Is it practical to own an electric vehicle in New York City?
NEW YORK - Electric vehicle (EV) sales hit a new record this year and high gas prices might be driving the demand.
Before you go to a dealer, one of the questions on your mind may be how are you going to charge it if you don’t own a home. Is it possible to own an EV living in New York City?
According to John Markowitz, Senior Director of E-mobility at the New York Power Authority and an expert on electric vehicles, it can be challenging.
You have to find places to charge your car, but it’s not impossible. It gets easier every year because there are more charging stations being installed.
There are also phone apps such as Plug Share and Chargeaway that show where to find charging stations.
Markowitz says there are three different types of chargers for EVs. Level 3, or DC chargers, are the fastest and can charge a car in under an hour. Some newer cars can charge in as little as 20 minutes from empty to full.
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Electric vehicles can come with range anxiety. What’s range anxiety? If you are planning a trip to Atlantic City you might worry if the car will make it on the charge you have.
Markowitz says that range anxiety diminishes every month you own the car.
Once you’re used to driving the car, you’re used to seeing the gauge count down the miles.
So you just plan ahead. Find a place where you can charge your car and have lunch or run an errand.
He also warns that older apartment buildings and homes that may not have the electrical capacity to add chargers are trying to solve this problem.
With temperature changes do you need to worry about the battery charge?
New York City Mayor Eric Adams says the city is working to make it easier to plug-in cars.
According to Will Carry, Assistant Commissioner for Policy at NYC Department of Transportation, the city is rolling out curbside stations with a thousand planned by 2025 and 10,000 by 2030.
The city is also working with other partners like Con Ed to install curbside chargers.
As far as how much charging your EV will cost - Level 3 or DC chargers are the most expensive. If you drove 200 miles a week and were fully charged at a Level 3 station, you would pay an estimated $19.60.
A lower-speed charger would cost around $7.38. That figure is based on the majority of electric vehicles in today’s market and the average cost of electricity today.
It is recommended to use the fast chargers for road trips or emergencies.