Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids (battery and gas powered) are affordable, and technology has advanced to increase the battery life, making owning and driving an electric car more of a reality.
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Types of Electric Vehicles (EV)
BEV, PHEV, what does it all mean?
- BEV or EV (Battery Electric Vehicle) all-electric vehicle that operate on 100 percent battery; charged by plugging into grid
- PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric) uses energy from plugging into grid; contains combustion engine that kicks in when battery power runs out.
- Learn more at afdc.energy.gov.
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Advantages
An electric vehicle sounds smart, but you're probably wondering, "What do they have to offer?"
- Fuel economy: PHEVs and EVs can reduce fuel costs dramatically because of high efficiency of electric motors
- Performance: high torque, immediate power, quiet and smooth ride
- Charge anywhere: plug and recharge your vehicle at home or at a charging station (work, store, highways)
- Clean: BEVs have no tailpipe emissions, PHEVs benefit from much lower tailpipe emissions
- Reduced maintenance costs for BEVs: no oil changes, no air/fuel filters, no exhaust system, no muffler or catalytic converter
- Learn more at energy.gov.
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Incentives
Federal and state incentives make owning an EV more of a reality.
- The federal government offers up to $7,500 in income tax credits.
- Louisiana residents can receive a tax credit of 10 percent of the vehicle cost of up to $2,500.
- Louisiana residents can receive a tax credit of 30 percent of the EV charging equipment up to $1,000.
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Cost Comparison - EV vs. a combustion engine
What is e-Gallon?
It is the cost of fueling a vehicle with electricity compared to a similar vehicle that runs on gasoline.Did you know?
On average, it costs about half as much to drive an electric vehicle.What is the cost comparison for an electric vehicle vs. a traditional combustion engine vehicle?
Assuming the average person drives 43 miles each day in Louisiana, the average cost of gasoline is $1.88 per gallon and the average cost of eGallon is $0.84.- The daily cost to refuel a gas-powered vehicle that gets 30 miles per gallon is $2.69
- The daily cost to recharge an electric vehicle is $1.20
In fact, for the cost benefit of electric cars to fall below the traditional gas-powered vehicle, gas prices would need to drop to $0.99 per gallon and electricity prices would need to almost double to $0.22 per kilowatt-hour.
Want more information?
Visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center. -
Plug-in Hybrid & EV models to choose from
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Charging systems for the EV battery
So now you have your electric vehicle, how do you give it life?
There are three different levels of charging systems: Level 1, Level 2 and DC Fast Charging (Level 3). Each level provides a different level of charging power for your electric vehicle. To learn more, click here.
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 120 volts-standard household 240 volts-standard system for household dryer 400-600 volts User power cord provided with the electric vehicle Requires installation by an electrician Delivers DC energy by bypassing on-board charger Slow charge: 8-14 hours for full charge Fast charge: 4-8 hours for full charge Fully charged in about 30 minutes -
Finding a public EV charging system
Electric vehicles must have a charging station to recharge its battery pack. Many companies offer public-charging stations, either free or for a low-rate charge, to employees or customers. Needing to charge away from home? Look no further than a downloadable mobile map application! Two mobile options are: