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SHOULD YOU GO ELECTRIC?

Updated: Jun 12

Bob lists the reason he has not purchased and EV yet and talks about the current $1117.00 credit being offered for wiring your charger.

EV Chargers and Considerations for Electric Vehicles

Hi, I'm Bob with NC Express. I wanted to talk to you a little bit about EV chargers. We wire a tremendous amount of EV chargers. They're getting more and more popular right now, and more and more people are buying the vehicles. So I want to talk to you about two things:


1. Duke Energy Credit for EV Charger Installation

Duke in North Carolina here (and probably everywhere) is offering a credit, not a rebate, it’s a credit that you can use toward wiring your EV charger. It’s most likely backed by the government.


You can receive up to $1,117 per car. This does not apply to the electrical permit (which is required), and it does not apply to the charger itself. It does apply to:

  • Wiring

  • Breaker

  • Labor

  • And related installation costs


That’s a lot of money, and it will cover just about every single install that we do. If you want to take advantage of that, you can reach out to Duke or you can reach out to us, and we can tell you how. If you’ve already had the EV charger put in and haven’t applied for that, I believe they’ll go back four months. You could try longer, but I believe four months is the limit, and you can still receive that credit. Awesome!


I'm also working on having us become a contractor for Duke to install these.If we do that:

  • We get the credit.

  • They pay us.

  • You pay nothing out of pocket for wiring your charger.


That’s pretty fantastic. We’re working on that so you don’t have to wait 45 to 60 days for your credit, we’ll wait that long for our money.


2. Why I’m Not Getting an EV Right Now

I wanted to give you a few things to think about if you’ve not purchased one yet. Some of the reasons why I'm not may apply to you.


Driving Habits

  • I don’t use my car much locally at all.

  • My car is mainly driven for long-distance travel.

  • I might hop in it once or twice a week, if I’m lucky, to go 10 miles.

  • When I do travel, my wife and I use my vehicle for trips: mountains, Cherokee, up North, down South.


Range Anxiety and Mountain Travel

  • Going up a mountain uses a tremendous amount of battery.

  • The mileage you see advertised is most likely on flat surface, windows up, no AC or heat.

  • Add real-world factors like mountains, climate, weight, and that range decreases drastically.

  • EVs are heavy. Climbing a mountain drains the battery. You do regain a little bit going downhill, but not nearly as much as you used going up.


Getting Stuck

My biggest fear is getting stuck. A few years ago, I was traveling out West. A tanker truck crashed, and we were stuck for over three hours. Couldn't move. Remember: Heat and AC use battery.


In another situation a few years ago up North, people were stuck for 8, 10, 12 hours or longer in a snowstorm. Imagine that in an EV with 25% battery, thinking you’ll recharge just five miles down the road, and you get stuck.

You either:

  • Turn it off and freeze to save battery

  • Or leave it on and hope there’s enough juice to reach the next station


Nobody’s bringing you a 5-gallon bucket of electricity. There are portable chargers being developed, but they’re not widespread, and if you're stuck in traffic, you're not getting in or out.


Cold Weather Impact

In winter:

  • Batteries are less efficient

  • They don’t charge as efficiently

  • They don’t last as long


You need heat. My wife needs her air. At our age, for health reasons, we must have that. And again, AC uses electricity.


Charging Infrastructure Concerns

There are not enough chargers for my taste. I’m used to gas, pull in, 10 minutes, I’m out, full tank.

I just spoke to someone the other day with an electric BMW. The map on his dashboard guided him to a charging point. He pulled in and:

  • Not many chargers

  • All were full

  • Lines of cars waiting


They’re pumping out electric vehicles faster than they’re installing chargers.


Charging takes time.

  • One vehicle charging = 20 minutes minimum

  • 2 cars ahead of you = 20 min each

  • Your turn = another 20 minutes

That’s 80 minutes. That doesn’t sit well with me.


Tesla Compatibility

I read that Tesla may open up their charging stations to everyone. Their charging plug is becoming a standard in a few states already. That’ll probably annoy Tesla users who liked exclusive use, but it’ll:

  • Put more money in Elon Musk’s pocket

  • Expand charging options for all of us


Toyota’s New Battery

Just yesterday, Toyota released a statement. They’ve got a car coming out with a solid-state battery, they claim 700+ miles to a charge. That would be awesome. I’d jump all over that. But it’s a couple of years away


So, in the meantime, you may want to consider leasing an EV instead of buying. Why?

  • EVs are changing rapidly

  • Technology is improving fast

  • In three years, your EV could be outdated


With a lease, you can upgrade to the newest model every few years.


Wireless Charging is Coming

Tesla (and possibly others) is looking at a wireless charger for your car. It’s just like a wireless plate for your phone:

  • Pull into your garage

  • Lay it down

  • Automatically charges


That’s coming.


Final Thoughts

It’s an exciting time for EVs.

Cost is going to fluctuate. States and the government will eventually have to recoup lost gas tax revenue. That may come through:

  • Registration fees

  • Electricity taxes


They’ll get it back one way or another. But for now, take advantage of what’s available. Any questions? Give us a call at 919-859-9588.


Subscribe, we’ve got a bunch more tips on here.Hope to see you. Give us a call if you want that charger wired. We’ll give you a free estimate.

 
 
 

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