Video Summary
The review's findings about owning an electric car include the following:- The best electric vehicle experience comes from using a Level 2 AC charger at home to replenish the battery pack overnight.
- Some motorists can manage using a 110V Level 1 charger at home; those are the exception to the rule.
- Level 2 chargers are typically affordable but could require electrical work or service upgrades, raising the overall cost.
- Avoid using DC fast charging when slower charging will do. It puts stress on the EV’s battery pack and costs more than charging at home.
- Always plan your route ahead when traveling long distances in an EV and select alternate charging locations.
- Many newer EVs offer dynamic route planning, but also use third-party services like A Better Routeplanner.
- Extreme heat and cold can significantly reduce an EV’s range, requiring earlier and more frequent charging.
- Purchase a model with as much range as you can afford.
- Install charging network apps and sign in/create accounts on your smartphone for the charger networks that you may use.
- When DC fast charging, it's most time-efficient to only charge to 80%; once the battery charge is beyond the 10-80% range, fast charging slows down dramatically.
