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Traveling with an electric vehicle: Making a cost-effective and efficient trip

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INSIDER SECRET: Going all-electric for your daily drive (or even road trip) likely means huge savings from not having to refuel at gas stations, and you can save even more money by using one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards for your everyday purchases.

As recently as 10 years ago, people laughed at the idea of an electric vehicle being a viable mode of transportation for a daily short-haul driver, let alone one who goes on long road trips. They were mocked as unsafe, unreliable, and able to only travel very short distances before requiring a ton of time to recharge.

Fast forward to today. Technological advancements in batteries used in electric vehicles now allow you to travel long distances. Charging is quick and seamless. And electric car company manufacturers like Tesla have shown they’re a viable (even preferable) alternative for daily drivers, winning awards like MotorTrend’s Car of the Year.

Using an electric vehicle can make for a very cost-effective and fun road trip. (Photo by Smile Fight/Shutterstock)

Electric vehicles can also be much more economical. I personally own a Tesla Model S, and it has saved me over $500 a month on gas. Over an 8-year period of ownership, that will add up to $48,000.

(Note: If you decide to go all-electric, you probably won’t have much use for a gas credit card. That’s where some of the best no-annual-fee credit cards can be a great substitute. These cards don’t cost you anything to keep open and offer a strong rewards rate on everyday purchases.)

To give you confidence that an electric vehicle can be used for traveling long distances, we’ll go over current trends and options, as well as some of the pros and cons compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Electric vehicle options

If you’re thinking about going electric, you can choose between a hybrid car or a fully electric vehicle.

Hybrid vehicles use two different types of power. The most common ones combine a gasoline-powered engine with an electric motor. Some of the most efficient hybrids have a fuel efficiency rated as high as 60 mpg on the highway, according to CarsDirect. That’s a lot higher than the overall average U.S. vehicle fuel economy, which Reuters says is 24.7 mpg.

Fully electric vehicles, however, deliver the most in terms of fuel efficiency. Vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 have been rated as high as 136 mpg equivalent (the EPA energy measurement for electric vehicles), and can save you tons of money you would otherwise spend on gas.

Road trips in an electric vehicle

With technological advancements in batteries, electric vehicles can now go just as far on a charge as gasoline-powered cars can on a tank of gas.

According to Business Insider, here are some of the top-selling electric vehicles, along with their top battery range:

  • Tesla Model 3 – 310 miles
  • Tesla Model S – 370 miles
  • Tesla Model X – 325 miles
  • Chevrolet Bolt EV – 238 miles
  • Nissan Leaf – 226 miles
  • BMW i3 – 153 miles (up to 200 miles with range extender)
  • Volkswagen e-Golf – 125 miles
  • Audi e-Tron – 204 miles
  • Jaguar I-Pace – 234 miles
  • Smart EQ Fortwo – 58 miles

Making your road trip seamless

There are a number of things you can do to make a road trip in an electric or hybrid vehicle seamless, such as planning your route to include charging stations, making use of EV-specific perks, staying close to large cities, driving efficiently and more.

Charging

Today, charging an electric vehicle can be done quickly and conveniently, both at home and on the road.

At-home charging

One of the greatest advantages of owning an electric vehicle is the fact that you can charge your car on your own time and in the safety, comfort and convenience of your own property. In other words, you won’t have to make a special trip to a gas station to refuel.

The popular YouTube channel Like Tesla cites the following data points in one of their videos:

  • According to a study done by Kelly Blue Book, the average length of car ownership is five years
  • The average person drives 37 miles per day while getting 24 mpg
  • With those numbers in mind, the average person would need to refuel once every nine days
  • Doing the math, that’s 40 stops at a gas station per year (365 days per year/nine days)

Assuming it takes five minutes to refuel, that’s at least 200 minutes per year the driver of a gasoline-powered car spends at gas stations, versus zero for an electric vehicle if you have access to a convenient place to charge it when it is not in use (i.e. at night while you sleep).

If this sounds appealing to you, do keep in mind that you will need to have a charging station installed by an electrician, which can be an added cost of a few hundred dollars. You’ll also want to make sure that installing a charging station is allowed, depending on your living arrangement.

Those living in apartments or condominiums, for instance, may not have the physical space necessary to install a charging station. In some cases, you may have to seek approval from your landlord or homeowner’s association. If charging at home isn’t possible, you’ll have to rely on public charging stations which can be far less convenient than refueling in a gasoline-powered car.

Destination charging

Charging your car on a long road trip can be just as seamless as charging art home because of the number of public charging stations now available throughout the U.S.

According to GreenCarCongress, there are over 68,800 Level 2 and DC Fast charging units throughout the U.S. Additionally, Tesla also has its own charging network of over 14,000 Superchargers in more than 1,600+ unique locations nationwide.

Recharging your car on a long road trip can be quite convenient. After driving for several hours, it’s not unusual for many people to want to stop for at least 15-30 minutes to eat, rest, and use the restrooms. With a vehicle like the Tesla Model 3, that’s enough time to charge the car to 80%.

Planning your route

Although electric vehicle charging stations are becoming increasingly common, it’s still a good idea to plan ahead to make sure there are enough charging stations along your specific route. Tools like EVTripPlanner can be helpful in mapping out a route for your road trip to ensure you have the ability to recharge at convenient points along the way.

Some vehicles, such as Tesla, have an in-car navigation system that includes the locations of charging stations, along with recommended stops, to ensure you do not run your battery too low.

Utilizing destination perks

As an owner of an electric vehicle, there are a number of perks that you may be able to enjoy:

  • Priority parking spaces: some retail stores and shopping centers will have special designated parking spaces right up front for electric vehicles. These can save you tons of time because you can skip having to circle a busy parking lot for a spot.
  • HOV carpool lane access: depending on the state in which you reside, you may be eligible to apply for HOV lane stickers that will grant you access to the carpool lanes even if you are traveling solo. If you live in a busy metropolitan area like I do, carpool lanes can easily shave off 15-30 minutes off your commute.
  • Free valet parking and hotel charging: some hotels offer free valet parking and destination charging. This can save you the trouble of having to make a special trip to find a charging station before or after your arrival to the hotel. Not all hotel locations will offer this so you’ll need to check ahead of time, but some hotel chains that offer this include:
    • Marriott
    • Holiday Inn
    • Best Western
    • Hyatt

Stay closer to cities

Large cities typically have a higher density of charging stations. Tesla Superchargers, for instance, are typically located in large shopping centers or within walking distance to restaurants and entertainment areas.

For anyone looking to own or rent an electric vehicle, living in or around a large city likely means you’ll have easy access to a strong public charging infrastructure to support your daily driving needs.

Here is a list of top EV-friendly cities, according to AutoBlog:

  • Portland, Oregon
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Baltimore
  • New York
  • Denver
  • Los Angeles
  • Atlanta
  • Chicago
  • Austin
  • San Francisco

Drive efficiently

If you’re looking to skip as many charging stations as possible or are worried about running out of juice before your next stop, there are a few things you can do to improve your car’s fuel efficiency.

Not using your car’s air conditioning or other accessories are two small things that can help. But by and large, the single largest thing affecting your car’s range is your driving style.

Speed is one of the biggest items that can negatively affect your range. The faster you go, the more aerodynamic resistance will come into play. Simply put: slow down and limit your top speed to significantly improve your range. You can also avoid “jackrabbit” starts, and instead take it nice and easy on the accelerator.

Drafting is another strategy you can use to improve your car’s efficiency. By driving behind another large vehicle, you can improve your own vehicle’s fuel efficiency because you’ll have a lot less aerodynamic resistance to cut through.

Keep in mind that altitude, temperature, and weather conditions may also affect your vehicle’s range. Because you don’t have control over those factors, it’s a good idea to build in an appropriate buffer to ensure you don’t run out of battery life.

Don’t push your limits

It’s never a good idea to run your car’s gas tank down to zero, but it goes doubly-true for an electric vehicle. Even though your car’s battery reading might indicate it has a few miles left, it’s largely dependent on the accuracy of that reading and your battery’s calibration. Your battery’s age, health, temperature and weather conditions are just a few factors that could affect the accuracy of that reading. Because of this, there have been few reports of people’s cars running out of battery even though the battery gauge indicated it still had several miles left.

The best thing to do is to keep a buffer of at least 10-15 miles to avoid being stranded.

If you run out of battery

If you do happen to run out of battery power and find yourself stranded, roadside assistance should be your first call. Depending on the make and model of your vehicle, some roadside assistance services may be able to provide charging services so that you can make it to the nearest charging station. AAA, for instance, offers these services in certain locations. In other cases, your car may have to be towed to a charging station.

Bottom line

Thanks to technological advancements, a road trip in an electric vehicle is not only possible but can be more preferable compared to a more traditional gasoline-powered car. Electric vehicles nowadays can drive many hundreds of miles on a single charge, are much more economical and can be recharged quickly and conveniently at home or on the road.

Plus, as an EV owner, you can take advantage of special perks like carpool lane access, priority parking space in certain shopping centers, free valet parking, free hotel charging and more.

If you’ve taken a road trip in an electric vehicle, let us know what your experience was like in the comments below.

For the latest tips and tricks on saving money on your travels, please subscribe to the Million Mile Secrets daily email newsletter.

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Can You Reduce The Costs Of An E-Car?

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Even though the British government has made it clear that the future is not in fossil fuel powered vehicles, a lot of households are still debating the advantages of an electric car. Indeed, at a time where most people need to commute on average an hour to go every day, it’s easy to see how an electric car could make it difficult to maintain a healthy work/life balance. After all, who’s got time to put their car on charge for 12 to 18 hours to be able to get to the office on the next day? You can’t just top it up at the pump in a matter of minutes like you would with a diesel or an unleaded petrol engine. Additionally, there is no denying that electric vehicles have not yet addressed all the issues that environmental and legal institutions have complained about regardless fuel-powered engines. So the question remains open for now: If there a way to reduce the many costs of an e-car?

What are the hidden costs of electric cars?  

Electric cars are expensive

For the time being, buying an electric car is an expensive purchase. For a start, even the best selling electric vehicle in the UK, the Nissan LEAF, costs on average £8,000 more than the best selling family favourite car, the Ford Fiesta. For a family budget, £8,000 is not the kind of expense that can be easily ignored. Besides, you need to add the running costs of maintaining an electric engine. A 1.2L petrol engine will need a refuel after roughly 300 miles, and you can expect to pay between £35 and £40. But the Nissan LEAF will need charging after 100 miles, which means that you also need to check for charging stations along your route.

But things will change

Additionally, if you’re looking for a cheap auto insurance, you’d better stick to the Ford Fiesta for now. Electric cars are indeed around £330 more expensive to insure at the moment. Admittedly, it doesn’t mean that you should ignore the option of buying an e-vehicle as you can expect that technology will improve rapidly. Along with the legal incentives, it’s likely that within the next 10 years, electric cars will become cheaper to insure compared to fossil fuel engine, as we’ll get closer to the 2040 deadline set in the UK.

There are already eco-friendly actions

There has been a lot of discussion in the recent years about the green benefits of electric vehicles. Indeed, it’s impossible to ignore the cost of production on the environment. Indeed, the lithium contained the car batteries come from environmentally destructive mines, which are linked to the creation of highly toxic chemicals that are regularly dumped back into the environment. In other words, until this process can be improved, it’s hard to think of electric vehicles are green cars. However, there are green actions that can help to improve their running costs for your wallet and the environment. Indeed, Smart Green Batteries SARL has patented charging stations using recycled oils to charge your car.

In other words, e-cars still come at a high cost in terms of environmental protection, financing, and practicality. However, there are indications that this cost can be decreased through technological progress over time.

Nissan Leaf

Your “Electric” Bill…

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Electric Car Charging Pavement Marking

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Practicalities aside, running an electric car, it appears, is full of various expenses. But is this really true? The thing, of course, with any electric car is that you are benefiting the planet, but is this a detriment to your wallet? Let’s break down the various costs essential to keeping an electric car running, and the upfront costs that you need, as well as the other pertinent aspects.

The Cost Of The Car

The first thing to notice is that these cars cost a lot more front than a standard vehicle. As far as average cost is concerned, the best-selling electric car in the United Kingdom, the Nissan LEAF, costs roughly £8,000 more than the most popular petrol car in the country, the Ford Fiesta. But the difference is bearable in some respects. The UK government will give grants towards the cost of electric cars, up to £4,500. The cost upfront is quite a dent in your savings. You could go for the cheaper models that are exempt from road tax, but with these ones you are looking at less than £40,000. As far as the impact on the environment is concerned, it is something worth considering, and based on your finances, you might start looking for the best place to get a personal loan, so you can make this upfront payment because you will recoup the costs in other ways…

The Running Costs

The one thing that is glaringly obvious is the lack of petrol costs, and so when you are looking at an electric vehicle battery, the charge for every 100 miles is between £2 and £4. So, straight away, if you can get roughly 300 miles out of a 1.2-litre tank, which costs roughly between £35 and £40, you’ve got a major saving! The most recent Tesla model offers 335 miles as a maximum range and the Nissan LEAF needs charging after 100 miles. As far the practicalities are concerned, as long as you have charging points dotted around your destinations, there is a major saving to be had. The other factors to consider in terms of getting the most mileage out of your electric car is what time of year you drive it, as well as if you like to listen to music in your car! The more in-car functions you use, the quicker it will drain the battery. It’s worth bearing this in mind.

The Other Concern

We all need to change the battery on occasion. This does depend on the model car that you buy. A Nissan LEAF, with a 30kWh battery, is covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever one you hit first. But will you look at the battery pack in the Tesla Model S, it only loses 8% of its battery life after 100,000 miles.

The Verdict

Overall, mathematics needs to be your strong point, and you need to calculate right now if it’s worth your expenditure. Apart from the benefits to the planet, and the value it can retain if you keep it safe, despite the government funding you can get right now, lots of people find that it’s too much of a dent in their wallet. However, petrol cars are going to be outlawed in 2040 in the United Kingdom, so it’s time to start saving!

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The Choice Conundrum: Are Electric Cars All The Same?

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For enthusiasts of green motoring, the last few years have certainly brought more good news than the decades that went before them. With governments worldwide looking at moving away from fossil fuel vehicles within the next few decades, companies that want to keep up with the changing marketplace are being forced to look into new technology. Electric and hybrids seem to be the way of the future, but what does this change mean for right now?

We do know that, traditionally, there’s been less choice for the green motorists compared to petrolheads. Given we’re now well into the age of non-fossil fuel cars, are the choices improving for the green-minded car enthusiast?

The good news is that some vehicles are appearing on the horizon that answer that question in the affirmative; choice is no longer the reserve of the piston engine.

Manufacturers Are Accepting The Inevitable

The news of more and more countries looking at going electric is a positive step for the environment, but most announcements have come with an underwhelming deadline of the late 2030s. However, the effect on manufacturers has been a pleasant surprise, as they are beginning to see the futility of continuing to develop all-fossil fleets.

One result of this acceptance is that electric vehicles are going to join the true, reliable heavyweights of the road. A great example of this is the forthcoming Land Rover PHEV LSE. With a sturdy workhorse frame, this is an electric vehicle that gives a feeling of safety on the road, and a welcome addition to the Chevy Bolt in that respect. As a result of its reassuring sturdiness, the feeling of needing a car accident law firm number to hand “just in case” of any unexpected surprises, should diminish with the PHEV LSE.

The Electric Car Range Problem Is Getting Better

Until recently, if you could find an electric vehicle that would do more than 200 miles per charge, you held onto it for dear life. With charge points not exactly around every corner, range has been the defining issue of all electric cars to date.

Good news, then, comes in the shape of a few cars that are soon to be released to the market. The Tesla Model S is capable of hitting 295 miles before needing a charge. Furthermore, Mercedes have announced that their EQ — slated for 2019 — will have a range of 311 miles. These models show that the improvements in range might be slow, but they are getting better.

“Affordable” Will No Longer Mean “Awful”

The inconvenient truth for many electric car fans is that, if you want quality, you either have to pay a lot or accept a small range. Fortunately, the gap in the market for a longer range green car that you’ll actually want to drive is now in the midst of being filled. As you might expect, Tesla are the ones blazing the trail, with their Model 3 about to hit the streets at an affordable $35,000– and a 215 mile range. Electric cars that are affordable and go the distance? The future might just be green after all.

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Electric vehicles – How Bright is Their Future Now?

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Electric vehicles – how bright is their future now?
Since we live in the advanced world of technology, most of us have believe that the future is centered on electric vehicles. There’s been a lot of debate on the topic. Some have faith that 5 years from now the world will become a safer place if electric cars go mainstream, whereas others are way too focused on the drawbacks of the technology – slow sales, range anxiety, battery reliability, and predictions that seem overzealous.

speedy car

Experts predict strong and steady sales growth
In 2015, EV sales increased with 60% at a global scale, and the researchers at Bloomberg New Energy Finance predict that by 2040 electric vehicles will represent 35% of all cars present on the streets of the most developed countries around the globe. In 2016 we’ve seen EVs increase in popularity as well. Right now we have more charging stations than ever before, and the cars developed by top-tier manufacturers are bigger and increasingly more varied. This can only mean that the future of cars is all about going full electric.
That being said it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the oil industry is currently having some issues. According to Bloomberg, the upcoming EV revolution may displace close to 13 million barrels/day by the year 2040, and as much as 2 million by 2023. Average consumers shouldn’t be surprised that this is happening, and here are some key reasons to back up the fact that the future of cars lies in electric vehicles.

• Lower battery costs – at this point we see prices for batteries go down extremely fast. Increasingly more industry experts, automakers, and even scientists argue that the average price per battery might get to $150 in less than 10 years from now. When that happens, EVs will go mainstream. Bloomberg estimates that in 5 years EVs will be capable to compete with gas-powered vehicles. Both Tesla and General Motors have already started investing in EV technology because they strongly believe that the general prices for battery will drop sooner or later.

• Affordable car pricing with longer ranges – longer-range, more conveniently-priced EVs that run on electricity only that can easily travel 200 miles on a single charge will soon hit the showrooms. The most recent Chevrolet Bolt costs $30,000 and travels 200 miles with a single charge. Tesla’s most recent Model 3 and Nissan’s Leaf model are next in line. These plug-in hybrids are gaining momentum, which can only mean that there’s an active market out there for EVs just waiting to take the lead.

• Multiplied charging stations – “range anxiety”, also known as insufficient charging stations is a core problem of the electric vehicle auto market. But things are improving, and more stations will soon become available for earth-conscious drivers. The industry plans on increasing the number of stations, adding more in common areas such as transit stations, campuses, workplaces, public gathering places, and apartment complexes.
mercedes
By 2023, California’s governor, Jerry Brown, plans to add another 1,500 charging stations in the near future, thus supporting the technology and encouraging people to invest in an EV. Nissan has amazing offers for its future buyers. The manufacturers offers a 2-year free charge when purchasing their newest Leaf model and VW and BMW have teamed up to build another 100 charging stations in San Diego, Boston, and Washington.

The auto industry is pro EVs

Increasingly more car manufacturers believe that the future of the auto industry depends on electric vehicles. Therefore, they’re willing to support and invest in the technology. In 2010, only 2 manufacturers dared to develop EVs. Today, there are more than 25. BMW, Tesla, GM and Nissan are currently in the lead, with Ford catching up and eager to invest $4.5 billion. By 2020, Ford plans to add another 12 electric cars, thus electrifying their line with nearly 40%.
bmw 18

Overall, it’s safe to say that the EV auto market with sports exhaust is expanding. We’re in a constant need for stronger, faster, more efficient, sustainable, and conveniently-priced cars. This means that it shouldn’t surprise anyone that car manufacturers believe in the potential of the industry. The future of electronic cars shines bright like a diamond. We just have to wait and see them fly away.

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Official Tesla Model 3 Announcement Video

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Tesla plans to begin making deliveries of the Tesla Model 3 by late 2017. The Model 3 combines real world range, performance, safety and spaciousness into a premium sedan. This will be Tesla’s most affordable car yet. The Model 3 achieves 215 miles of range per charge while starting at only $35,000 before incentives and regional electric vehicle tax deductions. Model 3 is designed to attain the highest safety ratings in every category. The Model 3 will also include automated drive technology, standard. By now, over 400,000 people have payed the $1,000 reservation fee. There is obviously strong demand for this stylish plug-in, fully electric vehicle from a brand known for bringing cutting edge technology to drivers demanding more from automakers. This may be Elon Musk’s most ground breaking model, an entry into the middle class consumer car market.  Let’s hope Tesla can supply the demand.

From Tesla Motors:
Model 3 is the next logical step of Tesla’s “secret master plan” and mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Like every Tesla, Model 3 is engineered to combine range, performance, safety and utility. Smart design maximizes interior space, to comfortably fit 5 adults and all of their gear. Tesla makes fast cars, Model 3 is no exception. The high efficiency electric motor provides zero to 60 mph acceleration in less than six seconds. And when equipped with electric all-wheel drive, Model 3 provides safe and dependable traction in all conditions.

Designed with safety as a priority, Model 3 should be the safest car in its class once testing completes. This, combined with over 200 miles of range while starting at $35,000 before incentives, makes Model 3 an extraordinary mid-size sedan.

Model 3 will begin production in late 2017, ramping Tesla vehicle production to 500,000 vehicles per year.