There has been a lot of buzz about the new electric cars expected to hit the showrooms by the end of 2010. The Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf will be the first electric vehicles from major auto manufacturers.
Consumer Reports says that its preliminary testing of the electric cars has "found them to be very quiet, quite quick, and viable alternatives to conventional cars." The major selling point of these cars is that they reduce or completely eliminate gasoline use and tailpipe emissions. That, alone, is bound to generate many sales, even if some of the pollution benefit will be offset by increasing emissions needed to generate the additional electricity.
Changes To Anticipate with Electric Cars
But with the new cars come some changes in driving habits and in the electrical wiring in your garage. The Leaf and the Volt run on batteries that need to be plugged in to recharge. Nissan claims the Leaf will run up to 100 miles between charges. The Volt differs in that it contains a small gas engine that will kick in to boost the battery once it is running low. Chevrolet says that will extend its range to 300 miles before needing a recharge.
Recharging those batteries is going to be the biggest readjustment drivers need to make. Both the Leaf and the Volt electric cars can be recharged using a standard 110-volt household outlet. So, theoretically, as long as you have some outlets in your garage already, you will be able to plug the charger in without having to make any changes.
In practice, however, recharging with 110-volt circuits will take much longer than many people will be willing to tolerate. Plugging the batteries of electric cars into 220-volt outlets will cut the recharge time in half, or even more. If you need to get to the grocery store or pick the kids up from school, the difference between a four-hour charge (at 220 volts) and an eight-hour charge (110 volts) can be huge.
Will Electric Cars Save You Money?
It is not entirely clear whether or not car buyers will actually save much money choosing an electric car over a reasonably fuel-efficient conventional car. For starters, the cars cost more. The Leaf's starting price will be about $34,000 and the Volt's $41,000. Early buyers may qualify for federal and state tax credits to ease that expense. At current average rates for electricity and gasoline, electric car drivers may save about five cents per mile driven over gasoline cars. Those in areas with higher than average electricity rates may save considerably less.
Prices for electric cars will almost certainly decline. It's the cost of the batteries that drives up the price currently, and as those battery prices start to decline, so too will the car prices.
But how long will those expensive batteries run before needing replacement? That's a big, and as yet unanswered, question.
And if you want to install a 220-volt outlet in your garage -- and you probably will -- the cost could range from a couple of hundred dollars to $1,500 or more. Both Leaf and Volt dealers will send an electrician to your house before you buy an electric car to make sure your current wiring can handle the added load and give an estimate for necessary upgrades.
So, before jumping on the electric car bandwagon, consider your driving habits and the electrical wiring in your home.