Paul Bordenkircher
The number one excuse I hear people give for not buying an electric vehicle (EV) is range anxiety. The question is always, “Will this car get me where I’m going without dying?” The answer is almost always yes.
People confuse the miles they’re driving with the hours they might spend sitting in traffic. My workplace may be less than 15 miles away, but it could take 45 minutes to an hour if there is road work or a car accident causing a backup on the roads. With a gas car, I’m going to be burning gas if I sit in traffic, but with an EV, I’m using very little charge while running the a/c on hot days!
There are a few factors to consider when finding the right EV with the right amount of range for you: number of cars per household, public charging station access, and make and model range.
Is your family fortunate enough to afford two cars? If yes, then ease into EV ownership by making just one of your vehicles electric. Use the EV for your daily commute to work and running errands around town. Keep one gasoline-powered car for your longer drives or weekend get-aways. I drive my Chevy Spark EV almost daily and reserve my wife’s gas-powered vehicle when we drive out of state.
Did you know that as of 2020 Nevada has more than 274 public charging stations with a total of 987 outlets? I typically charge my car in my garage while I sleep, but if I need to, I can charge it while at work or while running errands. More and more places of work are installing charging stations, making their business more attractive to both customers and employees. Stores like IKEA and Target provide charging stations for customers. You can “fuel” up while you shop. There are also helpful organizations like Plug In America that make finding an EV easy. Just visit Find an EV Charging Station for public charging and fast charging stations near you.
Best of all, you don’t have to drive exclusively in Las Vegas or Reno to find a public charging station. The Nevada Electric Highway ensures EV drivers can make it from north to south or from east to west with public chargers available in strategic locations along the way!
Check out this list of the 10 longest range electric cars of 2020 by Kelley Blue Book. Each EV on this list can travel more than 200 miles on a single charge with some driving more than 300 miles!
Ok, so now you know an EV will work for your needs. Here is what you should consider before selecting the best make and model for you:
- Distance. How far is your drive? Is it a daily commute across town, or are you a sales guy traveling city to city? You need to factor in what your driving habits require. In my case, my commute is 25 miles round trip. Even a short range commuter car like my Chevy Spark EV handles it well.
- Terrain. My drive is all downhill to work, all uphill back home. I use very little capacity getting there, and a lot more coming back. For me it evens out, but if you’re in mountainous terrain, it can affect your range so you may need to consider a longer range EV.
- Weather vs. climate. Wet or dry weather doesn’t affect EV’s, but extreme hot or cold climates can shorten battery range. Hot temperatures may also affect battery life. This is true for any battery though, in computers or cell phones or your EV. Read my earlier blog about maintenance and battery warranties to help ease these concerns.
- Cooling system. For Las Vegas, having an active temperature cooling system for the battery is an important consideration. A liquid cooled battery becomes more important the more extreme your climate. In the desert, it’s best to keep capacity loss to a minimum. Luckily, nearly every EV model on the road is already equipped.
Now that electric vehicle range anxiety is behind you, our friends at Plug In America are here to help. Visit their website to learn more about the EV makes and models available near you, where to buy, where to test drive, where to plug in, and more!
Did you buy an EV? Email info@nevadacleancars.org and tell us your story!
