Electric Cars: Are They Worth the Price?
With changes afoot in the US government and auto manufacturers beginning to shift over to electric vehicles (EV), more people are wondering what they cost. Stories abound about elites driving hugely expensive roadsters costing more than $100k. Other stories tell of more affordable EVs that run a bit south of $20k — even before any governmental tax credits. EV owners extoll the lower costs of driving and maintaining these cars since electricity (especially at home) is cheaper than gasoline or diesel. Moreover, lacking internal combustion engines, they are simpler machines and cheaper to maintain.
Quite often when searching for a new car, we begin with the price. Granted, that factors in all sorts of issues from sound systems to safety devices that are part of the package. But what EV buyers often look at beyond the price is how much range does it have. Range anxiety is the leading emotion among many since the US has an inadequate EV charging infrastructure. Even if the federal government addresses that shortage, it will be years before those new stations come online.
In the meantime, we should consider the interplay between price and range. Here’s a handy table that may help inform an EV buyer. (Thanks to RoadShow by CNET for providing the starting information.)
This offers some surprising results showing that perhaps close to $50k is not a crazy investment if you are a long-haul driver. For those on a more modest budget, there are affordable options of substantially less than $40k but still can get you there and back without stopping to charge. Of course, there’s the expensive option for those who just want to show off — in a few dimensions simultaneously.
