Vermont’s financing guide.
Rapidly-evolving EV technology means that electric vehicles are not only becoming more efficient, but also less expensive. Choosing to lease an EV has the benefit of not tying you to a specific model or price point.
Read more about the choice between leasing and purchasing here.
Before purchasing an EV, it is important to create a charging plan. This means locating public chargers near you, installing a charger at your home, and orienting yourself with EV charger lingo.
Vermont has over 400 public EV charging stations. Here is a map of all of the state’s EV stations. If you’re planning a road trip, you can use this map which includes all the EV stations in the US.
In navigation apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, and others, you can search for charging stations near by, or on your route. These tools provide updates on charger availability and type.
There are three levels of chargers.
Level 1 uses a J1772 plug or Tesla connector that connects to a standard 120-volt AC household outlet. This is the most convenient charging option, and is often included with new electric cars. However, it is also the slowest and most expensive charging option, and it can take days to reach a full charge on level 1. Level 1 charging only adds 2-4 miles per hour, so it isn’t enough to meet the daily needs of most EV owners.
Level 2 charging also uses a J1772 plug or Tesla connector but works 6 to 8 times as fast as level 1. It operates at 240 volts, which means that you may need to add electrical capacity to your home, or add a switching breaker, and purchase dedicated Level 2 charging equipment. These are the types of chargers commonly found in public spaces and homes.They can add 12-32 miles of driving range per hour of charging.
Level 3 chargers, or DC fast-chargers use a SAE Combo or CCS plug. They are the fastest, and can be useful during long trips. Fast-chargers can add as much as 100-250 miles in 30 minutes.
The vast majority of EVs use the same type of connector, but Teslas use a manufacturer-specific connector for charging. There are adapters that allow for non-Tesla EVs to be plugged into Tesla chargers, and for Teslas to be charged by non-Tesla chargers.
Use this guide to learn more about the different types of EV chargers.
Yes, by exploring the map of EV chargers ahead of time, you can plan your trip accordingly, and ease your concerns about finding a charger on the way.
If you’re concerned about taking your electric vehicle long distances, check out this YouTube channel which chronicles EV road trips of all lengths and locations.
Just like gas-powered vehicles, electric vehicles run better when protected from cold temperature. There are precautions you can take to optimize your EV’s functioning in cold weather. Parking indoors or in a covered area, warming your vehicle before driving, and protecting your charger all ensure the longevity of your car and charger.
On cold days, it helps to give your EV some charging lee-way, that is charging a little more than you normally would to accommodate for extra battery usage during colder temperatures. Available miles can decrease by up to 25-30% in the winter.
You can use this tool from Drive Electric Vermont to view electric vehicles available in Vermont, and filter based on your preferences.
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