The cost is typically $500 to $700 for a home charger. That way, you’ll be able to charge your EV overnight.
#HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE INSTALL#
You’d have to install a home charger (known as electric vehicle supply equipment, or EVSE) inside or outside your garage that works on 240-volt (Level 2) charging. If you live in a house, as opposed to an apartment building, it’s feasible to charge your EV at home. And some areas have cleaner electric power generation than others. Some have better public charging infrastructure, more favorable electric rates, and milder weather, which doesn’t tax the battery as much. But charging them takes hours, and driving them for long distances requires extra planning regarding where and when you’ll charge.ĮVs usually cost thousands more than conventional cars, although much of that difference is offset by federal and state subsidies, and lower maintenance and fueling costs.Ĭertain regions of the country are also better suited to using electric cars. They are also quiet and provide punchy acceleration. EVs are very clean because they have no tailpipe emissions.
#HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVERS#
And a federal incentive of up to $7,500 can increase the savings. (Learn more about available incentives on the Department of Energy website.)Įlectric cars are very efficient, and most new models have a range of over 200 miles to satisfy the needs of many drivers without daily charging. Plus, lower carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution, and reduced dependence on fossil fuels, are icing on the cake. And federal and local incentives can effectively reduce the purchase price. (That may change late in the decade.) However, EVs have dramatically lower running costs because they require less maintenance and because electricity is cheaper than petroleum. Plug-ins tend to be less efficient on long trips (and less efficient than their regular hybrid counterparts because of their extra weight) where the vast majority of miles are driven on gas power.įor now, electric vehicles-whether BEV or PHEV-carry a price premium over comparable gasoline-powered vehicles. To reap the real-world benefits, owners have to charge frequently.
Note that high power demand, such as quick acceleration and climbing hills, will trigger the gas engine even during the electric-drive portion.įor those with short trips or commutes that are within the electric-only range, plug-ins can provide the benefits of an electric car while still having a gas engine available for longer trips without worries about charging or range limitations. Our tested Toyota RAV4 Prime, for example, was able to travel 40 miles on electric-only propulsion before the gas engine started. Most models can travel between 20 and 40 miles on the battery and electric propulsion system before the gasoline engine kicks in.
PHEVs can get by with Level 1 charging (120 volts) because of their small batteries (relative to pure battery electric vehicles, or BEVs) and because they don’t rely solely on their battery. Once the electric power is depleted, they operate as a regular hybrid. Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles, or PHEVs, have a larger battery than a regular hybrid, and they can drive on electric power for longer distances and more often, but to benefit from that ability, they need to be charged. And even minivans are available as hybrids, with the Chrysler Pacifica and the Toyota Sienna, which is offered only as a hybrid. Mainstream family sedans like the Honda Accord, Hyundai Elantra and Sonata, and Toyota Camry and Corolla also come in hybrid versions.
There are also hybrid versions of popular SUVs, such as the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape, and RAV4.
There are many affordable hybrids, with choices starting around $22,000 and topping out around $30,000, such as the efficient Honda Insight, Hyundai Ioniq, and Toyota Prius. The hybrid version starts at around $29,000 in LE trim.) (The Toyota RAV4 LE, for example, starts at around $26,000. Hybrid technology usually comes at a price: These cars typically cost $2,000 to $3,000 more than comparable conventional cars, although the difference in purchase price is often offset by fuel savings. You fill them up with gas at a regular gas station like a conventional car. They never need to be plugged in and are always ready to go. This way, hybrids get excellent gas mileage and are very low on emissions. And thanks to regenerative braking, hybrids are able to recapture energy that would otherwise be lost. For higher power demands, the gas engine kicks in. By combining a relatively small gasoline engine, an electric motor, and a battery pack, hybrids use electric power at low speeds on light throttle. Hybrids provide the best of both worlds, teaming an electric motor with a gasoline engine.