Jan 11, 2025
Jonathan Brier
climatecorner@brierjon.com
In April 2024 I wrote “How my life changed driving a used EV.” It was just over 12 months ago I purchased a used Hyundai Kona Electric with 20,202 miles. A couple weeks before the 12 months mark of ownership, I doubled that number. Most of this is my commute of about 100 miles round trip and a few long trips amounting to 200 to 1,500 miles each. What have I learned from one year of EV ownership?
Cutting to the chase, I am saving money. Somewhere between $500 and $800 compared to my previous car AFTER factoring in the difference in increased insurance and the increased registration fee and estimating an average of $3 per gallon of regular (the U.S. average for that period was $3.49, so this is a conservative). My maintenance costs disappeared except for the $25 for tire rotation; the only liquid to change in my car is battery coolant.
My previous car, a 2006 Toyota Corolla, was reliably getting 32-38 mpg with most of my driving being highway. My EV is getting about 100 mpg (one gallon of gas is about 33.4 kwh). Answering the questions my neighbors and others have asked me:
* How often do I plug-in to charge?
Two days a week at least, the day before I commute 100 miles. It really depends on how much I drive and where I want to go.
* How much does charging cost?
My home electric rate is about $0.16 per kwh with both generation and AEP Ohio’s transmission and distribution charges. On average I drive 1,800 miles a month. In the summer, my car is more efficient and does 100 miles in about 22.2 kwh making recharging $3.56. In the winter, because I have an older EV without a heat pump for heating, I’m losing some additional range to heat my car and the battery is less efficient. In winter, 100 miles when it’s really cold, like below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, my refill would be about 31.25 kwh depending on how I drove. That is $5.
So between $3.56-$5 for my EV for 100 miles, while my Corolla cost between $8.57-$9.38 for the same 100 miles. For 1,800 miles, the Corolla cost $154.26-$168.84 vs. the EV cost of $63.54-$90. I did fast charge with DC, so these are the low end.
When compared to a 2010 Prius hybrid at 50 mpg average, the cost for charging vs. gas is nearly a wash when it was cold in December/January. Warmer months’ travel with an EV is cheaper even with higher rates than home for the fast charging. $0.30-$0.65 per kwh I’ve seen on a trip.
* How long does it take to charge?
When I visit family, I only have access to a 15-amp, 120-volt outlet like in any home. If I’m really low on battery, it may take 24-48 hours to get back to full since that would only add three to five miles per hour. A level 2 charger, aka 240 volts, recharges faster in three to four hours. A DC fast charger on trips will go from 20-80% in 30-50 minutes depending on outside temps. Newer EVs can do this in 15-20 minutes.
There is much outdated information and knowledge on EVs and I can’t get to everything here.
Battery life: Most EV owners won’t ever need to get a battery replacement. Battery management systems have greatly matured, and the chemistry of the batteries is rapidly improving in both safety, density and material needs. They even have life after a vehicle. A startup called Element Energy is using old EV batteries for grid storage. Redwood Materials is claiming 95% efficiency for material recovery when recycling them. The company Recurrent tracks and rates EV battery status for those who opt in or sell EVs, so you know its health.
So, if you’re wondering if you should buy an EV, do the math. It may work out that you can save the green in your wallet and the future of our planet.
***
Jonathan Brier is a Marietta resident, information scientist, data librarian and an Eagle Scout. He is a member of the Association of Computing Machinery, American Association for the Advancement of Science, OpenStreetMap US, Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action and a Wikipedia contributor. If you would like to reach him, visit https://brierjon.com or email: climatecorner@brierjon.com
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Posted: January 11, 2025 by main_y0ke11
Climate Corner: Driving a used EV by the numbers
Jan 11, 2025
Jonathan Brier
climatecorner@brierjon.com
In April 2024 I wrote “How my life changed driving a used EV.” It was just over 12 months ago I purchased a used Hyundai Kona Electric with 20,202 miles. A couple weeks before the 12 months mark of ownership, I doubled that number. Most of this is my commute of about 100 miles round trip and a few long trips amounting to 200 to 1,500 miles each. What have I learned from one year of EV ownership?
Cutting to the chase, I am saving money. Somewhere between $500 and $800 compared to my previous car AFTER factoring in the difference in increased insurance and the increased registration fee and estimating an average of $3 per gallon of regular (the U.S. average for that period was $3.49, so this is a conservative). My maintenance costs disappeared except for the $25 for tire rotation; the only liquid to change in my car is battery coolant.
My previous car, a 2006 Toyota Corolla, was reliably getting 32-38 mpg with most of my driving being highway. My EV is getting about 100 mpg (one gallon of gas is about 33.4 kwh). Answering the questions my neighbors and others have asked me:
* How often do I plug-in to charge?
Two days a week at least, the day before I commute 100 miles. It really depends on how much I drive and where I want to go.
* How much does charging cost?
My home electric rate is about $0.16 per kwh with both generation and AEP Ohio’s transmission and distribution charges. On average I drive 1,800 miles a month. In the summer, my car is more efficient and does 100 miles in about 22.2 kwh making recharging $3.56. In the winter, because I have an older EV without a heat pump for heating, I’m losing some additional range to heat my car and the battery is less efficient. In winter, 100 miles when it’s really cold, like below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, my refill would be about 31.25 kwh depending on how I drove. That is $5.
So between $3.56-$5 for my EV for 100 miles, while my Corolla cost between $8.57-$9.38 for the same 100 miles. For 1,800 miles, the Corolla cost $154.26-$168.84 vs. the EV cost of $63.54-$90. I did fast charge with DC, so these are the low end.
When compared to a 2010 Prius hybrid at 50 mpg average, the cost for charging vs. gas is nearly a wash when it was cold in December/January. Warmer months’ travel with an EV is cheaper even with higher rates than home for the fast charging. $0.30-$0.65 per kwh I’ve seen on a trip.
* How long does it take to charge?
When I visit family, I only have access to a 15-amp, 120-volt outlet like in any home. If I’m really low on battery, it may take 24-48 hours to get back to full since that would only add three to five miles per hour. A level 2 charger, aka 240 volts, recharges faster in three to four hours. A DC fast charger on trips will go from 20-80% in 30-50 minutes depending on outside temps. Newer EVs can do this in 15-20 minutes.
There is much outdated information and knowledge on EVs and I can’t get to everything here.
Battery life: Most EV owners won’t ever need to get a battery replacement. Battery management systems have greatly matured, and the chemistry of the batteries is rapidly improving in both safety, density and material needs. They even have life after a vehicle. A startup called Element Energy is using old EV batteries for grid storage. Redwood Materials is claiming 95% efficiency for material recovery when recycling them. The company Recurrent tracks and rates EV battery status for those who opt in or sell EVs, so you know its health.
So, if you’re wondering if you should buy an EV, do the math. It may work out that you can save the green in your wallet and the future of our planet.
***
Jonathan Brier is a Marietta resident, information scientist, data librarian and an Eagle Scout. He is a member of the Association of Computing Machinery, American Association for the Advancement of Science, OpenStreetMap US, Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action and a Wikipedia contributor. If you would like to reach him, visit https://brierjon.com or email: climatecorner@brierjon.com
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Category: 2025, 2025 January, Climate Corner, Jonathan Brier
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