“Electric vehicles have entered the market faster than many industry analysts anticipated,” said Mark Policinski, CEO of the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments, in a news statement. “The pace of future adoption will depend on evolving economic, political and technological forces.”
Some EVs operate only on batteries while others are plug-in hybrid models with both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine.
Raising environmental awareness is also a top draw for EV owners. EVs don’t have tailpipe emissions, so they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have a smaller carbon footprint than gasoline cars, making them more energy-efficient.
“Transportation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the Miami Valley, and EVs offer a clean and sustainable alternative,” said Rap Hankins, president of Drive Electric Dayton, in a news statement.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Benefits of electric vehicles
In addition to being environmental-friendly, there are other benefits to owning an EV:
- Save money on gas — According to a 2022 statistic from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, charging an electric vehicle is $14,000 cheaper than fueling a gas vehicle over a vehicles’ 15-year timespan.
- Easier to maintain — Re-volv.org said EVs don’t require an oil change every 3,000-5,000 miles, making them easier to maintain and resulting in fewer trips to the mechanic. EVs also have fewer parts that wear down — for instance, there are no spark plugs to replace —and no engine to maintain when compared to an internal combustion car. Reduced maintenance costs can also save an EV owner over $1,500 over the life of the vehicle, compared to a gasoline-powered version of their vehicle.
Disadvantages of electric vehicles
- Mileage range — The average range for an EV can range from 100-250 miles, depending on the model of the vehicle.
- Longer fueling time — According to re-volv.org, a typical EV, charging a 60 kWh battery will take about eight hours to go from empty to full using a 7kW charger, the strength of a typical at-home charger. However, many electric cars can charge 100 miles in approximately 35 minutes with a rapid charger.
- Outside temperature — Cold weather can temporarily reduce the range of an EV battery between 10-20% and could also triple the charging length.
In addition, according to U.S. News & World Report, charging time is an important factor if you’re considering purchasing an EV. The larger the battery is, the more energy it can store. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have smaller batteries than EVs, which is reflected in the driving range differences between the two types of vehicles. PHEVs typically travel up to roughly 50 miles on electric power, while electric vehicles from brands like Lucid, Rivian and Tesla have driving ranges that can exceed 400 miles.
PlugShare states Dayton has 557 public charging stations, 56 of which are free EV charging stations. Its list of the top-rated charging locations around the region are:
- Walmart Supercenter, 7680 Brandt Pike, Huber Heights
- Meijer, 9200 N. Main St., Dayton
- National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, 1100 Spaatz St., Dayton
- John Bryan Community Center, 100 Dayton St., Yellow Springs
- Sinclair Community College, Lot J, 201 W. Fifth St., Dayton
- Day Air Ballpark, 220 N. Patterson Blvd., Dayton
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