Types of Electric Vehicles
You’ve decided an electric vehicle (EV) is right for you. Next, you’ll need to choose the type of EV that suits your lifestyle. We’ll walk you through the steps to going electric.
When selecting an EV, you have the choice of an all-electric or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Each comes with their own unique benefits and associated costs, so the important thing is finding what suits your lifestyle best.
All-Electric Vehicles (View Models)
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (View Models)
Components:
- Battery and electric motor
- Battery, electric motor AND gas-powered engine
Operation:
- Run on electricity and do not produce fuel exhaust
- Run on electricity and gasoline
Vehicle Cost:
- Starting at approximately $40,000
- Starting at approximately $30,000
Lower Fuel Costs:
- ~70% lower fuel costs than a conventional vehicle
- ~50% lower fuel costs than a conventional vehicle
Battery Range:
- Between approximately 80 and 400 km, with some high end models having a longer range
- Between approximately 20 and 200 km
Charging Options:
- Level 1, 2, and 3 chargers
- Level 2 typically used for home charging
- Level 1 and 2 chargers
- Level 3 on select models
- Level 1 or 2 can be used for home charging
Maintenance:
- Least maintenance costs in terms of vehicle options
- Lower than a conventional vehicle but higher than an all-electric vehicle
Also referred to as:
- Battery electric vehicles (BEV) or zero-emission vehicles (ZEV)
- PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles)
Steps to purchasing an EV
Purchasing an EV is a little different than purchasing a gas-powered vehicle. It is important to understand key elements, such as vehicle range-per-charge.
Here are the typical steps you should take when purchasing an EV: