Monday, February 23, 2009

Eschew Obfuscation : Real Electric Vehicle Costs

Eschew Obfuscation : Real Electric Vehicle Costs: "Interested in what it really costs to operate an electric vehicle? Here is what one RAV4-EV owner estimated his costs to be, including replacing the battery pack:

First 115,000 miles:

* $30,000: Original price minus $20,000 rebate
* $5,000: Charger, solar panels, some grid power
* $4,000: Tires, brake pads, minor dent removals, AAA, rear glass, seat covers, registration
* $6,000: Insurance
* $45,000: Total, or $0.39 per mile

Next 120,000 miles:

* $15,000 battery pack replacement
* $3,000 electricity
* $5,500 tires, registration and others
* $4,000 insurance
* $27,500 total, or $0.23 per mile

The takeaway from this is not just that the total per mile cost of an electric vehicle will be lower than a regular car, but also that replacing the battery pack can be done economically.

Source: RAV4-EV Archives (registration required)"

No comments: