Learning the ABCs of EVs
CAA Niagara introduces potential car buyers to electric vehicle benefits
Would-be electric vehicle owners got a chance at The Pen Centre to get up close with an array of new cars and trucks that are now hitting the road.
While the “computers on wheels” are not quite silent as some people might think, there is very little noise, just the tires hitting the pavement and a slight drone coming from motors turning the wheels.
After taking a test drive Saturday, Shawn McDonnel gave a bright red Hyundai a once-over of the exterior.
“I would definitely consider one for my next vehicle,” he said.
“It does feel different. The idea of a single pedal, you take your foot off the gas and the car just slows itself down almost as if you’re braking but you’re not. And when you want to go it just goes. No hesitation at all.”
“Saving on a vehicle over the long run is beneficial as I like to own my cars as opposed to turning them over every three years. The environmental aspect is there, too.”
CAA Niagara held the two-day event in the north-most parking lot of the St. Catharines shopping mall, with a discussion panel to answer most of the questions people might have about EV and plug-in hybrids.
Mary Mallin from Plug’n Drive outlined some of the main benefits of switching to the new fossil-free technology, with savings in fuel and also for the environment.
While the initial price for an EV is higher to start, she said those costs can be recouped in about three to four years depending on the car or truck.
Mallin said the average yearly cost for fuel of a traditional car is $2,500 versus $300 for an EV.
“When I bought my car in 2018 (a Tesla), I was very curious, so I took my 2017 bills and my 2018 bills and compared them. My average (monthly) increase in electrical bills was $30, so about a dollar a day.
“Can you get away with a gas car for a dollar a day?” asked Mallin.
She said redundancy or turnover is not a concern at this time.
“The main thing that people worry about is the battery. How long will it last? So far they are warrantied for eight years and they maintain 70 per cent of the charge, with some vehicles already hitting the 300,000-kilometre mark.
“The first generation of cars we had would only go 135 km — they’re still on the road,” added Mallin. “Nobody’s selling them, there is such a big demand for used vehicles right now.
“When we look at our data, concerns have to do with money. Right now everybody is feeling the pinch. They say the cost is too high, but then when they sit down and figure out how much it’s going to run a gas car versus the electric car and see how much they are spending on fuel, they’ll say I’ll put the money upfront and the difference between the car and the EV will be recovered in the next four years.
“The savings are amazing. Especially when you talk about the gas prices up and down.”
Event attendees also brought up charging station infrastructure, to which Stephen Bieda, president of the Golden Horseshoe EV Society and regional sales manager for Shell e-mobility, said it is constantly growing and new technologies help owners find charging stations on longer routes.
He also emphasized the convenience of charging at home and overnight when electricity prices are even lower.