There is no doubt the electric car industry is creeping into our area and naturally raising a lot of questions. Hopefully, answers can be found within the quick read! If not, call us at 319-352-9000 and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Electric Car Challenges
Challenges you will find that will be the most common in our area are:
- Charging Stations
- Charging Times (Debatable for daily habits)
- A higher initial cost
Lets dissect them.
Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
Right now charging stations are far and in between here in Iowa. There has been an increase in the number of charging stations throughout the state and will continue to grow as Electric Vehicles (EV) become more relevant in our market. Given the conditions in which where we live, we will most likely be one of the later states to adapt into the market with full force.
Here is a map of where the current charging stations can be found as of 12/31/22. Those are charging stations that are out on the road, but there are also charging options for your home. Most charging stations come with three options. Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
Level 1 Charging Station
A Level 1 charging station is the first option to charge your EV. This is a 120 volt household charging station that charge your battery roughly around 5 miles every hour. This option is going to be better for hybrid vehicles rather than fully electric given the charging time.
Level 2 Charging Station
The higher the level the more efficiency the charging station will be for charging your vehicle. Now you’re looking at near double the power at 208-240 volts. If you have a vehicle that allows for max charging, you are going to get up to 80 miles per hour on the charger with the Level 2 stations. This option will most likely charge your vehicle throughout the night if plugged in.
If you plan on getting a Level 2 Charging Station, you will need an 80 amp power source but actually need a 100 amp circuit just for the charging station.
Level 3 Charging Station
There really is no such thing as a Level 3 charging station. What most of the time it defers to is the DC charging station. More information will appear near the completion of EV into our market, but as of right not there are only 2 real at home charging options. The Direct Charging stations will fill up to 80% of your vehicles battery life within 30 minutes. Charging varies depending on make and model.
Charging Times for Electric Car
There are a couple of options for at home charging. The Level 2 charger is going to be your best option when it comes to charging your vehicle full everyday. Every night when you get home you plug in your vehicle and have a “full tank” everyday. Maybe not 100%, but 90%.
The Level 1 Charger is where time is going to be the most difficult. Since it has half of the amount of charging power as Level 2 it naturally is going to take at least two-times longer. When on the road, Level 3 Charging is going to be your option. If you’re on the go, download an app like PlugShare, ChargeHub, or Open Charge Map to locate all of the nearest charging stations.
Higher Initial Costs of Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles are on the higher cost spectrum but that is mainly becasue it is new to everyone. With combustible engine still running the show, there wont be relief of these high numbers until they are produced more. Supply and Demand. If you are to average out between hitting the pumps 1-2 times every week or two it adds up quickly.
Break even on costs about 3-5 years of owning an electrical vehicle vs a gas/diesel engine. Especially when it costs you around $60/month for charging. Save hundreds at the pump each month depending on what vehicle you’re currently driving.
Pros of an Electric Car
There are a couple of obvious points that are reasons why you should have an electric vehicle.
- Save money on gas
- Charge/Fuel your vehicle from home
- No more polluting the air with exhaust
- No more Engine noise/loud exhaust
Those are just some basic reasons for why electric cars are moving in a positive direction. The more you dive into those, comes the bigger issues of waste, how the materials are obtained, etc. Without being fully into the industry yet, those are valid questions to have. All of the American Manufacturers are producing their lineups in electric, those questions will be answered in the future.
Savings
Savings are going to be one of the main drivers of electric vehicles. As stated above, there is going to be a higher initial cost until we can sustain full electric. Over a time span of about 4-6 years, you’re going to be spending around the same amount of money for an EV that costs 60-80 thousand versus the internal combustion 30 thousand dollar car.
You’re also looking at “fueling” you electric vehicle for about 60-80$ per month, and with high gas prices that saves a lot of money over a year.
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