Is an electric car right for you?
Here are four considerations before you buy
[October 27, 2011]
Let's say you've decided to buy a new car in the next year or two. You want something practical, dependable, safe and economical.
You've heard about plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), including the Nissan Leaf and the Chevrolet Volt. And you're tired of leaving a large part of your paycheck at the gas pump.
New branch opens with 240-volt charging station
How can you be sure an electric car makes sense for you? Dave Holmes, manager of applied research and development for Avista Utilities, suggests looking at the issue four ways.
Social/political
If you're concerned about the nation’s dependence on oil, then consider this:
Researchers at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory in Richland, Wash., concluded in 2008 that the nation could reduce oil imports by half by replacing 43 percent of all U.S. cars and pickups with gas-electric hybrid vehicles.
Hybrids rely on gasoline to power the car under some conditions, and to recharge the batteries. So the reduction in oil-dependency would be even greater with plug-in EVs.
Environment
It seems logical that replacing conventional cars with EVs would mean less pollution, particularly in cities. After all, EVs either don't burn gasoline or (in the case of the Chevrolet Volt) burn it only when the batteries are drained.
The equation gets muddied when fossil fuels are burned to generate the power that recharges EVs. Coal-fired power plants are a major source of pollution, and coal mining is disruptive.
Car batteries are made from mined materials, as well, and can cause disposal problems when they've had their last charge.
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology considered these issues in a 2010 study. Its conclusion: even in areas where most power comes from fossil fuels, EVs have significantly less impact than cars with internal combustion engines.
The environmental benefits may be greater in regions like the Pacific Northwest, where hydropower is the primary source of electricity, the Swiss scientists concluded.
The Northwest could handle many, many EVs with its existing power system, Holmes said. Why? Because electric cars (like cell phones) are recharged mostly at night when demand for electricity is at its lowest.
Convenience
If you're in a hurry to buy a car, then a plug-in EV may not be the best choice. There's a waiting list for Nissan Leafs. And while Chevrolet says it will have Volts in all states by the end of the year, highest priority is going to big cities.
Expect to see a Ford Focus Electric late this year. Other major carmakers also are working on EVs, while some smaller manufacturers have offered them for years, though typically in limited numbers and big price tags.
Likewise, if you regularly drive long distances, a car that relies solely on electricity may not be practical. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says a Leaf can go about 73 miles between charges – more, if you're a conservative driver. The Focus will have a similar range.
But most Americans commute less than 40 miles roundtrip. For such short drives, an EV can be a convenient choice.
"If you have an electric car, you drive home, you plug it into your wall, you go inside," Holmes said. "You never have to stand outside and pump gas again."
The duration of that recharge depends on whether you invest in a 240-volt recharging station (called a Level II charger). The wall-mounted station, which must be installed by an electrician, provides up to 30 miles of driving range for every hour of charging. A standard wall outlet provides three to four miles of driving per hour of charging.
Sometimes, an EV needs a charge away from home. Nissan says that various public and private organizations have announced plans for a total of 13,000 public charging stations nationwide by the end of 2012, including many in highway rest areas. Some may feature high-voltage Level III stations, which can charge a Leaf to 80 percent capacity in less than 30 minutes.
For the time being, though, public charging stations are scarce. Holmes said there are Level II chargers in three Spokane locations: City Hall, Steam Plant Square and Avista headquarters on Mission Avenue. Good news for STCU members: There will be a charging station at STCU’s South Valley Branch, which opens December 12.
Economics
Shopping for an EV can cause sticker shock. The Leaf is $32,000. Reviewers predict the Focus Electric will be in the $35,000 range. Chevy's Volt, the Motor Trend Car of the Year, is $40,000.
The first 200,000 buyers of each of those vehicles qualify for $7,500 in federal tax credits (there are some restrictions, so check carefully before buying). And if you live in Washington, sales tax is waived for purchases of EVs, amounting to an 8.7 percent discount for Spokane County buyers.
Taking the federal and state tax incentives could reduce your purchase to $27,500, or at least $3,500 more than the after-tax price of a gasoline-powered Ford Focus with lots of options.
Chances are you'd want a Level II charging station. That would add about $2,200 to the cost of a Focus Electric. But a 30 percent tax credit (up to $1,000) for charging stations installed this year would make the final price of the charging station $1,540.
That makes the upfront cost for a Focus Electric about $29,040, or $5,000 more than for a nicely equipped Focus with gasoline engine. Either car can be purchased with an STCU loan.
How long would it take to make up that difference in fuel costs? About five years, depending on your driving habits and other factors.
The EPA rates the standard Focus at 28 miles per gallon for a mix of driving conditions. Assuming you drive 10,000 miles a year and gasoline costs $3.50 per gallon, your annual fuel costs will be $1,400. The Focus Electric could travel that same distance for $230 (assuming 7 cents per kilowatt hour for electricity).
As for non-fuel costs, the U.S. Department of Energy says EVs require far less maintenance than similar cars with internal combustion engines. Washington residents will spend some of that savings on a $100 annual fee for each EV, designed to compensate for lost fuel taxes (the state’s primary funding source for road construction and maintenance).
EV drivers face a big cost when their car's lithium ion batteries eventually wear out. Estimated replacement costs vary greatly, but based on today's technology, it could be as much as $18,000 for a Nissan Leaf.
To ease consumers' worries about that pending expense, Nissan and Chevrolet warrant their batteries for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. Battery technology is improving rapidly and other EV proponents predict the cost to drop significantly before anyone buying a new car this year is forced to change batteries.
"Every year, batteries are getting better and better," Holmes said. "It's something everybody is working on."
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