Everything You Need To Know About Buying Electric

Electric cars have become increasingly popular in recent years but they have some considerations beyond those of gas-powered cars. Knowing what you need out of a vehicle, how you plan to use it and what various electric vehicles (EVs) can offer will make sure that you get the perfect car. So here’s a few things to keep in mind. 

Range

The biggest consideration is range. For the longest time, the overall range capability of electric vehicles was the biggest obstacle to mass adoption. These days, however, getting over 300 miles of range is fairly standard among larger EVs with larger battery packs. Which makes them quite a bit more viable as a primary family car. But you may not need that much range. While it’s certainly nice to have it available, if you live in the city or fairly close to work, you may not drive that far on a day-to-day basis and a car with a shorter range will more than suffice. 

Charging Potential and Infrastructure

A factor that goes hand-in-hand with range is the charging speed and charging infrastructure for your car. Improvements in this area are coming super fast and some EVs can charge from 20% to 80% in a matter of minutes. It’s still not as fast as filling up a gas tank, but long gone are the days of driving an EV meaning that a 300 mile drive becomes an overnight trip. This does mean that longer trips may require some planning, making sure that fast charging stations that match your car are present along your route. 

Cost

It’s no secret that EVs can often have a higher up-front cost than similarly equipped gas-powered vehicles. But this is often offset by government incentive programs and is certainly made up in a lower operating cost. Consider, you’ll never have to buy gas or pay for an oil change or coolant flush ever again. The regular maintenance costs of an EV are significantly lower than those of an internal combustion engine. Even though the electricity to charge them isn’t free, the overall cost savings is remarkable. In addition, EVs retain their value exceptionally well and so they tend to resell at a higher price point. 

Electric vehicles come with a couple of considerations that their gas-powered counterparts don’t have. But this is more a small change than a total overhaul of how we think about cars. For example, considering electric range as opposed to miles-per-gallon. If you have any questions about purchasing an electric vehicle, we’d be happy to help you at Chris Crain Hyundai!

Tags: Crain Hyundai, electric vehicles, Kona
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »