From Charged Up & Ready to Roll: The Definitive Guide to Plug-In Electric Vehicles published by Plug In America
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| MI Governor Granholm at the Business of Plugging In |
Myth 1: Electric cars don't have enough range. You'll be stranded when you run out of electricity.
Fact: Americans drive an average of 40 miles per day, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. New battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have a range of at least double that - 100 miles - and can be charged at a regular electric outlet or one that goes at least 300 miles on a combination of electricity and gasoline.
Myth 2: It takes too long to charge an electric vehicle (EV).
Fact: The most convenient place and time to charge is at home while you sleep, which happens to be when electricity rates are cheapest. The car can be left to charge overnight. Using a 240-volt outlet cuts the charging time to half or a third compared with charging on 120-volt outlet. Faster-charging stations that reduce charging time even more are beginning to appear as EVs enter the market.
Myth 3: We've got to build charging infrastructure before consumers will adopt EVs.
Fact: Most charging will be done at home, so a public charging infrastructure isn't a prerequisite. That said, a built-out infrastructure will help, especially for apartment dwellers and anyone who regularly drives long distances. A coalition of government and private companies are promoting new charging infrastructure.
Myth 4: The grid will crash if millions of plug-ins charge at once.
Fact: Existing off-peak electricity production and transmission capacity could fuel the daily commutes of 73% of all cars, light trucks, SUVs, and vans on the road today if they were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), a study by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found. Utilities are upgrading some local distribution systems to accommodate EVs, just as they do when residents add more air conditioners, TVs, and appliances.
Myth 5: EVs just trade a tailpipe for a smokestack.
Fact: Even today, with 52% of U.S. power generated by coal-fired plants, plug-in cars reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and most other pollutants compared with conventional gasoline cars or hybrids. Read a summary of more than 40 studies, analyses, and presentations on this topic (PDF) at the FAQ page at PlugInAmerica.org.
Myth 6: EVs are too expensive market penetration.
Fact: Incentives that reduce the cost of buying electric vehicles include a $2,500-$7,500 federal tax credit and additional tax credits in some states. Less maintenance and lower cost for electricity compared with gasoline make the lifetime costs of EVs comparable to or better than gasoline vehicles. The higher initial cost of EVs will drop as production increases, as seen with cell phones and other new technologies.
Myth 7: Expensive batteries will need to be replaced every few years.
Fact: Some care makers plan to lease their batteries, so replacement won't be an issue. The Chevrolet Volt PHEV will have a 10-year battery warranty that would cover battery replacement. Lithium-Ion batteries should last through 10-12 years of typical driving, according to battery durability testing by the Electric Power Research Institute.
Myth 8: PHEVs like the Volt only go 40 miles.
Fact: The all-electric range of PHEVs will vary depending on the design, but the total range (using electricity and gasoline) is similar to that of hybrid cars. GM says its Volt will go 40 miles all-electric on a single battery charge, and more than 300 miles on that electricity plus a small tank of gas.
Myth 9: Batteries aren't recycled.
Fact: More than 98% of batteries in conventional cars get recycled, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The metals in newer batteries are more valuable, and recycling programs are already being developed for them.
Myth 10: There isn't enough lithium in the world for batteries.
Fact: Even in a worst-case scenario of zero battery recycling, aggressive EV sales, and no new mining methods or sites, existing lithium store will be sufficient for projected EV production for the next 75 years. See an analysis at PlugInAmerica.org on the FAQ page. And lithium comes from multiple countries (24% is in the United States), so we won't be dependent on any one region.
Myth 11: Lithium batteries are dangerous because they can explode.
Fact: Some early lithium-ion batteries in laptops or cell phones had rare cases of "thermal runaway" and caught fire. Today's EVs employ newer, safer lithium chemistries and sophisticated battery management systems to ensure safety.
Myth 12: Electric cars expose drivers to dangerous electromagnetic fields.
Fact: A National Institutes of Health report states that there is no proven health hazard from electromagnetic fields (EMF), and that EVs emit less electromagnetic energy than conventional gasoline cars.
