COURTESY OF NORTHCOAST EV
ANSWERS TO MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ELECTRIC CARS
| Frequently Asked Questions |
| How far can an electric car go between charges? How much does it cost to charge? How fast can an electric car go? What is the carbon footprint associated with driving an electric car? How long does it take to charge? How much does a conversion cost? How far can an electric car go between charges? The range depends on the vehicle, the batteries, the driving speed, and the terrain. Typical small to mid-sized conversion using lead acid batteries can travel 20 to 50 miles depending on the specific configuration. Using the same weight in Lithium batteries will allow for approximately 3 to 4 times the range compared to lead acid. How much does it cost to charge? A typical commute of 20 to 30 miles round trip will use 6 to 10 kWh. Depending on your energy provider this will usually cost $0.35 to $1.10. If you use the vehicle 5 days per week, it would add a mere $7 to $22 to your monthly electricity bill. How fast can an electric car go? The top speed and acceleration of an electric vehicle depend on what motor and controller it uses. There are countless motor-controller combination available. They range from very affordable lightweight designs capable of city and town travailing with speeds up to 45 mph, to high-end drive systems rated at 150 kW that will out-perform any internal combustion engine. What is the carbon footprint associated with driving an electric car? The carbon footprint can vary depending on the source of energy. Using the national average for carbon emissions for electricity generation, charging the vehicle produces approximately 25% of the carbon emissions of a standard car and half as much as a new hybrid vehicle. However, if the energy comes from clean sources like wind and solar the carbon footprint can be reduced to a much lower level. Depending on the gas engine being replaced and the electricity source being used, driving an electric vehicle can save up to 40 tons of carbon emissions every 100,000 miles. How long does it take to charge? With a fast charger it can take as little as half an hour, but it is ideal for the longevity of the batteries if they are charged at a slower rate overnight. Additionally, most places in the US have energy surpluses at night and there is currently enough energy infrastructure to supply the energy to charge millions of vehicles, but only if they are charged at night. How much does a conversion cost? The cost of a conversion depends mostly on the type of motor used and the type and amount of batteries. A typical conversion can cost as little as $12,000 for a small economy vehicle with moderate range to $35,000 for a high performance vehicle with 100+ mile range. If used as a daily commuter, an electric vehicle is likely to save at least $20,000 in fuel and oil changes every 100,000 miles. |
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