Happy National Drive Electric Week!

National Drive Electric week is a celebration to raise awareness of the wonderful benefits of electric vehicles. They can help you save money, reduce your impact on the environment and dependence on foreign oil! This year, the 10th Annual National Drive Electric Week, is Sep 26-Oct 4, 2020. Want to learn more about electric vehicles and how they work? Read below and check out our Electric Vehicle website page.

What are the different types of Electric Vehicles?

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs):

• Only has an electric motor. Runs on 100% electricity, no gasoline.
• Range of 80-100+ miles. Luxury BEVs have a larger range.
• Full recharging time: 30 minutes – 1 day depending on the type of battery and charger

Level 1 Charging:

Level 1 charging uses a standard household outlet (120v). It takes 1 hour to charge an electric vehicle (EV) for about 2-5 miles and can charge most EV’s.

Level 2 Charging:

Level 2 charging stations are located at public places, workplaces, and can be installed in your home. They provide power at 240v and take 1 hour to charge an EV for about 10-20 miles.

Level 3/ DC Charging:

Level 3/ DC stations are located at specialized charging stations and take 30 minutes to charge an EV for about 90 miles.

Examples of BEVs:

Tesla X, Toyota Rav4, Nissan LEAF, Ford Focus Electric, Chevy Bolt

Plug in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and Extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs):

• Has an electric motor and an internal combustion engine.

  

• Electric only for the first 10-40 miles. Gas powered when the battery is out of charge.
• Can use Level 1 or 2 charging stations. Level 1 stations can recharge PHEVs in 3 hours and Level 2 stations can recharge them in 1.5 hours.

Examples of PHEVs and EREVs:

Chevy Volt, Kia Optima, Toyota Prius, Ford C-MAX, BMW i8

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs):

• Has an electric motor and an internal combustion engine.
• You do not manually charge the battery in an HEV. It is charged through regenerative breaking and by the internal combustion engine.
• Regenerative breaking is a process where the battery captures energy created by breaking, energy that is usually converted into heat and wasted.

Examples of HEVs:

Honda Insight, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq

Use this website to see how much money you can save by using an EV compared to the car you have now.

Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs):

• 100% electric
• Must go between 20-25 mph. Can only be driven on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less.

Examples of NEVs:

GEM e2, Renault TWIZY, ELI Zero

Electric Bikes:

• 100% electric

  

• Battery powered bike. With the push of a button/lever, they can go on their own or can assist while pedaling.

Interview with a 2019 Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) owner:

What is your favorite part about your HEV?

“It costs me half as much to fill up the tank and lasts twice as long!”

How many miles per gallon do you get?

“Around town, I get close to 60 mpg.”

How much does it cost to fill up a tank?

“Around $16 in my town.”

What do you think people should know about electric vehicles?

“One of the things that surprised me about my hybrid is that it’s just like driving a regular car. I expected some differences but there is not much other than I get awesome gas mileage now! Since this is a hybrid and not a fully electric vehicle, I do not have to worry about plugging it in or parking by charging stations. Also, it is very smooth when it switches between battery and gas. You don’t notice it.”

Would you recommend HEVs to your friends?

“Definitely!”

Learn more about electric vehicles and Sarasota County’s ChargeUP! Rebate program for electric vehicle charging stations here.

An Equal Opportunity Institution. UF/IFAS Extension, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension. Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities. View the complete policy at www.scgov.net/ADA.