Do you live by charging stations? Do you prefer the purr of a combustion engine to the near-silence of a battery? These are just some of the questions that people considering buying an electric vehicle (EV) need to think about before making that purchase.
Renting an EV first can help consumers determine if its really the right fit for them, according to Matt Jones, an independent auto expert based in Los Angeles, Calif. He joined Rob Hart this week on WBBM Newsradio’s Noon Business Hour.
“What I think also gets lost in the conversation about EVs, initially, for people who haven’t driven them – you know… the great majority of Americans have not either been in an EV or driven one – is that they actually do perform differently than gas-powered cars,” Jones explained.
They can be quieter than typical cars, and the feel of driving them can be different. Hart, an EV driver himself, noted that some Tesla models even have a single pedal for stopping and starting.
However, Hart also said his own Chevy Equinox EV is more ordinary than he imagined. He drove the Chevy for around eight weeks before he started doing commercials for the vehicle.
To learn more about the adjustment consumers face when the switch from traditional cars to electric models, Jones cited research with Southern California drivers. He said that in major metropolitan areas, most of the drivers were able to keep their vehicles charged even if they didn’t have a charging station at their home.
“You learn pretty quickly how to play the EV charging game, so that you actually do save money compared to going to the gas station every couple of weeks,” Hart said.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “all forms of electric vehicles (EVs) can help improve fuel economy, lower fuel costs, and reduce air quality impacts,” compared to traditional cars. Data cited by the Natural Resources Defense Council also indicates that EV owners can save hundreds of dollars on gas annually.
With gas prices stubbornly hovering above $4 per gallon in the U.S. since the U.S. joined Israel to bomb Iran, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, many Americans are looking for ways to avoid paying high gas prices. Still, Jones recommends that consumers be thoughtful about their EV purchase.
“It is a big learning curve. And one of the things – at least in most states, when you buy a car, you can't return it, you now, after you’ve taken delivery of it,” Jones said of renting an EV before taking the plunge. “So this is absolutely crucial for something that, you, know, the people need to know upfront.”
Leasing a vehicle is one way to do this trial run with an EV. Short term car rentals are also available through sites like KAYAK.
