What are EV Myths? You hear them at work, in your social media, and sometimes on the news.
There is always a kernel of truth to them, but the reality is always far different. The Victoria Electric Vehicle V Association will walk you through these perennial myths as well as walk you through the “myth of the day,” so you can stay on top of the reality.
First myth: We cannot afford the power bills!
Have you ever heard of this one? “Electric vehicles are way too expensive to charge and will make your home power bill explode!”
There is some truth to that statement; after all, you are using more home electricity to run an EV. The reality is much more positive.
More than 90 per cent of EV owners charge their car at home, overnight, and pay the B.C. Hydro rate (for simplicity, we will use a combined rate of 12 cents per kilowatt hour) and the average EV consumes 15 kwh for every 100 kilometres of travel.
That means 100 kilometres will cost you $1.80. That same travel in the average gasoline-powered B.C. vehicle, which burns 8.6 litres of gasoline at today’s price of about $2.00, will cost you $17.20.
In other words, your EV will take you 100 kilometres for the price your neighbour pays to go one-tenth that distance.
Using your EV over the Canadian average annual distance (15,000 kilometres) will cost you about $270 while your neighbour will spend $2,580 in gas – and another $200 in oil changes.
That really adds up over the years.
“But wait,” I hear someone say, “what if you are charging at one of the public direct current fast chargers (DCFC) that are popping up everywhere? Won’t that cost more than gas?”
Well, the prices there can range from 24 cents to 40 cents per kwh. Taking the higher number would mean your cost for that same 15 kwh of energy would cost you $6.
The price per kwh would need to be $1.15 – about three times the highest price around – to get close to the price of gas.
So, this high-cost myth? Busted!
Glenn Garry is president of the Victoria Electric Vehicle Association.
