How much do you save by driving an electric vehicle?

Aug 18

Written By Jonathan Milner

Data Scavenger Hunt

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above:

On average, how much does an electric truck driver in Washington State save per fill up?
On average, how much does an electric sedan driver in Nevada save per fill up?
Identify the region with the biggest savings for electric vehicle drivers.
What is the big story the data from the chart above tells?
Gas prices, taxes, and regulations vary by state. How does this impact the savings shown in the map and table above?
Big Brain Questions
Answer these questions by yourself using your brain and any links below:
Gas prices, taxes, and regulations vary by state. How does this relate to the concept of federalism?
Purchasing an electric vehicle (EV) can be more expensive than an equivalent gas burning vehicle, but the federal government and many states offer incentives to lower that price. On the other hand, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed Senate Bill 505 into law, which will establish a $400 fee to register an electric vehicle in Texas — in addition to a $200 annual fee. Make a claim about whether government should encourage EV sales.
Many EV are now priced the same as or less than gas vehicles. EVs are less expensive to maintain and operate. Gas vehicles also carry a heave environmental cost. Every gallon of gas adds about 20 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, equivalent to about 50 cents in climate damage per gallon, researchers estimate. Accounting for external factors such as congestion, accidents and air pollution, according to one 2007 estimate by Resources for the Future, the damage bill is closer to $3 per gallon. Using the data from the visual below*, describe the environmental impact of EVs.
Imagine that the initial cost of a gas vehicle and an electric vehicle were similar, and you had sufficient money to buy a car, explain whether you would purchase an electric vehicle.
In general, it can cost about half as much to drive an electric vehicle (EV) as an equivalent gasoline vehicle. Using national averages, EV drivers pay $1.22 to drive the same distance a conventional car could go on a gallon of gasoline. Petroleum prices are historically very volatile and change substantially over time. Over the past 10 years, average gasoline prices in most of the United States have fluctuated from below $1.50 to more than $5 a gallon. In contrast, electricity prices are much more stable, helping to keep your fuel costs predictable and easier to fit into your budget. Describe how driving an electric vehicle would impact budgeting?

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Contact your state legislature and advise them on their EV policy.

Get Creative

At some point gas powered vehicles will either become obsolete or illegal. Speculate about when the end of gas powered vehicles will happen and write a hypothetical newspaper article announcing the last gas powered car rolling off the assembly line.