With rising costs on oil, many people are looking to electric vehicles when purchasing a new vehicle. While electric vehicles may seem like the cheaper alternative, regardless of which option you choose there are many different costs associated with operating any vehicle. The fuel efficiency of an electric vehicle can be measured in kilowatt hours per 100 miles whereas for a gas powered vehicle we will measure miles per gallon.
There is no doubt the main factor when comparing the two types of engines is the mileage. With an electric vehicle, if electricity costs 12 cents per kilowatt hour and the vehicle consumes 35 kilowatt hours to travel 100 miles, then your cost per mile would be $0.042 per mile. Comparatively on a gas engine, if gas price is $4/gallon and we are travelling 100 miles on a vehicle with the fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon your cost per mile would be $0.16 per mile. With these numbers it is evident that electric vehicles are much more economical.
Fuel economy is not the only factor to be considered. It is also important to consider the up front price of the vehicle being purchased. Electric vehicles are usually more expensive to buy than their gas powered equivalents. However, electric vehicles are often eligible for government rebates with amounts varying based on geographic location.
Are electric vehicles environmentally friendly?
People who choose to purchase electric vehicles often assume that electric vehicles produce no emissions. While electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, the production of lithium batteries, the batteries on which electric vehicles operate; creates high emissions.
Will my electric vehicle be affected by extreme weather?
Often times in extreme cold weather conditions, electric vehicle batteries can lose much of their battery life. This can be avoided by pre warming a vehicle while it is still plugged in.