Consumer Reports – September 2019

News MarketFacts 2012 Report.

But discussing the EV-charging

network in the same context as

gas stations misses the point,

says Pasquale Romano, CEO of

ChargePoint. EV owners don’t need

charging stations in the same way

that traditional cars need gas stations,

because most of the time they’re

charging at their own garage or at

their office, he says.

“When you’re charging at home or

at work, it’s awesome,” Romano said in

a phone interview. “You don’t have the

chore of going to the gas station, and

you’ve always got a full battery.”

Because recharging an EV takes

longer than a fill-up at a gas station,

Road Report Electric Cars Come of Age

charging stations are often at places

where drivers might spend some

time, such as highway travel plazas or

some big-box-store parking lots.

To see how many chargers are

available along any particular route,

you can go to websites such as

plugshare.com, among others. These

sites generate travel maps for all-

electric trips, highlighting various

charging stations along the way.

Google Maps also shows some public

charging stations.

Charging Station Setbacks

These electric-charging plans sound

great, but there are some real-world

growing pains. CR’s auto testers have

frequently found that chargers at

newer stations can be out of service.

Some networks are more dependable

than others, we have found. Other

challenges can include long waits for

available spots or extended charging

times as multiple people plug in at

the same time.

Mel Yu, an automotive analyst at

Consumer Reports, says the round

trip from our Auto Test Center in

Colchester, Conn., to New York City

typically takes about 4 hours in a

gas-powered car and 5 hours in

an EV. That’s due to the extra

recharging time, and the possibility

of having to wait for an open

charger, he says.

“Now, regardless of the vehicle,

EV owners can live without fear

of electricity running out, but

it still requires some effort and a

relaxed attitude about the recharging

time,” Yu says.

An EV owner who takes at least

one 100-mile road trip a month will

benefit from a subscription plan from

a company such as ChargePoint,

EVgo, or Electrify America, Yu says.

The monthly fee can pay for itself in

a single charging session, he says.

Long-distance travelers can benefit

from apps, such as PlugShare, that

provide maps with the real-time status

of available chargers. —Jeff Plungis

FOR MOST AMERICAN

car shoppers

interested in a pure

electric vehicle (EV),

the technology

can present a

host of unfamiliar

considerations. For

that reason, CR

believes leasing,

rather than buying,

makes the most

sense. Here are a

few reasons:

NEWEST TECH.

Leases have limited

ownership periods,

usually between two

and four years, giving

shoppers access to

the latest technology

because they can turn

in the EV at the end

of the lease for an

upgrade. EV owners

are more likely

to be technology

enthusiasts than

the typical new-car

buyer is, says Ed

Kim, vice president

of industry analysis

at automotive

consulting firm

AutoPacific, so they’ll

want the freshest

tech. As with almost

any lease, payments

are lower than a

regular monthly

payment for a vehicle

purchase.

TA X CRE DITS.

Another appeal is

the availability of

tax credits, whether

federal or state.

Still, shoppers who

choose to lease

an EV need to pay

particular attention

to those because it’s

the leasing company,

not the consumer,

that’s entitled to the

credit, says Mel Yu,

a CR auto analyst.

“They often pass

the credit on to the

consumer, and that’s

reflected in a reduced

cost for the lease,”

he says. “But they

aren’t required to

do this, so shoppers

should confirm

before signing any

paperwork.”

DEPRECIATION.

That’s the value a car

loses over time. It’s

a factor for any car

buyer, but it hits EVs

harder. Yu says

EVs depreciate faster

than regular cars

because tax credits

effectively lower the

original price of

the car, but leases

typically factor that

into the payment

equation. “A vehicle

usually loses around

50 percent of its

value in three years,”

says Yu. “Buyers can

owe more on their

loan than the vehicle

is worth.” As with

any lease, there are

restrictions, such as

how many miles can

be driven and how

much wear and tear

can be inflicted.

WHY

LEASING

MAY BE BEST

62 CR.ORG SEPTEMBER 2019