“How long does it take to charge the battery? How much extra time will I need to plan a 750-mile trip?”
Halderman:
Electric vehicles are not your best option for a vehicle as it will be used for long distance travel due to the time needed to recharge about every 200-250 miles. Most currently available electric vehicles have a range of between 200 and 300 miles. According to General Motors Corp, when they were designing the extended range electric vehicle Volt, they found that most people commute about 35 miles a day. As a result, the battery size of the Volt was designed to furnish about 45 miles of range using the battery alone.
When traveling, a smartphone app such as Plug Share or the vehicle itself can be used to locate level three charging stations along the route. Using a level 3 charging station, it takes less than an hour to recharge a typical electric car about every 250 miles. While longer than filling a tank, most electric vehicle owners use that time to take a break or eat a meal. If traveling 750 miles often, an electric vehicle is not a good choice for you. Most owners charge at night at home so the owners start off every day with a “full tank”.
Have an automotive question? Get a straight answer by writing to Jim at jim@jameshalderman.com
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