The Benefits of Driving an Electric Vehicle or Plug-in Hybrid
Cost Savings. Take advantage of financial incentives with federal tax credits. Effective July 10, 2017, the Rhode Island EV incentive program was suspended due to the unavailability of program funding. Read more here.
Charging Anywhere. It’s easy and affordable to charge from home or work using a basic outlet and the number of stations is growing everyday.
Extended Range. Several models in the market have 200+ miles of range, and many more are coming soon. An EV could be perfect for your commute and give you plenty of range for your weekend trips, too.
A Variety of Models. EVs and Plug-in Hybrid EVs (PHEVs) are available as SUVs, hatchbacks, sedans, minivans, and soon pickup trucks.
Fun to Drive! Instant torque lets you accelerate faster than the average gas vehicle. Enjoy the benefits of remarkably quiet, self-starting, and heated steering wheels, among other high tech features!
FAQs
An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that is fully or partially powered by electricity that produces fewer or no tailpipe emissions.
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) run completely on electricity stored in batteries and have an electric motor rather than a gasoline engine. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) combine two propulsion modes in one vehicle: an electric motor that is battery powered and can be plugged in and recharged and a gasoline engine that can be refueled with gasoline.
A clear incentive to drive an electric vehicle is the one you get every day by saving money at the gas pump—or avoiding it altogether. Drivers of plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) typically drive 80% or more of their annual miles on electricity, shrinking their gas consumption dramatically by shifting to electric power. All-electric battery EV drivers never need gas at all!
All-electric battery EV (BEV) drivers may also save money on other maintenance costs. BEVs have fewer moving parts, and engine components may last longer because they don’t operate at the high temperatures of an internal combustion engine.
Check out the Department of Energy’s Vehicle Cost Calculator to compare the costs of an electric vehicle with those of a gasoline-powered vehicle. You can also find out how much you could save in gas if you switched to electric power, using the DOE’s eGallon tool.d
According to the DOE’s eGallon tool, it costs almost half as much to fuel an electric vehicle compared to gasoline.
To charge at home, you simply need to access to a standard 120-volt outlet. To charge on the road, you can plug in at many workplaces, malls and parking structures that are equipped with charging stations for your convenience.
It depends on what power level of charger you plug into and your battery’s current “state of charge”. Using a standard outlet such as in your home garage will provide about 2-5 miles of travel per hour of charge (so-called “Level 1”), typically taking 17-24 hours for a full charge. More powerful chargers like those found at many workplaces will provide about 12-30 miles of travel per hour of charge (“Level 2”), taking 4-6 hours for a full charge. Level 2 chargers are available for installation at your home on a 240-volt circuit (similar to a clothes dryer).
Even faster Direct Current Fast Chargers (“DCFC”) are increasingly being installed along turnpikes/thruways for use by vehicles with DCFC capability, offering the potential for up to 200 miles of range in 30min or less.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, a PHEV in our service territory emits less than half the CO2-equivalent emissions as a gasoline car (155 grams per mile vs. 381 grams), while a BEV emits less than a quarter (54 grams).
EVs are great for your wallet… and the planet.