THE EV IN THE CAR MARKET
Which EV Has the Most Trunk Space? Sierra Club’s new tool compares EV and plug-in hybrids on variables from cost to carbon savings.
Katherine Tweed, June 19, 2013 (Greentech Media)
“...To help drivers sort through the options, Sierra Club just launched an online Electric Vehicle Guide. Whether you’re going all electric or plug-in hybrid, the guide gives details on price, range, driving style and trunk space. A calculator to the side of the guide also finds local incentives, and there’s a link to a manufacturer’s website. It even speculates on whether the car will be around in 10 years.
“The tool isn’t a deep dive into any car, but it’s a great starting point…The U.S. Department of Energy just launched the eGallon calculator, which allows drivers to see how much they can save on fuel by using electricity instead of gasoline. An eGallon is the equivalent electricity needed to drive the same distance as a gallon of gas would take you (DOE estimates an average of 28.2 miles). In New York, for instance, a gallon of regular gas is about $3.70, while an eGallon will run about $1.80.”
“The eGallon can be a bit misleading…Electricity rates are more stable than gas prices, and many utilities with EV drivers are offering or considering variable pricing rates to charge the car at night for less…It also doesn’t take into account free charging at some public places, like Walgreens, or the far lower lifetime maintenance costs of most electric vehicles…[Most EVs are] within 10 percent of the lifetime cost of regular cars.
“…[The Sierra Club’s Electric Vehicle Guide gives] annual oil and carbon dioxide emission savings…[and links] to the nonprofit’s Solar Homes website to see if solar is a good option for your home, which could help fuel your potential EV purchase…Now if only Sierra Club would add in a guide to all the electric-vehicle home-charging stations on the market.”
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