Does Owning an Electric Vehicle Make Dollars & Sense?

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

While owning an electric vehicle (EV) is touted as more environmentally friendly, if you’re thinking about going electric, you had better talk to your insurance agent to make sure that you’re properly covered on both your auto and homeowner’s policies.  That’s right, owning an EV can alter not only what you pay for auto insurance but homeowner’s insurance as well.  That’s because EVs need to be recharged and to do that you need to have some electrical work performed in your garage.  Unfortunately, you can’t simply plug in an EV to one of your existing outlets.  You’re required to install a purpose-built EV charger and possibly a bank of lithium-ion batteries to top up your vehicle.  Before you drive off the lot with an electric vehicle, here’s what you need to know.

The Shocking Truth About Electric Vehicles

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pikist

If you’ve been considering buying or leasing an electric vehicle, you’re not alone.  It’s been predicted that by the year 2020, close to half the cars and trucks on the road will be electric and by 2040 they’re predicted to be the dominant form of automotive transportation in the US.  Electric vehicles offer many advantages over their gas-powered brethren.  They require less maintenance, they’re friendlier to the environment, and they save on gas.  Especially if you routinely drive 100 miles or less per day on average, the savings of operating an EV can be substantial.  That’s the upside.  The downside is that all-electric vehicles have higher sticker prices than comparable gas-powered vehicles. 

Are Electric Vehicles Worth Getting Charged Up About?

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy flickr

I know you thought this blog was going to be all about electric vehicles, but since I don’t own one, I thought I’d start off by telling you all about my electric lawn mower.  Having owned a number of gas-powered lawn mowers over the years, I thought I’d try a battery-powered electric mower last year when my old Toro push mower gave up the ghost.  A friend of mine had bought one and he waxed poetic about how quiet and maintenance-free his electric mower was.  No gas to store in the garage, and no trips to the small engine repairman every year or so to have the spark plugs and air filter changed. What’s not to like?  While the unit he had cost about $100 more than a comparable gas mower, the savings in fuel and maintenance seemed to me like a no-brainer.  It was certainly going to cost less than paying the kid next door $40 bucks to mow my lawn every week or so.  So, I plunked down a little less than $300 and bit the bullet.