Time to Electrify Your Wheels!

 · May 11, 2022

By Hilary Glann

When you walk or drive around Palo Alto, keep your eyes open for the increasing numbers of fully electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell cars. You can spot EVs such as the Volkswagen ID4, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona, Chevy Bolt, Polestar/Volvo 2E, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Audi e-tron, plus of course lots of Teslas. You will also notice plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles from Chevy, Toyota, Audi, and Honda.

2021 Toyota Prius Prime (plug-in hybrid) Charging in Palo Alto Neighborhood

Gas-powered automobiles are the largest source of carbon emissions in most of the United States. While new EVs currently cost more than gas-powered cars, their maintenance costs are, on average, 40% lower, because they have fewer moving parts to maintain. But today it’s not just the climate pressuring us to move away from gas-powered vehicles: Fossil fuel dependency has crippled our ability to blunt Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Fortunately, there’s never been a better time to buy an EV. There are more choices than ever, with all major manufacturers poised to introduce even more models in the next two years. Some EV purchasers may be eligible for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits. Both fully electric and plug-in hybrid-electric cars qualify for carpool stickers.

HOV sticker for carpool access — stickers issued in 2022 are yellow

Here’s what our neighbors say:

Rich and Linda E: “Our Volkswagen ID.4 is our second EV. When we bought our first EV in 2014, owning an EV was an adventure. Now there are multiple models available with enough range to make it actually more convenient than owning a gas-powered vehicle. Driving around the Bay Area, we never have to stop for fuel, and we just plug it in at home about once a week. For longer trips, fast charging at Electrify America charging stations is free for our first three years, thanks to Volkswagen. Using a fast charger can be a little daunting at first, but on our last trip to Sacramento we only needed 12 minutes of charging at a station right off the freeway in Stockton.”

Satish K: “I’m very happy with the 2018 Tesla Model 3 that I bought in 2021 with 27K miles on it. Concern for climate change and the fact that in Palo Alto electricity is primarily from renewable energy sources were my main motivators. After investing $650 in a home charger for the convenience of charging and alleviating range anxiety, my cost is around $0.03 per mile. With gas at $5.50 per gallon, a comparable gas-powered car costs about $0.185 per mile. Including the cost of the home charger, the average monthly cost to drive 300 miles is $27 ($9 for electricity and $18 for home charger), dropping to $9/month after depreciating the charger. A gasoline-based car costs $55/ month to drive 300 miles. In effect, an EV can be two to six times cheaper than a gasoline car while reducing your overall carbon footprint.”

To learn more about EVs, check out one of Acterra’s upcoming workshops. You can also listen to KQED Forum, watch a recording of a past event, or check out our other EV resources.

Hilary Glann is a retired technology marketing executive who focuses on climate change action and community building. Hilary is the co-chair of the Palo Alto League of Women Voters Natural Resources Committee and serves on the Steering Committee for the 350SV Palo Alto Climate Team.


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