Choosing the right vehicle can be tricky. There are tons of options out there, and each one has its own set of unique benefits.
When you're seeking an electric vehicle, there are even more considerations to make. In addition to the variety of options, you also need to decide whether you want an all-electric vehicle, or to have the option to fall back on a gasoline engine if you're in a pinch.
Battery electric vehicles are entirely powered by electricity. The lack of a gas tank has both pros and cons for the average car buyer.
On the downside, drivers can't rely on an internal combustion engine when their charge runs low. This can limit the option to drive long distances, especially in areas where chargers are few and far between. Carrying a portable charger like the TurboCord can also help bridge the gap between charges.
Because electricity is the only fuel source that owners will pay for, it's not only the greener option of the two, but also the cheaper in the long term. However, the upfront cost is usually higher due to the larger battery required. Finally, though BEVs have a shorter overall driving distance per fill-up compared to PHEVs, they have the longer driving distance using only electric power.
Because of their ICE backup, PHEVs have considerably longer driving ranges. In terms of solely electric driving ranges, hybrids are more limited, but that may not be an issue for the typical driver.
The 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander has a city driving range of 23 miles, and in a real-world highway test by Car and Driver, the vehicle got a full 28 miles out of the battery. This is plenty for the average driver. Most Americans drive 10 miles or less each day, according to the National Household Travel Survey.
Further, the cost of the car is usually less expensive compared to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, Green Tech Media pointed out. However, most PHEV owners will wind up paying more over time due to the cost of gasoline.
Once you weigh the pros and cons of each option, your ultimate decision depends on what you want from the car as well as how you and your family will use it.
A study of two-car households by Lars-Henrik Björnsson and Sten Karlsson of Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg Sweden, found that, in theory, a BEV is more cost-effective when the owners carefully plan usage and don't mind the driving range restrictions.
However, in many cases, the PHEV is the more practical solution for families who are less likely to optimize usage through careful planning of which vehicles are used, when and how.
Regardless of whether you decide to go with an all-electric vehicle or one equipped with an ICE, it's important to have a quality charger at home to keep your car ready to go whenever you are. EV Charging Solutions can provide the power you need to keep motoring.