Electric Vehicles (EVs) Are Our Friend, Not Our Foe

Richard Chevrolet understands that, for many of you, all of this chatter about electric vehicles (EVs) does not yet have you convinced that driving an EV is all it’s cracked up to be.  The price tags seem high, charging sounds daunting and time consuming, and going long distances seems impossible in an EV.  We get it! But as they say “knowledge is power,” and we want our customers to be properly informed before making decisions about whether an EV is right for them.

It may come as a big surprise that EVs are not as new as you may think.  In fact, the world’s first EV and charger were developed back in the 1800’s by a British inventor named Thomas Parker.  Needless to say, electric vehicles (and chargers) have come an incredibly long way since then, but the concept has been in existence for well over a hundred years. Generally speaking, the longer a concept is developed, the more advancements and improvements are made.  The same holds true for electric vehicles which have seen dramatic improvements even as recently as over the last 5 years.  Those advancements, along with the infrastructure developments across the United States to provide easier access to charging stations, has made owning an EV easier and more accessible than ever before.

2024 Blazer EV
MotorTrend SUV of the Year

Let’s start with the perception that purchasing an EV is only for the elite because prices are too high for the average person.  In fact, purchasing an EV is more affordable today than ever before for many reasons.  The first reason being that most auto manufacturers now have EVs in their portfolios and they are available at a variety of price points.  For instance, Chevy offers 3 EV models, most of which have a starting price close to $20,000 less than the lowest priced Tesla and other luxury brand EVs.  In addition to more options available to buyers today, there are many incentives being offered by the government and dealerships that can provide thousands of dollars in savings.  One incentive granted to consumers came through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which was passed in 2022 offering tax credits to qualified buyers of eligible new EVs.

Lastly, buying an EV vehicle is not only easier on your wallet today than ever before because of better prices and incentives, but because they are much cheaper to operate.  According to Energy.gov, today an EV would only cost approximately $1.22 to travel the same distance as a gallon of gas, which currently averages approximately $3.58, making EVs close to 3 times less expensive than gas-powered vehicles to run.  So, if you are interested in an EV but afraid of the price, it is worth contacting us to explore your options.

Now let’s address the challenge of charging.  Charging stations, and access to them, have come a long way.  According to the Environmental Defense Fund, as of March 2024 there are over 190,000 public EV charging ports in the U.S. and approximately 900 chargers are being installed across the country each week to accommodate the increase in EVs on the roads.  There have been rapid new investments in infrastructure across the country since the passage of the IRA which will deliver an estimated 800,000 new charger ports by 2030 throughout the United States.

Furthermore, today’s chargers work much faster, with some recent models being able to fully charge a car in under 20 minutes. Afraid you won’t be able to find charging stations when you travel?  No worries-our Chevy EVs have the technology to pinpoint public chargers in your area wherever you are right on the vehicle touchscreen, and give you directions right to them.  It also tells you about restaurants and things to do nearby while you wait, so you will never be left without knowing where you can recharge your vehicle or feel stranded.

2024 Equinox EV
Est. 319 miles of electric range

Finally, EV travel ranges have dramatically increased as technology has improved the batteries.  According to the Environmental Defense Fund the current average range for U.S. EVs is close to 300 miles on one charge.  According to AAA, Americans drive an average of only 30 miles per day.  So, on a daily basis, EVs provide just as long between re-charging as gas-powered vehicles provide between fill ups.  However, the distance an owner would get out of a single charge can vary based on how the vehicle is driven, weather conditions, and other factors.  All that said, the fact remains that today EVs are capable of going significant distances between charges versus years ago.  One factor that can actually increase the vehicle’s range is that EVs have regenerative braking which returns electricity to the battery each time the brakes are applied, thus extending the car’s range.  Pretty impressive, right?

2024 Silverado EV

Overall, electric vehicles are definitely increasing in popularity and their sales are steadily on the rise.  In March 2023, San Francisco became the first major metropolitan city where half of all new car registrations were electric vehicles.  All signs are pointing to EVs taking over the roads in years to come.  The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently reported that electric car usage is on target to eliminate the use of 5 million barrels of oil per day if growth remains consistent.  EVs not only protect the environment through zero emissions, but they are also much quieter than combustion engine vehicles.  There are even benefits to owning an EV that are unrelated to actually driving it!  For instance, the Silverado EV has the capability to store enough energy to act as a full-home generator during a power outage with the use of a bi-directional charger!

If you are thinking about an EV and want to learn more or experience an EV for yourself, call us at 203-271-2902 to set up a visit to our dealership and meet with one of our EV Specialists!  We are your EVerything EV Dealer!

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