Range: 6 Things to Know When Buying an EV

There is probably no more stark a difference between electric vehicles (EVs) and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles than the fueling experience. Gas stations have been the paradigm for over 100 years and are a core part of car and American culture. So what happens when this network of 200,000 stations doesn’t meet your needs? The answer for a long time has been, and maybe remains, range anxiety. The convenience we enjoy and take for granted with gassing up the car just isn’t there yet for EVs. I’ll write more about EV charging and charging networks in my next post, but I want to start with a fundamental feature of all EVs – Range. How far will I be able to drive my EV between charges?  

When I worked for Volkswagen we created a campaign for its TDI diesel vehicles, which boasted a 710 mile range. This was an exceptional number that no other car could match, and a pretty awesome benefit. (Unfortunately, “clean diesel” turned out to be a myth.) Typical gasoline vehicles were getting 35 mpg with 12 gallon tanks – a bit more than 400 miles. And that’s still generally the case and the expectation consumers have when shopping. 

But 400 miles of range has so far only been found in high-end luxury EVs like the Lucid Air, checking in at 410 miles, and the Mercedes EQS at 400. EV makers have set 280-300 miles as the benchmark because greater range either costs much more or battery packs take up too much space for the size of the vehicle. 

If you track EV news you’ll often hear about battery breakthroughs – longer range, faster charging speeds. Solid State Batteries have been heralded as the solution to the range problem, but they have yet to be commercialized and are expected to be some years off. If you’re looking to buy an EV soon, you might own one or two vehicles before solid state batteries come to market. 

Another critical component of range is that manufacturers recommend regularly charging your battery to only 80% capacity to increase its lifespan. That 300 mile range effectively becomes 240 miles. A key exception is the road trip. It’s okay to infrequently charge to 100% when you need to get that full range.  

So let’s assume the average EV is going to functionally provide you with 250 miles of range. Here are a few questions to consider whether you can easily adopt an EV.

1. Is this going to be a primary or secondary vehicle for your household? 

I don’t see this question come up often enough. As of 2022, 59% of American households own at least two cars. A second car could conceivably handle local duty and a light commute, while the primary could handle an American road trip. That significantly reduces the burden and is one of the biggest factors for me in choosing an EV for my next car. 

2. How will an EV fit into my weekly routine? 

With a 250 mile range, you could conceivably manage a 50-mile round trip commute. That would be tight, but if you have a hybrid schedule with three days in the office, you can take that to a little more than 80 miles round trip or buy yourself a little peace of mind. Working from home? You can likely cover the whole week and weekend with drop-off and kid activities without a problem. 

3. Do you own your home? 

I’ll cover charging options later, but we should acknowledge the luxury that homeowners have with the ability to charge from home, whether a slow Level 1 charge on a standard 110V outlet or an upgraded Level 2 charger. Roughly 80% of charging occurs at home, giving those will access a huge leg up and, unfortunately, contributes to EV inequity. Without the ability to charge at home, public charging becomes the most important consideration and a possible non-starter for would-be EV buyers.

Today’s EVs don’t have the same range and convenience of an ICE vehicle. But they can still be the right choice under the right circumstance. If you own your home and another ICE-powered vehicle to handle long-range travels, you can easily make an EV work without disruption. And that’s the key – no disruption. In fact, as you’ll learn in future articles, there’s a lot of benefit to switching once you know your mileage demands can be met. 

Up Next: Charging.