What consumers should consider when buying an electrified car

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How prompt an electrical car can charge its battery indeed depends upon the strength of the outlet it’s plugged into and the kind of charger used. (Chuck Burton/AP)

This summer has had a lot of news about electrified vehicles. Tesla announced last week that it plans to supply its very first mass-market car to customers this month. Volvo said in the same week it will only sell electrical and hybrid cars in 2019, and last month, Nissan’s Global Director of EV, Kazuo Yajima, said that the next Leaf will have a range of over two hundred miles. As efforts ramp up to get more electrical vehicles in front of consumers, here are some things to keep in mind when considering such a purchase:

Battery life: Batteries in electrical vehicles differ from those in gas-powered cars in a few ways. Electrified cars require a more expensive kind of battery, which is what contributes to the high price of most models, said Frederic Lambert, the editor in chief of the website Electrek. The batteries are lithium-ion based and designed to give power over sustained periods, while batteries in gas-powered vehicles are lead-acid based and mainly are used to embark the conventional gas engine.

Most electrified cars come with an extended warranty that covers the car battery up to its very first 100,000 miles, said Brian Mooney, an auto analyst and executive editor at Autotrader, which is similar to gas cars depending on the model. Since most electrified cars have yet to have their warranties expire, car companies have treated the majority of battery replacements, Lambert said.

Range: Depending upon the mileage and how quick a car is going, a nonelectric car can get well over three hundred fifty miles on a utter tank of gas, according to consumer finance website Bankrate. The range for electrical vehicles vary model to model, with the Chevy Bolt advertised to go two hundred thirty eight miles on a utter charge, which is considered high for electrified cars. The Nissan Leaf has a range of one hundred seven miles, while the Tesla Model S has a range inbetween two hundred ten to 315.

The more miles a car can go on one charge, the higher its price will be, Mooney said. But not everyone needs an electrical car that has a range like the Bolt, if they’re only going to use it for a 10-mile commute to work every day. Consumers should consider how they will use the car and the average number of miles they’ll be putting on it before purchasing an electrical car, Mooney said. If they’re not traveling far, they can look at the cheaper models rather than overpay for a more expensive one.

Charge time: How swift an electrified car can charge its battery truly depends upon the strength of the outlet it’s plugged into and the kind of charger used. One can recharge half the battery in half an hour when it’s plugged into a supercharger, which is unique to Tesla cars only. Cars plugged into a basic wall outlet can take up to twelve hours to charge depending on the wattage, but customers have the option to buy a wall connector that cuts the time by five to six hours, Lambert said.

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