Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinjlm
I think that what is more likely to happen is the price of electricity won't go up as much as you might think, because in the grand scheme of things, the average household electric use won't go up that much. I've heard estimates that the average cost to operate an EV charged at home is the equivalent of having an extra refrigerator. That's not going to send the electric companies into predatory pricing mode. $0.010 might become $0.012.
|
Agreed, most EVs will have a battery between 50-100kWh. The cost of electricity in my area is 10.8 cents per kWh. So, let's take a Model 3 SR+ with a 50kWh battery, which gets around 250 miles of range on a full charge. Assuming a full charge, from 0 to 100%, which never happens in an BEV by the way. If you want to treat the battery kindly, you are supposed to charge before you go below 20% and keep the max charge at 90% except for longer trips.
Anyway, 50kWh x 10.8 cents per kWh = $5.40 for a full charge, or 250 miles of range. Normally was happens in an EV is you "top off" each night, like charging a cell phone, so the amount of daily charge would be less. For reference, our gas bill would average $225 per month with a GMC Acadia, when we switched to the Tesla Model 3 SR+ our electric bill increased about $20 per month. Assuming electricity costs stay relatively flat, this will be one of the biggest drivers for folks to move to an EV. Then you factor in no oil changes or any other fluid changes, reduced brake pad wear due to regen braking, charge at home convenience, etc. and it becomes clear that EVs make for great daily drivers. As for enthusiasts, that remains to be seen. My take is there is more work that needs to be done to make BEV more exciting to drive. Instant torque is great but that is only one driving dynamic. Newbies to EVs will be impressed at first by the torque of an EV motor but as time passes I think many will find that will not make up for all the other attributes of what makes a car fun to drive. Interesting times ahead for sure.