When people think about EVs (electric vehicles) it’s usually in connection with saving money on gas and going green. That’s only the tip of the iceberg though! There’s a lot of misconception and misunderstanding when it comes to these cars. Recently, I’ve been able to learn a bit about them and wanted to pass that info onto you.
Partnered post made possible thanks to Edison Electric Institute. All opinions are my own.
What is an EV and Why Should It Matter to You?
So what is an EV? It’s an electric vehicle which uses a rechargeable (generally lithium-ion) battery as its main source of power and needs to be plugged into ‘fill’ up. Some of these also have a gas engine or hybrid engine (gas + electric, powered by fuel cell) to kick in when the battery juice is exhausted. Why would you even want to consider owning an EV? They are quiet, drive smoothly, have decent power even on the highway, and emit less fumes (if any).
Depending on the model, EV cars can go from 20 to 100 miles on one charge. But, most tend to get around 30 miles. Public or personal charging stations (I’ll show you how to use one in an upcoming post) can refill a battery in about three hours using 240v. You can also use a regular 120v power source (i.e. three-prong in the garage) but that takes about nine hours. Basically, just like you would charge your mobile phone before you go to bed, you would plug your EV in to charge overnight.
While many are familiar with the luxury Tesla cars, more and more manufacturers are offering electric models to fit varying budgets and families of different sizes. EV cars now available start as low as $16,000 and in the form of compact cars, mid-size sedans, and crossover/SUVs. Many are eligible for rebates or tax credits and sometimes car insurance companies will add an extra discount for EVs. Maintenance costs tend to be lower as well since you don’t need oil changes or routine checks as often or at all. Plus, less moving parts means less chances of something breaking down!
EVs Stands for Electric Vehicles
EVs aren’t only cars, though. Here are a few interesting tidbits about EVs and their use:
- Frito-Lay, UPS and Coca-Cola are just a few companies that have added electric trucks to their delivery fleets.
- New York City is piloting an EV taxi program to determine their viability for cabs.
- Companies such as Brammo are introducing electric motorcycles.
- Electric bicycles allow the user to pedal with the assistance of an electric motor when desired.
- Cities like Denver are introducing electric buses for public transportation.
- Car-sharing programs such as Car2Go and ZipCar and rental companies like Enterprise are adding EVs to their fleets.
#EVselfie Giveaway – Four $250 Amex Gift Cards
To raise awareness of the benefits of going electric and the widespread accessibility to both reasonably-priced EVs and public charging stations, The Electric Generation is holding a very special giveaway. Four entrants will be randomly chosen to each win a $250 American Express Gift Card!
All you have to do is:
- Take a ‘selfie’ in front of an electric vehicle or piece of EV infrastructure, such as a charging station, EV parking sign or EV bumper sticker. Photos or videos are fine! See images above for reference.
- Post on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #EVselfie and tag @elecgen . You can also submit via Instagram but it has to be pushed through to Facebook or Twitter.
- ‘Like’ and follow The Electric Generation on Facebook and Twitter.
Easy peasy, right? You can enter up to 20 times as long as each photo or video submitted is different. The #EVSelfie giveaway runs from now until June 26th. You can find more info and the full terms and conditions on the #EVSelfie Facebook page.
Enter the #EVselfie Giveaway to win $250!
Could you use an extra $250 Amex gift card? Then hurry and get to posting those photos and videos! Oh, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #EVselfie and to tag @Elecgen so your entries count.
1 comment
That’s a fun giveaway!
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