Electric Car Update
Things are improving
There's no excuse now
Since Julia and I bought our Nissan Leaf in 2013, things have radically changed in the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) and the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) world. Back in 2013, there were nowhere near the options available today. If you are a person concerned with conserving the environment by reducing your carbon output from your travel needs, you have a plethora of choices today. There are currently 35 BEV and 37 PHEV options available to you. You can see a list of them below:
When we bought the Leaf, we were worried that its 80-mile range would be a big inconvenience to us. The fact is that, for our needs, 80 miles is more than enough. The Leaf covers over 90% of our travel requirements.
Nissan Leaf BEV
For the other 10% of our transport needs, we require a solution that can travel in remote parts of the country where there are, for the moment, no charging options. Until hydrogen fuel stations replace the obsolete and environmentally harmful fossil fuel stations, the other excellent option today is Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).
These cars allow you to take advantage of local travel as a fully electric vehicle. Once the battery has been drained, PHEVs return to fossil fuel burning. The good news is that some of this new generation of PHEVs offers over 70 miles per gallon. This improvement in fuel consumption alone is enough reason to buy a PHEV. In 2012, cars and light trucks sold in the United States had an average of 23.6 miles per gallon; 70 miles per gallon is a significant improvement.
Given the current state of affairs, Julia and I recently added, to our modest fleet of cars, the 2017 Prius Prime PHEV.
2017 Prius Prime PHEV
It does exactly what it is advertised to do, and it does it in style. For 25 miles, the Prime is a full BEV. This means for all local commuting, it has the same impact on the environment as the Leaf. When we head off into the outback, the Prime delivers 73 miles per gallon. This means it still pumps carbon into the atmosphere but at a far lesser rate than most vehicles on the road today.
Styling Prius Prime
In my mind, Hydrogen Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are the ultimate solution to our environmental woes and transportation needs. But the infrastructure for HEVs is not in place now and, given our current political situation, may not be in place for some time. The answer in the interim is BEVs and PHEVs.
See why I believe Hydrogen Electric Vehicles are the best solution.
Which one should you buy? The answer to this is: it depends on your transport and commuting needs. Given that the average American commute to work is approximately 15 miles one way, and that two out of three commuters (68%) report a one-way commute of 15 miles or less, and that 22% travel between 16 and 30 miles, and only 11% travel more than 30 miles, it seems a 2017 BEV (with a range of 200 miles or more) would cover most transport needs.
Read the data here.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt BEV with a 238-mile range
The environment is worth saving, and you can play your part. Get rid of that old gas guzzler, move into the twenty-first century, and help to ensure a future for your children. Let's all be socially responsible, even if our government is not.