Must-Ask Eco Questions: Buying an Electric Vehicle

One of ECOtality's super-fast public EV charging stations. Photo: ECOtality

5. Are there public charging stations in my area?

You may plan to do the bulk of your charging at home, but – especially if you’re considering an all-electric car – you’ll want to locate nearby public charging stations that can extend your battery range when you’re on longer trips.

Finding charging stations can be as simple as a quick Google Maps search. You can also download the PlugShare smartphone app that not only lists public charging stations, but gives you access to private home chargers that owners are willing to share with other EV enthusiasts.

To find out plans for future EV charging infrastructure in your area, contact your local transportation or environmental agency, and you may find several charging stations coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

Will you be driving your EV to work? If so, ask your employer if they have an EV charging station for employees or are planning on getting one installed.

Get Connected: EV Charging – There’s An App for That

6. What is the lifetime of the EV battery?

The lifetime of the car’s battery varies from automaker to automaker, but all EVs should have some kind of warranty backing up their batteries over a number of years and miles. For example, you will receive a new battery at no extra cost if your Chevy Volt’s lithium-ion battery dies before its 100,000 mile/eight-year warranty expires.

But what happens to EV batteries when they reach the end of their useful lives?

EV batteries can be recycled for their precious metals, just like the lithium-ion batteries in cell phones are. But automakers and scientists are also researching ways to reuse lithium-ion batteries before they’re recycled, such as using the batteries to store energy generated by wind and solar and then feeding that renewable energy into the electrical grid.

Cool Eco-Innovation: DOE Lab Studies Uses for Expired Electric Vehicle Batteries