Are you, or someone you know, thinking about getting an electric vehicle and wanting to know the big things you should be thinking about? Here is a logic flow chart of some of the biggest and most important factors to consider and it ends with our recommendations of what to do.

Everyone enjoy this, don’t forget about the notes written below, and let us know what is decided and why! For you experienced EV owners, what changes would you recommend to this or how did you make your choice? Also, email us if you want a copy of this in PDF form.

Notes:
Note 1- Get Vehicle?- Should I get any vehicle right now?
If you don't have a vehicle already, getting an electric vehicle (EV) will likely be more beneficial than a commuter Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle, particularly if buying new. But, if you already have a vehicle that does the job fine, then there is likely not a cost saving reason to change from that to an EV. Consider being patient and continue to drive the current vehicle until you do have a good reason to change when it's just plain wore out. If you are thinking fuel price savings or something else would justify a change, that probably isn't the case if you calculate the whole situation properly. However, if you acknowledge your reason is based on wants more than needs, you want to give the EV life a try, you don't mind the financial loss making the change, you value the non-monetary pros of an EV and don't try to justify it with faulty math, then proceed. Just don't deceive yourself and end up regretting the decision. You can always get a different vehicle later. EVs are getting better all the time as well so waiting even another few months will give your different options.

Note 2- Only Vehicle?- Will an EV be my only vehicle?
EVs are great but they have pros and cons. If you only have one vehicle, then you may find times that an EV is not ideal. For example, if you must use it for towing long distances, driving long distances regularly will take a little longer, visiting places with minimal or no charging infrastructure such as camping, or using it for off-roading or rugged uses. There is also an individual learning curve and an on-going societal transition to them and their infrastructure so sticking with what you know or doing a hybrid or plug-in hybrid may create less problems for you. EVs are still costly and time consuming to get repaired so having one in a shop for weeks or months could be a huge problem if it is your only vehicle.

Note 3- Use Case?- Will my use of an EV work with its inherent pros and cons?
EVs, like all vehicles, are good at some things and bad at others. They are good at commuting passengers around town, being 'fuel efficient' for stop-and-go traffic and in-town commuting, having great tech and features largely unavailable in ICE vehicles, lifestyle benefits (charging at home, app based controls from your phone, cabin preconditioning, dog mode, etc). But they are bad at other things like towing long distances, towing heavy loads (no 3/4 or 1 ton equivalent trucks currently available), slower to charge than to refuel ICE vehicles, less public charging locations available than gas stations, road trips take a little more time but also require stops at locations with less amenities. It is generally agreed that daily driving people around town is excellent in EVs but regular road tripping (250+ miles one-way, more than 2-3 times per year), towing/hauling, rugged work, and remote locations are bad uses for EVs currently. Also, commuting over 175 miles per day, 5 days per week, is not a good use case for most EVs due to charging/battery constraints and likely degradation associated.

Note 4- Affordability- Can I afford the total cost of an EV?
Don't fool yourself to believe that all EVs are cheaper to own than ICE vehicles. Some are and some aren't. An EV will have its upfront purchase price but also a few other costs like sales tax, registration, adding a charging plug to your home, and buying a level 2 charger. Tax credits (federal and some states) significantly lower purchase prices of both new and used EVs currently. On-going affordability considerations include things like higher insurance costs for some drivers, locations, and EV models, lower cost of fuel when charging at home typically but the same or higher price of 'fuel' when road tripping due to Level 3 charger prices. Vehicle specific affordability concerns can include depreciation for all cars but luxury EVs have had particularly poor depreciation rates in 2024. Be cautious of getting an EV that costs more than $47,000 out-the-door or from smaller EV companies that may not remain in business such as Fisker. Also, be aware the EVs are showing to require less routine maintenance than ICE vehicles, but repairs due to traffic accidents or driver inflicted damage is significantly more expensive and time consuming to get fixed. Some manufacturers offer great incentives for purchase or lease but it changes all the time.

In general, basic EV commuter/passenger cars are more affordable than their ICE counterparts if you qualify for tax credits and use them for cars up to $55k MSRP. The price after tax credits can be $7,500-$13,000 less than MSRP. Nissan Leaf is a basic car but one of the cheapest EVs and is affordable transportation but has significant limitations such as being regarded as an "in-town only EV, terrible for road trips". Tesla Model 3 and Y are a little higher priced but are nicely appointed making them very affordable considering what you get and over the total lifetime cost of ownership is projected to be a great value. Kia and Hyundai models are also showing good value propositions currently but there are plenty other good options to consider and it changes all the time. Luxury EVs (anything $70,000 and up) are not affordable in any circumstance and excessive depreciation can be punishing with them that doesn't apply to the lower priced EVs. EV pickup trucks and large SUVs need to be priced the same as comparable class ICE vehicles to be considered affordable.

Note 5- Home Charging- Can I charge at home?
It is not recommended to own an EV if you can't charge it at home each night. This is due to the added time, cost and frustration of charging solely at public chargers. While it can be done, in particular for a temporary time period, most people do not find it to be worthwhile if there isn't a remedy in the near future. Also, it is best for the charger plug to be within 10' of the cars normal parking spot and be a dedicated for this purpose instead of shared with something else regularly. Safety is questionable at best to run long extension cords for a high-power device such as a vehicle.

Note 6- Miles per Day- How many miles will the car be driven on an average day?
Most energy used in an EV is to propel the vehicle forward, so, the further distance the car goes each day, the more it will need charged to be ready for the next day and the more range is required to complete a day. Related to miles per day is the average speed traveled. Speeds above 55 mph will use noticeably more energy reducing range and requiring additional charging at night. EVs are more efficient for city driving (25-45 mph) and stop-and-go traffic than they are cruising at highway and interstate speeds (55 mph and greater) due to the non-linear effect of wind resistance.

Note 7- Level 1 and Level 2 Charging
A Level 2 charger requires 40-60 amp, 240v AC power, such as a Nema 14-50 (this is equivalent to an electric cooking oven plug) and can charge most EVs 160-300 miles of range overnight. A Level 1 charger requires 15-20 amp, 120v AC power, such as Nema 5-15 (this is a standard outlet in houses in the US) and can charge 30-40 miles of range overnight. Level 2 charging circuitry generally needs to be added to a home by an electrician for added cost, $250 and up to sometimes several thousand dollars. Level 1 plugs are in most garages and home exterior plugs already and won't require additional cost to add.

Note 8- Do it Anyways?
Am I willing to endure the inconveniences or other downsides to driving an EV because I want one even if it isn't an ideal scenario? Some cons or downsides of EV ownership can be dealt with in ways that still make it worthwhile. For example, if you only need to tow a trailer a few times a year and have acces to another truck to do it with, then the problem is solved. Or if it is your only vehicle and you only do 250+ mile road trips with it 2 times a year and are willing to take extra time getting to the destination on those few occasions. A few reasons to strongly recommend not getting an EV are if you can't charge adequately at home 98% of the time, if you will regularly exceed the vehicle range or battery limitations causing premature battery degradation/failure or if your use case is not aligned with EV realities or if you are stretching your budget or lifestyle in an unwise way.

Note 9- Get an EV
The next step after concluding that an EV might make sense for your next purchase is to educate yourself. Dig into more details and specifics about everything EV related- charging, brands, models, repairs, cost, best practices. Think of this phase as big picture research. Some of what you know about cars still applies to EVs but some things you know about ICE vehicles do not apply and have to be relearned. Learn what the truth is about EVs, specifically for the ones you think you might want. There is a lot of information out there that was never true or that was true years ago but isn't true any longer. Talk to and listen to people who don't have an agenda, since they don't make money whether you do or don't buy an EV or work for someone who does, and people that have real world experience with EVs. If a person hasn't owned one, take their input with a grain of salt. Also, be leery of information told to you by sales people- sometimes it's negligence and sometimes its malice.

You will need to determine the options and cost of adding your home charging system, probably contacting a local electrician. Develop a list of the criteria you think is important for your next vehicle and then determine what vehicles in the market match the list. Find reviews on all the cars on the list and seek out reviews from people who have similar use-cases, criteria, and lifestyles to you. They will often outright tell you the important things. Narrow down your list of potential EV makes and models, then go test drive each of them. Feel free to talk to EV owners you see in public, most are happy to share information and are excited to tell you about their cars. Most will allow you to look inside and some are even willing to take you for a ride. Go to a local public charger to find these people. You will want to learn the differences between how you charge and use an EV daily versus what you do on a road trip. It's very different and not intuitive. Road tripping used to be a significant burden but now is simply not a big deal for most people. Dont overestimate the significance of road tripping. Most EVs are used 98% commuting around town and charged at home nightly, where they are awesome and much preferred to ICE vehicles. The majority of EV owners like their cars and wouldn't switch to something else. The few that regret their decision either bought a bad EV, bought too early in the technology development or bought it for the wrong use case. All of these scenarios can be avoided with the knowledge out in the world now.