Sustainability Spotlight - August 2022 - Make Your Next Vehicle an Electric Vehicle

Have you thought about making your next vehicle purchase an electric vehicle (EV)? Choosing an EV lowers your carbon footprint now and will lower it even more so in the future. Today when you charge an EV, you are probably using electricity partially produced with coal and natural gas. In the future as utilities move away from carbon-producing generation, your car will more likely be charged with power generated from renewable resources such as wind and solar.

How can you improve your carbon footprint today? Choose to charge your car when renewable energy is more available. In Colorado that is frequently in the middle of the night when wind generation is high and power usage is low. If your car doesn’t need a full charge, you may be able to schedule your car to start charging after everyone has gone to bed, power usage is low, and renewable power is more abundant.

Are you concerned that your new vehicle’s battery will run out when you are on the road? Range anxiety is a common concern. Newer EVs have larger batteries which allow for more road miles before requiring to be recharged, lessening range anxiety. Most people will do 90% of their charging at home, because it is easy, convenient, and likely the cheapest way to charge. After purchasing an EV, owners quickly learn to adjust their thinking from filling up once every couple of weeks to simply plugging in when they arrive home several times a week or maybe even every night. Charging at night and on the weekends at home will provide you with the least expensive electricity.

But what about a road trip? Many new vehicles can help you map out your trip and can identify charging locations; apps are also available with the same information. More chargers are being installed every day. Check out the tentative plans for Colorado. Remember, what may seem like a concern today will disappear as more charging stations are built out over the next few years.

When you are out searching for a vehicle be sure to research a few unique items for EVs.

Is it a hybrid or battery-only EV? A hybrid vehicle has both a battery and a motor set up along with the traditional engine that runs when the battery runs out. These vehicles have a small battery that is typically good for an average commute. They save on gas, but the maintenance and headaches of an internal combustion engine still exist. A battery-only electric vehicle runs on a battery and motor(s). This design is much simpler with less moving parts, so maintenance headaches are greatly diminished.

Learn what the maximum mileage range of the vehicle is. Will that work with your driving habits for this vehicle? Super chargers are being installed more frequently. Today these are most frequently found along the interstate system and are being strategically placed so you can always have a charger within reach. These chargers, also called level 3 chargers or Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC’s), charge at a high rate and can have you charged up in 20 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the battery, the capability of the super charger, and the capability of the vehicle. Battery sizes are increasing, super charger sizes are increasing and ability for cars to handle larger chargers is increasing. In addition, many chargers are conveniently located near restrooms, convenience stores, and restaurants.

You’ll also need to learn how long it will take to charge at home. Electric vehicles can be charged with alternating current, normal household power, using a charger and the car’s onboard charger that converts the alternating current to direct current. Charging time will depend on the size of battery, the charger’s capability, and the vehicle’s on-board charging capabilities. The speed of charging will be limited by the smaller of the charger capability and the vehicles on board charger capability. Many people will want to invest in a level 2 charger that uses a 240 Volt outlet, similar to a dryer outlet. These chargers typically charge a vehicle in 3-8 hours. Work by an electrician is likely needed along with the purchase of a charger.

Another charging option is just using your typical 120 Volt outlet or a level 1 charger. This won’t charge the EV very fast, but if you plan on plugging in every night and on the weekends, this may do the trick for you. This is always an option if you are visiting friends or family and you want to plug-in but they don’t have a level 2 charger.

Finally, be sure to check out and understand existing Federal and State Tax Credits and credits being considered in Congress right now for starting in 2023, as well as a few other resources:

• This Consumer Guide to Electric Vehicles is published by the Electric Power Research Institute, can provide you with an understanding of range availability for most electric vehicles available today along with the expected different charge times and also has links to many other sources.
• The Department of Energy also provides a quick guide to understanding how long and how much it costs to charge an electric vehicle.