Steps to Ease Shopping for a Plug-In Car

If you’ve been thinking about buying a plug-in car to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels, you aren’t alone. The past few years have seen an increasing number of consumers with interest in battery electric vehicles (“EVs”) and plug-in vehicles that don’t rely solely on gasoline. However, while conventional vehicles mostly focus on hardware, plug-ins employ software as well, making the shopping experience quite different.

If you’ve never driven such a vehicle, you’ll want to identify some key differences between EVs and more conventional autos. Apart from the different terminology used with plug-in cars, there are some considerations you wouldn’t have to make for a conventional vehicle. To ensure your shopping experience is as stress-free and productive as possible, consider the following advice:

Research different models of plug-in EVs. If you aren’t sure which plug-in car to buy, you can check manufacturer websites or Edmunds, an online resource for automotive information, for reviews of popular plug-in EVs. The Federal Energy Department also has an interactive Advanced Cars and Fuels tool that lets you do side-by-side comparisons of various plug-in electric cars.

Read up on range. A plug-in EV’s range refers to how far it can drive on a single charge. Although the Federal Environment Protection Agency provides range estimates for pure electric and plug-in EVs, the estimated range can be significantly reduced by high-speed driving, extreme cold and heat. You will have to consider how and where you will drive the vehicle to get a good idea of what the real-world range will be for you. Most plug-in EVs have an electric range of 10–40 miles on a single charge before the internal combustion engine or generator kicks in.

Find economic incentives. To increase the adoption of EVs and plug-in hybrids, government authorities offer incentives to make them more affordable. Check out the Department of Energy’s fueleconomy.gov, which has an up-to-date list of which plug-in EVs qualify for credits. Additionally, plenty of state and local incentives exist, include reduced electricity rates, free parking, carpool lane use, assistance buying home chargers, cash rebates and tax credits.

However, these incentives aren’t offered by every state, and they change frequently. You can use resources such as Plug In America’s interactive state and federal incentives maps to check whether your state offers such incentives. You can also call your local city government to see if you are eligible for local benefits that aren’t on the National Council or Plug In America lists.

Know your charging options. Will you install a home charger or will you charge at the office? Are there public chargers close to where you live or work? The dealership will most likely recommend a charging station, but you can also shop around and compare prices with the stations the dealership suggests. For reliable information on home chargers, check out GoElectricDrive.org, a site that is maintained by the Electric Drive Transportation Association.

The EV industry is in the intersection between technology and hardware, and one firm you should watch in this regard is Net Element (NASDAQ: NETE). While the company’s focus has been on providing global financial solutions, Net Element recently announced that it was merging with Mullen Technologies Inc., a California-based EV manufacturer.

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