The automotive marketplace is positively charged with reasons to buy an e-car currently, so let’s explore your options. Conceptually, the electric car feels new. Factually, it is not a modern invention. In the 1890s and early 1900s, electric motor vehicle manufacturers offered quiet luxury transportation to urban aristocrats. You don’t have to be a member of high society to drive one of those vehicles’ highly evolved descendants today, though.
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What Are the Benefits of Electric Cars?
When you go electric, our planet benefits, as do you. Consider the messes you won’t make with your electric car:
- No exhaust
- No oil leaks
- No dirty gasoline
- Less noise pollution
Additionally, the electric car you choose will likely come from a plant with a lower carbon footprint than factories that produce conventional models.
Now, think about the ways you will directly benefit by choosing an electric car. Drivers who were alive in the 80s haven’t seen gasoline priced lower than a dollar since that decade. In some areas, electric drivers now pay that equivalent price for electricity when they charge their vehicles’ lithium-ion batteries between 215-mile journeys.
Charging your new electric car at home requires a charging station. You can conveniently plug a Level 1 station into a standard electrical outlet. Unfortunately, Level 1 charging stations require more than a day to provide an optimal charge to an electric car’s battery. To fully optimize home-charging your electric car, you can choose a Level 2 charging station. You will need a 240-volt outlet, but your car will charge in approximately four hours. With a Level 2 charging station, you’ll very likely enjoy charging your car while you sleep.
You will also enjoy fewer maintenance needs when you go electric. Compared to an internal-combustion engine, an electric motor has fewer moving parts. It also does not use oil, so you don’t have to bother with oil changes.
How Much Do Electric Cars Cost?
Fewer maintenance stops and savings on electricity versus gas let you operate your car for less. Now, you only need to think about the sticker price.
In 2022, American car buyers encountered a sticker price that was about 40% higher when they shopped for an electric car. The average price of an electric model was about $65,000.
Does the US Government Subsidize Electric Cars?
Fortunately, our nation wants you to drive an electric vehicle. As a result, the government offers an incentive to help you absorb your new electric car’s higher sticker price. It’s a tax credit called the Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit from the Internal Revenue Service.
That popular credit saves you up to $7,500 when you file your taxes if you buy an electric vehicle. All electric car brands qualify until they have sold 200,000 units in the United States. At that milestone, the government begins phasing out the tax credit for that brand. As of 2022, only General Motors and Tesla have reached that mark.
What Are Some Bestselling 2022 Electric Cars?
Unsurprisingly, Tesla models sell well. The remarkable brand sparked the rebirth of the electric car industry. Humanity knew it needed the return of electric cars. Tesla made it happen.
In 2022, the Model Y is Tesla’s biggest seller. From the front, this model looks like a sedan, but Tesla calls it an SUV. Certainly, the Y can take you on diverse adventures, and its price starts right at the aforementioned average, $65,000.
Tesla’s Model 3 gives you access to the leading electric brand at a lower price, Meanwhile, the luxurious Model X turns heads and engages spirits. You’ll be forever altered when you pilot the X and accelerate to highway speed from a standstill without ever shifting gears. All electrics do that. The X excels.
Ford joined Tesla atop this important category in 2022 with its Mustang Mach-E. Pony car devotees were turned off by Ford’s branding choice when this model was introduced, but it has competed with Tesla’s Y and 3 models because Ford pegged its base price under $50,000.
What Are Some Highly Anticipated Electric Cars for 2023?
Due to innovation and the federal tax credit, consumers finally have an abundant range of electric cars. Models with some buzz around them in 2023 include the
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Kia EV6
- Volkswagen ID.4
- BMW iX
- Cadillac LYRIQ
- Subaru Solterra
- Toyota bZ4X
If you book a test drive for any of these excellent electric models, ask the dealer to bring the car to your location. Any dealer committed to customer service will happily do it.