■ The cost equivalent of running on batteries is only about 75 cents per
gallon compared to the December 2016 gasoline nationwide average of
$2.22 per gallon.
■ In some states, PEVs and/or hybrids can use a High Occupancy Vehicle
(HOV) lane anytime.Cons
■ Gasoline has a much higher energy density than batteries do. About 1,000
pounds (450 kg) of batteries are needed to store as much energy as 1
gallon (3.7 L) or 6 pounds (2.6 kg) of gasoline.
■ PEVs and hybrids generally cost more to purchase than conventional
vehicles do. The savings accumulated by paying less for gasoline may
take years to recoup from the higher purchase price of a PEV or an HEV
and an increase in the electricity costs required for charging batteries.
■ PEVs have a limited range of travel compared to HEVs and conventional
cars that run on gasoline.
■ Charging stations for PEVs are few and far between.
■ While it only takes a couple of minutes to fuel a gasoline-powered car, an
electric car can take 4–6 hours to become fully charged.
■ Depending on the type and usage of the battery, the battery may need to
be changed every 3–10 years.
■ As electric vehicle sales increase, there are concerns that charging PEVs
may present a challenge to the nation’s electric grid. However, research
has shown that the grid has enough excess capacity to support over 150
million electric cars—nearly 75% of the vehicles driven in the U.S. today.
Solutions to help maintain grid reliability include:- using smart grid technologies that charge vehicles during off-peak
hours - allowing a utility to limit charging when the demand is high
- increasing electric rates during peak hours and lowering them at night
CASE STUDY
As of September 2016, Tesla Motors has sold about 164,000 electric cars