Is the Triangle ready for cars that plug in? Now I'll find out if I'm ready, myself.
I’m talking with Triangle folks who have started driving Teslas and Chevy Volts, put down money for a spot on the Nissan Leaf waiting list, or converted their own gas-burners into plug-in hybrids.
And starting today, I’ll get my own chance when Progress Energy lends me a Chevy Volt to drive for a few days.
I have a lot of questions about this car. And I’m especially interested in your questions: Are you thinking about buying a Volt or a Leaf or a Prius plug-in hybrid -- or one of the other e-car options that will become available in the coming months?
Post your questions below or email me (please include full contact information, which I will not make public), and I’ll post my answers.
I’ll be blogging and tweeting as I drive it to my home near Chapel Hill and charge it overnight with a long drop cord from the 120-volt outlet on my front porch. Then I'll drive it to work, figure out where to recharge it in downtown Raleigh – and we actually do have more charging station options than you might think – and get a feel for what it’s like to drive one of these things.
I’m sure I’ll be burning gas, too. Unlike the Leaf and the Tesla, the Volt has that security blanket of a gas tank so you won’t be stranded for lack of a charging station. Its battery also has a shorter charge.
And my daily drive from home to work is 34 miles -- about the distance of a full battery charge for the Volt, I'm told.
The occasion for this is Plug-In 2011, a four-day national conference and exposition on cars that plug-in, scheduled next Monday through Thursday at the Raleigh Convention Center. This is the first time the event has been held anywhere outside of California.
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter, editor and blogger since 1976, he took over the
Comments
I'm excited
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 13:02 — justinpinnixI'm excited to hear how it turns out. I'm no greenie-weenie, but there are great advantages to running a car off of electricity, which can be generated from a variety of sources including nuclear. This gets us away from being held hostage by the price of a single commodity such as oil.
For some reason the NRC won't allow me to put the reactor under the hood of my car, so this is the next best thing :-)
Range, Costs and the Bouncing Ball
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 12:51 — bobbleheadguruI would be interested to understand how much range you can get. Can you beat the 40Miles... with AC on??
I have ordered a Volt after doing calculations on the lease (v. my current 2008 Impala). I estimate that the Volt will cost me about the same per month as my Impala. The key is to get a lease (v. buying it):
Full details here: http://bobbleheadguru.com
[I would appreciate it if you would read and comment on whether you think I missed anything].
I would also like to know if you like the bouncing range ball and if it helps you improve efficiency.
@talkingbanana: The plug in costs will be better than buying gas. A full charge should be about $1.50-$2 v. $6-8 in gasoline (for 1.5 to 2.5 gallons) for 35-40 miles.
@jack319: If you get a lease, the battery will be fully covered under warranty. At $350/month ($2500 down), you also get the benefit of the government incentive immediately, instead of the tax time (spring 2012).
Actual Range
Mon, 07/18/2011 - 13:42 — palomarI have had my Volt for 2 months. I get about 44 miles per charge when I drive around town, and about 41 on the highway. You know how hot it is here in Raleigh and I have been running the AC full blast. A full charge costs $1.20. To drive the same number of miles in the SUV I used to drive, would cost $9.50.
I'd be interested in knowing
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 12:07 — talkingbananaI'd be interested in knowing what the hit to your electric bill is. That's one of the main things (other than upfront costs) making a plug-in car unaffordable for me, but it'd be great because I only live 4 miles from work.
Electric bill
Mon, 07/18/2011 - 13:45 — palomarThe electricity costs about 1/3 as much as gas does for a car that gets the same MPG. And this car gets way better MPG than most cars. So for example, my electric bill has gone up about $40 per month to drive 1200 miles per month. My gas cost for my SUV to drive the same amount would have been $250 per month. No matter how you do the math, spending $40 on electricity is cheaper than spending $250 on gas. This car can't tow a boat (obviously) so I do still drive my SUV once in a while, but I am saving a lot of money.
Volt
Wed, 07/13/2011 - 10:56 — Jack319I suspect you will probably enjoy your test drive period. My concern about the electric cars is more long-term.
I've read where you can get an initial credit on your electric bill (guess I'll be subsidizing some folks' driving), at least for a while. And that you may be able to defer payment on the charging station at your home for up to two years (but then will have to pay). A friend who is a mechanic warns that battery replacement will be a shock for these car owners.
So I guess my question is this: do fuel savings outweigh the costs of maintenance and other costs unique to these cars?
(I'll forgo the longer term question of how long most people will be willing to subsidize the energy costs of people who can afford these cars; whether we have the energy producing capacity to operate many of these cars; and what the benefit is of electric cars that derive most of their energy from coal burning plants)
Long term costs
Mon, 07/18/2011 - 13:52 — palomarOnly time will tell, but Chevy has spent a lot of time and effort to make the battery and electric drive very robust and durable. The car manages the temperature and charge rate to ensure the battery lasts as long as possible. The entire electrical system has an 8 year 100,000 mile warranty, which is probably far longer than the warranty on the drivetrain of whatever car you have. I'm not getting any credit on my electric bill, and the rebates for the charging station are not available in NC yet. You don't even need a charging station if you can plug in over night; the car will charge off of a standard outlet. You can spend extra for a fast charger if you need it. So I'm not sure that your concern about subsidizing is really an issue.