The Real Story About Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are picking up speed. More than 45,000 EVs were sold in the U.S. in April of 2021, according to data from the Argonne National Laboratory, a 350% increase from April 2020. Overall, more than 168,000 EVs have been sold in the U.S. year-to-date.

Despite this growth, the EV market is still clouded by misconceptions. Want to know the real story about EVs? Here we answer common questions about this promising new technology.

Are EVs too expensive?

It's true that the upfront cost of an electric vehicle is typically higher than a comparable gasoline-fueled car. But the price difference quickly disappears when you consider how much less it costs to operate an EV. The average American driver who spends $1,300 to fill up at gas stations each year would spend just $350 in electricity to charge an EV. Plus, EVs never need an oil change.

Are EVs really greener than conventional vehicles?

A common misconception is that EVs don't really reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that they just replace gasoline engine pollution with emissions from electric power plants. In terms of emissions, driving an EV is equivalent to a conventional gasoline car that gets 88 miles per gallon, according to data from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Plus, a growing amount of the electricity in the U.S. comes from renewable sources like wind and solar.

Does EV charging strain the electric grid?

Charging an EV at home uses about the same amount of energy as an electric water heater. Taking a hot shower or charging your EV early in the morning or at night is hardly going to strain the grid! In fact, EVs can help the grid become more efficient. For example, charging your car overnight helps balance power demands, offsetting midday peaks. In areas with lots of solar generation, meanwhile, EV batteries are a great place to store the excess power generated on sunny days.

Are EVs only good for short trips?

The fear that a battery won't get you where you need to go is the biggest misconception surrounding EVs. In fact, most new EVs can travel more than 200 miles on a single charge — far more than the average American drives each day.

Are charging stations hard to find?

There are nearly 43,000 public charging stations in the U.S. and several smartphone apps available to point you to the nearest one. It is true that charging stations tend to be concentrated in cities; in many areas it's much easier to find a gas station than an EV charging station. But it's also true that by installing a charging station at home, most drivers would never need to visit a public charging station.

Electric vehicles are an increasingly popular way for drivers to lower their fuel costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the technology is new, and confusion can still get in the way of understanding these benefits. By sorting out fact from fiction, you can better weigh your options and decide if an EV is right for you.