Electric cars will drive the future of the automotive world. There is little doubt in the automotive industry that most cars Americans buy 15 years from now will be electric vehicles (EVs).
But we live in the present. And years of infrastructure got built around the assumption that we’ll all drive gasoline-powered cars. Charging stations and electricity policies necessary to make owning an EV even more effortless than owning a gasoline-powered car will take time. The country is in the early stages of building them.
So, we know of good reasons to believe you’ll eventually own an EV. But is now the time? Could an EV be right for you? You’re probably reading this because you’re aware that’s a complicated question.
We’ll break down the issues and the current state of the EV market for you.
What is an EV?
An electric vehicle is a car that uses electricity instead of gasoline to provide the energy it uses to move.
When you’re researching which car to buy, you may run into the term “electrified vehicles.” That does not refer to cars that use only electricity, but rather cars powered by at least some electricity to provide the energy they need to move.
What is a Hybrid?
Hybrid cars use both electricity and gasoline. They run on both a gasoline engine and a small electric motor. They use their electric motor to get up to a certain speed, after which the gasoline engine takes over. Using gasoline for only part of their power makes them more fuel-efficient than regular gasoline-powered cars.
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The Hyundai Elantra, for instance, is available with a gasoline-only powertrain or a hybrid powertrain. In gasoline-only form, it gets an EPA-estimated 33 mpg in the city and 43 on the highway. In hybrid form, it gets 53 mpg in the city and 56 mpg on the highway. But hybrids are not EVs. This guide does not cover hybrid cars.
What is a Plug-in Hybrid?
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) cars also use both electricity and gasoline for power. But they have a larger battery and a more powerful electric motor. They can travel under electric power up to their full speed. A PHEV uses electricity alone until its battery is nearly depleted and then turns on its gasoline engine and begins to function as a hybrid. In practical terms, owning a PHEV is a lot like owning an EV from day-to-day. But PHEVs are capable of indefinitely long trips, as long as they get fueled with gasoline.
The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV, for instance, can travel up to 32 miles on electric power alone. The average American drives less than 30 miles a day. So many Pacifica PHEV owners effectively operate an EV on an average day. But they can take longer road trips without worrying about their car’s EV range and use gasoline for greater distances. In most cases, PHEVs also qualify for tax incentives meant to help Americans buy electric cars, making their cost lower than traditional hybrids. This guide will not cover PHEVs.
Fully Electric Cars Use No Gas
Electric vehicles do not have gasoline engines. They operate with large batteries, usually placed underneath the car’s floor, that store all their power. They use small electric motors attached directly to their axles that do the job of an engine.
EVs travel with limited range because their batteries can run out, and recharging their batteries takes longer than refilling a gas tank. But even the shortest-range EV on the market today drives a range many times longer than the distance most Americans do each day. As technology improves, charging batteries keeps getting faster.
Are EVs Really Going to Replace Gasoline-Powered Cars?
It’s going to take time. EVs remain less than 3% of the cars currently on American roads. But sales of electric vehicles are growing five times as fast as sales of gasoline-powered cars.
Five years ago, manufacturers offered only five electric car models for sale in the United States. By the end of 2021, there will be at least 50. By the end of 2022, there may be over 100.
Here’s a list of what some of those plans include:
- Volkswagen: The world’s largest automaker pledged to build a lineup of almost all electric cars by 2030. Yes, even its Porsche performance car brand.
- General Motors: America’s largest automaker set a goal to build mostly electric cars by 2035.
- Volvo: The manufacturer expects its lineup will be 100% electric by 2030.
- Mercedes-Benz: The company wants to be all-electric in every market where the infrastructure can support that by 2030.
- BMW: The automaker said it hopes its Mini brand will be all-electric by 2030 and expects to build one EV for each gas-powered BMW.
- Audi: According to news reports, Audi hopes to be 100% electric by 2026.
- Dodge: Even automakers who’ve tied their image to big, snarling gasoline engines expect some EVs in the future. Dodge, which built its reputation on the Hemi V8, wants to unveil its first “electric muscle car” by 2024.
- Pickups: There’s a growing trend toward electric pickups. All three of America’s best-selling vehicles — the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ram 1500 — want to bring electric versions to their lineups. Ford looks like it will be the first to bring a full-size EV truck to showrooms with the F-150 Lightning, and it has received so many pre-orders for the thing that Ford recently doubled production before delivering the first one to a customer.
So, yes, manufacturers take EVs seriously. It’s looking probable that electrified vehicles could take the place of most gasoline-powered vehicles in the coming decades. Most of the world’s largest automakers have bet profits on it.
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How About EV Infrastructure?
Buying an EV means making a mental shift in thinking about how you refuel your car.
Drivers became accustomed to filling up their gas tanks while traveling. Most EV charging, however, gets done at home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, about 80% of EV charging happens at home.
Charging at Home
You can charge an EV from a simple household outlet. But, for the greatest efficiency, you’ll usually want to charge it from a faster Level 2 or 3 charger (more on what that is in a moment). If you own your own home, most dealers selling EVs can coordinate installing Level 1 and 2 chargers in your home since Level 3 is cost-prohibitive to install in residential settings.
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If you live in an apartment building, many owners are installing fast chargers. Even if yours hasn’t, building management might be willing to upon request. It makes the building attractive to renters. In many cases, local electric utilities can help defray installation costs.
Public Charging Stations
Having access to chargers in your community is convenient. But right now, America operates more gas stations than electric charging stations. One day, those numbers will switch places. According to NACS, the leading industry association for convenience stores and fuel retailers, an estimated 145,000 gas stations operate in the U.S. That number has been steadily shrinking since 1994.
According to U.S. Department of Energy data, more than 50,600 public EV charging stations exist today. Of those, the vast majority are Level 2 chargers.
Expanding the Network of Charging Stations
A patchwork of companies operates charging networks around the country. One of the largest, Electrify America, wants to more than double its network by 2025. A group of major electric companies joined forces to announce a new charging network across at least 17 states.
Several infrastructure proposals currently under discussion in Congress would use taxpayer funds to expand the number of charging stations.
It’s also worth noting that charging infrastructure in your area may be better than you think. A recent analysis found that the two states with the greatest number of chargers per EV are, believe it or not, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Can I Charge My EV from Any Plug?
Every EV for sale in the U.S. comes with a charging unit you can plug into a standard 110-volt household outlet. This is called a Level 1 charger. Charging via a regular outlet can take a long time.
Many people chose to install a so-called Level 2 charger at home. A Level 2 charger requires a 240-volt electrical supply. These are less common, but most houses have one for the clothes dryer. An electrician can install a 240-volt outlet into most homes, and dealerships will often arrange for that installation as part of the purchase of an electric car. A Level 2 charger is much faster.
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Some public chargers are faster Level 3 fast chargers. These use direct current. It’s impossible to give a generalized estimate that’s accurate for all EVs because each vehicle can accept electricity at a different rate. But some electric cars can charge their battery fully from a Level 3 charger in about 20 minutes.
Types of Plugs
There are three different types of plugs on EVs sold in the U.S. this year, and using a public charger can require you to find the right kind of plug.
Most European- and American-made EVs use a CCS-type plug. Japanese-built EVs use a plug design called CHAdeMO. Most public charging stations can accommodate both.
Tesla uses its own proprietary plug design no other automaker uses. It also operates its own network of chargers it calls Superchargers. Tesla sells its cars with an adapter that allows them to use chargers from other brands.
At the moment, other brands cannot use Tesla’s superchargers. But Tesla recently announced its intention to open its charging network to everyone by the end of 2021. Cars with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs will need a special adapter to use Tesla Superchargers. Tesla did not yet explain whether it will store those adapters with chargers or require drivers to buy their own.
Learn about EV chargers: An EV Charger Buying Guide: See All Your Options.
EV Benefits
EVs remain a small percentage of the cars on American roads, but their numbers are growing faster than any other type of car thanks to several factors.
Fuel Cost
Electricity costs less than gasoline. Because electricity rates and gasoline prices both fluctuate, it’s impossible to give you a single figure that explains the cost difference between using gasoline and electricity for your driving needs. But most drivers would spend less than a quarter of their annual gasoline budget to drive an EV instead.
Read a detailed analysis in our article How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV?
Maintenance and Repair Costs
EVs use fewer moving parts than gasoline-powered cars. A recent analysis by We Predict found that EV owners spend about $7 for every $30 a gasoline car owner spends on maintenance. And while costs to repair an electric car were higher, study authors noted that EVs experienced fewer problems that required repair and that repair costs continue going down as more mechanics become certified in repairing electric cars.
Environmental Benefits
One of the most compelling reasons to buy an electric car is to help reduce your impact on the climate. Recent studies have shown that while building a new car has an immense environmental impact, EVs are better for the environment after just a few years of ownership.
Improved Driving Experience
Gasoline engines build up their power gradually, beginning when you step on the gas pedal. Even the fastest gasoline engines take a few seconds to reach full torque.
Electric motors make 100% of their power available at all times.
This means that electric cars accelerate dramatically faster than their gasoline-powered counterparts. Tesla now produces an electric car capable of a 0-60 mph sprint in less than 2 seconds — a mark never achieved with gasoline.
It’s difficult to overstate the impact of electric power on automotive performance. Thanks to the rise of electricity, there is now a Kia hatchback with a faster 0-60 mph time than even Lamborghini or Ferrari had achieved just 10 years ago.
EV Limitations
Electric cars are a relatively new technology, and there are still good reasons for some buyers to look elsewhere.
Range
Some people routinely drive farther than an EV can drive on a single charge.
Most of us don’t. The average American drives less than 30 miles per day. The shortest-range EV on the market (currently the Mazda MX-30, with just 100 miles of range) can do more than three times that distance on a single charge. The longest-range (currently a Tesla Model S with 405 miles) can travel more than 13 times that distance before recharging.
Some manufacturers also attempt to offset range anxiety by giving owners access to gasoline-powered cars for longer trips at no charge. Buyers of that MX-30, for instance, can borrow another Mazda from a local dealership for up to 10 days a year, free of charge.
But for those of us who routinely drive long distances, an EV isn’t yet practical. Battery technology is always improving, and some technologies currently in development (like solid-state batteries) could give EVs dramatically more range in a few years.
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Infrastructure
You can find far more public chargers in densely populated areas than in rural communities, though most EV charging is done at home.
Towing and Hauling
Manufacturers have begun introducing electric trucks and SUVs. Though some have published range claims, none have explained what happens to that range when the vehicles haul or tow a heavy load. It won’t be clear whether electric trucks are practical heavy work vehicles until we know whether they can haul and tow like gasoline- or diesel-powered trucks and retain useful range.
PHEVs Offer Most of the Benefits, Few of the Drawbacks
PHEVs have many of the same strengths as electric cars, without some of the limitations. A PHEV can functionally serve as an electric car for the average driver on an average day, while also giving owners the ability to take long road trips without renting or borrowing a different vehicle.
They can also refuel at both gas stations and charging stations. If you’re unsure whether you can live with the compromises of an EV, a PHEV might be right for you.
Cost
Most electric vehicles cost thousands more than their gasoline equivalents. Government incentives help lower that cost, but often don’t make the two an equal investment.
This factor is easing with time as EVs grow more common. Every new technology grows less expensive as it gets mass-produced. Several EVs have seen their prices slashed significantly in 2021, such as the Chevy Bolt EV (about $5,000 cheaper in 2021 than 2020) and Hyundai Kona Electric (about $4,000 less).
EV Generations
First Generation EVs — Built from Gas-Powered Cars
Some electric vehicles are modified versions of gasoline-powered cars. The Hyundai Kona, for instance, is available with either a gasoline powertrain or an electric one.
These EVs may feel more familiar to drivers and may be less expensive to repair because they share many parts in common with a more common electric car.
But they do not gain all the advantages of an EV because engineers have had to shoehorn electric drivetrain parts into spaces built for gasoline-powered cars.
Second Generation EVS — EVs from the Ground Up
Automakers now design most EVs as dedicated electric cars. This allows new design possibilities. For instance, electric cars lack a traditional transmission, so a clean-sheet EV design does not require the traditional transmission hump separating the driver and passenger in a vehicle’s cabin. All of the moving parts of an EV can fit beneath the cabin floor and in the wheel wells.
This allows designers to create uniquely spacious vehicles. For instance, the Audi Q4 e-tron got built as a compact SUV. But the car offers almost as much passenger and cargo space as Audi’s much larger, full-size Q7 SUV.
Government Programs Offer Incentives
The most well-known is the federal government’s EV tax incentive. It allows EV buyers to claim a credit of up to $7,500 on their federal income taxes the same year they buy a new EV. Manufacturers often advertise it as a discount on the car’s price, but it isn’t. Instead, it reduces your tax liability by up to $7,500 for one year.
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The federal government does not make the tax credits available on every EV. It applies to only the first 200,000 vehicles a manufacturer builds. Beyond that, the credit begins to sunset. Tax credits gradually wind down, dropping to half, then expiring about a year after the manufacturer sells its 200,000th vehicle.
Electric car buyers can no longer get tax credits on EVs sold by Tesla and General Motors. But you can still receive it on electric cars from other manufacturers.
Some state and local governments offer their own incentives. The most substantial, in California, can cut an EV’s cost by another $7,000.
Finally, some electric utilities offer rebate programs to help customers buy electric cars and install home charging stations. Electric companies are often happy to help you buy more electricity from them.
Current and Upcoming EVs by Class
Electric cars exist in virtually every class of vehicle. The list of available and upcoming EVs keeps changing quickly, as automakers introduced new models every month this year. The list includes:
Affordable Small Cars
Affordable Midsize Cars
- Hyundai Ioniq
- Hyundai Ioniq 6: Upcoming
Luxury Small Cars
Luxury Midsize Cars
Luxury Large Cars
- Audi A6 e-tron: Upcoming
- Genesis G80 Electrified: Upcoming
- Lucid Air: Upcoming
- Mercedes-Benz EQE: Upcoming
- Mercedes-Benz EQS
- Tesla Model S
Affordable Small SUVs
Affordable Midsize SUVs
- Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Honda Prologue: Upcoming
- Nissan Ariya
- Toyota bZ4x: Upcoming
Luxury Small SUVs
- Audi Q4 e-tron
- Genesis GV60: Upcoming
- Mercedes-Benz EQA: Upcoming
- Mercedes-Benz EQB: Upcoming
- Volvo C40 Recharge
- Volvo XC40 Recharge
Luxury Midsize SUVs
- Audi e-tron
- Audi e-tron Sportback
- Cadillac Lyriq: Upcoming
- Genesis GV70e: Upcoming
- Jaguar I-PACE
- Tesla Model Y
Luxury Large SUVs
- Bollinger B1: Upcoming
- BMW iX
- GMC Hummer SUV: Upcoming
- Rivian R1S
- Tesla Model X
Minivans
Volkswagen ID.Buzz: Upcoming
Full-Size Trucks
- Canoo Truck: Upcoming
- Chevy Silverado EV: Upcoming
- Ford F-150 Lightning
- GMC Hummer Pickup: Upcoming
- GMC Sierra EV: Upcoming
- Lordstown Endurance: Upcoming
- Ram 1500 Electric: Upcoming
- Rivian R1T
- Tesla Cybertruck: Upcoming
Affordable Performance Cars
Dodge Electric Muscle Car: Upcoming