Five Things to Know about Driving Electric

1. Regenerative Braking… What is it?

Regenerative braking is a standard feature in electric vehicles (EVs). In most cars, energy is lost in the form of heat every time we brake. With regenerative braking, that energy is captured and converted into electricity, which recharges the car’s battery. This extends the life  of an EV’s mechanical brake pads in addition to increasing the car’s driving range. The sensation for the driver is different. If you’ve ever driven an electric golf cart or go cart, it feels similar. When you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, the EV does not coast, it quickly slows down—which takes a little getting used to.

Want to do more of the technical details on regenerative braking? Howstuffworks has a great page explaining the details of regenerative braking systems.

Bottom Line:  Regenerative braking smartly recaptures energy when an EV is slowing down,  increases its range. It does take a little getting used to for drivers new to EVs.

2. Will I run out of charge? If so, what happens?

First, as technology improves, EV range capabilities are increasing with each new year and model. Range is the number of miles (or kilometers) an EV can travel on a charge. Most EVs can travel between 200 and 300 miles per charge. Our C3 Nissan Leaf gets about 226 miles per charge and the Tesla Model S has upwards of 285 miles per charge. Note that range can vary widely based on changing conditions like temperature, driving habits and speed. Even wind can have a significant positive or negative impact on range during highway travel. 

In addition to EV range improvements the other good news is the proliferation of public charging stations around the country. In Charlottesville alone, according to EV app, PlugShare, there are currently 124 public charging stations available to EV drivers. Many of these stations are free. Conveniently, the Leaf displays nearby charging stations in the car display, but there are also several great apps like PlugShare that you can use to locate public charging stations and plan your journey.

If you somehow did run out of charge, you would need to be towed to the nearest charging station.

Many EV owners install charging equipment at home for getting their car’s battery back to a full charge overnight. Note that most EV makers recommend charging only to 80% or 90% capacity for daily driving, which maximizes the life of an EV battery pack—usually warrantied for 8 to 10 years or 100K miles by the maker. For occasional longer trips, charging to 100 percent is a-ok.

Bottom Line: If you charge overnight at home, you can start each day with a full charge!

3. What are the costs associated with buying and owning an EV?

Costs are getting lower as more car companies join the increasingly competitive market. Mass market EVs range from $20-$40K, and the federal tax credits (up to $7,500 depending on the vehicle model and manufacturer) are available to help reduce that cost. Used EVs can be found in the $12-20k price range. Some EV manufactures are also marketing the value of their products by including a total cost of ownership number underscoring savings from lower maintenance costs and savings on fuel.

Because the price of power varies from place to place, the cost of charging varies as well. However, the cost to drive a Nissan Leaf here in Charlottesville is less than $0.04 per mile. The average gas vehicle will cost about $0.11 per mile, and even an efficient vehicle with low gas prices would cost around $0.07 per mile to drive.[2] Annually, the average EV owner saves an estimated $1,000 in fuel costs. Public charging stations vary in price-- many are free, while others cost by the hour or kWh. 

One cost to keep in mind down the road is replacement of the battery pack. This should be expected to occur every 7-10 years and the average cost currently hovers around $6,000.

Bottom Line: Electric vehicles can be pricier up front (though that is changing), but cost much less to drive than gas vehicles.

4. What are the environmental benefits of switching to an EV?

5. Is it fun to drive an EV?

Absolutely! Quick acceleration, a quiet ride, and modern features all make for a great experience.

Ask questions on our Facebook page. Let’s keep the conversation going!

Citations

[1] InsideEVs.com compiled a comprehensive survey of all EVs and their US EPA range ratings in early 2022. https://insideevs.com/news/566954/bev-epa-range-comparison-february2022/

[2] In Virginia, the average price of electricity is $0.14/KWh (4/21/23). So if your Nissan Leaf consumes 40KWh to travel 149 miles, the cost per mile is $0.04. For the average current gas price ($3.50/gallon as of 4/21/23) ) and average vehicle efficiency (20.5 mpg), the cost per mile is nearly $0.17 per mile. Even if gas were to cost only $2.00 a gallon and your vehicle was to get 30 mpg, the cost per mile for that gas vehicle is still almost double that of electric-- around $0.07.

Here’s the math:

For EVs

$ per mile = $ per KWh divided by miles per KWh

E.g., $0.14 / (149 / 40) = $0.04 per mile

For gasoline-powered vehicles

$ per mile = $ per gallon divided by miles per gallon

E.g., $3.50 / 20.5 = $0.17 per mile

[3] CO2e – According to the US EPA, carbon dioxide equivalent or CO2e means the number of metric tons of CO2 emissions with the same global warming potential as one metric ton of another greenhouse gas, and is calculated using Equation A-1 in 40 CFR Part 98. https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/tool/definitions/co2e.html

[4] Here is a helpful summary from 2021 comparing the energy needed to build a passenger vehicle compared to the energy needed to operate one: https://www.motorbiscuit.com/how-much-energy-to-build-a-car/

This article was originally published in 2019 during our Driving Climate Solutions campaign. It was updated April 21, 2023.