Should I Get an EV?

A different way of thinking

With gas cars, fuel is something you go out to get. With EVs, you get your fuel at home. You plug in at night, the car charges while you sleep, and you wake up with a full battery every morning. This is a huge benefit of EVs: you rarely go out of your way to refuel. You just plug in like a phone.

So, before anything else, answer one question: are you able to charge at home?

Are you able to charge at home?

You don't need a fancy charger. If you typically drive fewer than 50 miles a day, a standard 120V outlet is enough. If you have a garage, a carport, a driveway, or any sort of dedicated spot, you can probably make an EV work. Use the cable that came with the car, plug it in like a lamp, and you're done.

The industry undersells this because there's no money in telling people to use an outlet they already have, but the math works for most drivers. If you drive between 50 and 200 miles a day, you will need to install a Level 2 charger at home. Read more in Charging .

What if you can't?

If your parking situation means no reliable home charging, you start having to think about charging the way gas-car owners think about gas: going somewhere, waiting, paying per-use. The honest answer might be: not yet. People make it work, but it's not as good.

Right-to-charge laws are spreading. Some states require landlords and HOAs to allow tenants to install chargers. Apartment buildings are slowly adding infrastructure. The situation is improving, but not everywhere and not fast enough for everyone today.

Other barriers

Very long daily drives for work. If you regularly drive 200+ miles per day between jobsites or client visits, an EV might not fit your routine.

Very remote areas. Chargers are available at least every 20 miles on major interstates, but become sparse in truly remote areas. In those places, an EV might not be feasible.