The White House has turned to strict emissions standards in order to get electric vehicles from the current 7% of new auto sales to 50% by 2032. But as the national gas price finally dipped below $4, it’s just one less incentive to consider purchasing an electric vehicle. In the current infrastructure and economy, the real-world cost of powering an electric vehicle is still far greater than comparable internal combustion engines, and the hidden costs are many.
Remember the old saying, “Time is money?" Well, most electric vehicle drivers need up to a full day to charge a fully depleted electric car battery. Even rapid partial charges take five to ten times longer than it takes to fill up a gas tank. What’s more, depending on where one lives, most people won't want their car to get below about a 20% charge and risk being stranded somewhere they can’t recharge, so the true usable range is much less than advertised. While electric vehicle owners can proactively “top off” batteries daily, longer commutes throw that out the window (let alone typical family road trips).
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