Busting EV Myths

Hello from your local EV Cincy Ambassador!

This week I’m sharing a simple document from EV Cincy that presents and dispels 5 common “myths” regarding electric vehicles. Have you come across these or other EV myths? Or, are there other EV-related topics you’d like more information about? My role as an EV Ambassador is to work with EV Cincy to get the right information out, so take a look and let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks for reading!

Background on this week’s mission:
Electric vehicles are more popular than ever before but there is a lot of misinformation about how they operate and their benefits. One of the key reasons EV Cincy was created was to help educate the public about the economic and environmental benefits of electric cars. There are a number of reasons why people are apprehensive about making the leap or transition to electric vehicles. From range anxiety (the fear that the electric car won’t have enough charge to complete a trip) to the thought that EVs cause the owner’s electricity bill to skyrocket, EV Cincy wants to provide the public with correct information and data about EVs so people can make informed decisions about their personal transportation.

We’ve pointed out 5 popular myths, misunderstandings or untruths about EVs in this brief:

1. EVs shift pollution from oil to coal (or that EVs are not green, or that EVs pollute more than gas-powered cars). The facts are…
a. According to a range of studies doing a ‘well to wheels’ analysis, an electric car leads to significantly less carbon dioxide pollution from electricity than the CO2 pollution from the oil of a conventional car with an internal combustion engine.
b. In some areas, like many on the West Coast that rely largely on wind or hydro power, the emissions are significantly lower for EVs. And that’s today. As we retire more coal plants and bring cleaner sources of power online, the emissions from electric vehicle charging drop even further.

2. EV batteries are hard to recycle. The facts are…
a. The newer batteries for electric vehicles, such as those made of lithium-ion, include even more valuable and recyclable metals and will have a life well beyond the vehicle.
b. EV batteries can be recycled just like the batteries in gas-powered cars. EV power cells can be used to store solar and wind energy, or they can be broken down with their more-valuable elements reused.

3. EVs cause electric bills to skyrocket. The fact is…
a. Some utilities are offering EV owners lower off-peak/nighttime rates. The more we successfully advocate for these off-peak incentives, the lower your electricity payments will go.

4. EV charge will run out while I”m driving. The fact is…
a. It is true that fueling an electric vehicle takes a different type of planning than for longer range conventional cars. However, the majority of drivers in the US drive less than 35 miles each day, sufficient for a fully charged pure electric vehicle (most can go 70 to 130 miles on one charge).

5. EVs are more expensive than gas-powered cars. The facts are…
a. While the initial sticker price of EVs is higher than traditional vehicles, individual consumers can currently take advantage of a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of an electric vehicle, as well as a partial federal credit for the charging unit.
b. With more and more affordable and competitive EV options and fewer moving parts to fail or need replacing, EVs are in fact cheaper to run than conventionally fueled vehicles.

Source material for our brief: https://content.sierraclub.org/evguide/myths-vs-reality and https://www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com/features/hyundai-busts-top-10-myths-about-electric-cars.html

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