2021’s Best Cities to Own an Electric Car

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

Cross-country travel is already possible. Models like the Tesla Model 3 (350 miles) and Porsche Taycan (290 miles) offer ranges comparable to many gasoline cars.

About four years ago I asked students in my class to work out the minimum time needed for an electric Cannonball Run — an unsanctioned race from New York to LA. Even then, they worked out that it only takes about 45 hours. 

What’s cool to see is that this theoretical “minimum” time has now been beaten in an actual run in a Taycan — likely made possible by the Taycan’s astounding 270 kW maximum charging rate.

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center has a searchable database of incentives and laws related to all sorts of alternative fuels and vehicles, including EVs. You can enter a state, the technology you’re interested in, and the type of policy, and search. Many incentives are likely to go away in the future, but it is hard to say exactly when.

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle?

A research article we published a few years ago (see the graphics) shows that when people consider an EV, but ultimately choose another vehicle, their reasons are basically the same as when people consider-then-reject a gasoline vehicle: price, value, dealer attitude, styling, and “other.”

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all?

Notwithstanding the reckless disregard for public safety (evidenced by Cannonball Runs), there is probably not much effect.

One concern used to be that EVs are very quiet, and visually impaired pedestrians would be unable to hear them. EVs in the U.S. are now required to emit warning sounds at low speeds, to mitigate this risk.

As the EV market grows, it is increasingly important for first responders, especially firefighters, to be trained in how to safely disconnect vehicles’ high-voltage electrical systems and deal with electric fires involving damaged batteries — which are different than fires involving gasoline.

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

In some places, they already are. I am currently working in Norway on a sabbatical, where EVs account for more than half of new cars sold. That is a result of a well-developed infrastructure and a set of coordinated policies that make EVs attractive to consumers here.

How quickly EVs can assume a mainstream position in the U.S. market depends on state and federal policy choices, the availability of charging infrastructure, gasoline prices, and whether and how quickly battery prices continue to fall (they declined by about 80% between 2013 and 2020).

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

It is certainly possible. It’s all about charging stations or battery use models, so it will require significant investment in infrastructure. It looks like the Biden administration is inclined to invest in this.

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate?

At the moment, cost comparison between gas-powered vs. electric cars over the life of the car is very complicated, but I think the price for electric cars will continue to decrease as the volume of production increases.

Federal or state incentives on tax will be there for some models, but with price decrease, such incentives will disappear too.

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle?

Environmental concerns. Probably more fashionable.

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all?

Not much. These cars are still human-driven vehicles, so the limitations with human drivers will be similar.

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

Probably in 10-20 years.

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

Buyers need to look beyond the initial sticker price and make their purchasing decision based on the lifecycle costs of an electric vehicle (which are much lower than internal combustion engine engines) and the available charging network in their area.

There’s also the question of what the vehicle will be used for. With around three-quarters of all urban trips being less than 10 miles, electric vehicles (EVs) present an attractive way to travel around town. Cross-country trips are possible, but they will take some careful planning.

Over the next 5-10 years, I expect the charging networks managed by Tesla, Electrify America, ChargePoint, etc., to continue to expand, reducing the anxiety and challenges facing long-distance EV travelers.

During this same time frame, we will see the full range of EVs enter the market from both new entrants (e.g., Eli, Lucid Motors, Fisker, Rivan, Bollinger, Lordstown,  etc.) and the more established automakers such as GM, Ford, and VW.

Tesla will continue to dominate the EV market, but its market share will certainly decline as competition increases from basically all auto manufacturers who are playing catch-up.

With the new Biden administration, I would expect significant investments will be made in expanding the U.S. EV charging infrastructure. We may also see the 200,000 EV cap on the $7,500 tax credit being relaxed to something like 600,000, which would make Tesla and GM vehicles more cost-competitive.

If these public investments happen, the future for EVs looks very promising.

As more people purchase an electric vehicle and share their experiences with friends and family, we may experience a tipping point within the next decade, when purchasing an EV becomes as common as purchasing a smartphone.

What I’m most interested in seeing though are new EV-based mobility services, in which I no longer need to buy a vehicle, but can hire or lease an EV when needed. I would also like to see battery recycling systems established for all EVs.

I expect the manufacturers building environmentally sustainable EV platforms are likely to gain significant market share as consumers continue to demand products that minimize their impacts on the environment.

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

It’s possible now if you own a Tesla. Tesla invested early in a network of charging stations. Other brands are a bit behind, but are making efforts to catch up.

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate?

Incentives vary quite a bit by state and over time. The Alternative Fuels Data Center database is the go-to source for up-to-date info. I looked at these incentives in detail about five years ago and there were some interesting ones in various places, such as car pool passes, parking benefits, and slightly discounted electricity.

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle?

Do they have a place to plug in the car? This would be a concern for apartment dwellers. Also, electric cars are fun to drive. They get 100 percent torque at 0 RPM.  And most have blistering acceleration.

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all?

Not much, but it will be interesting to see if the blistering acceleration leads to more accidents.

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

They are pretty much mainstream now I would say. The Tesla Model 3 is creeping up in the list of top sellers for vehicles of any type, not just electric.

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not? 

Electric vehicles (EVs) in the current market have varying driving ranges. It can be as low as 120 miles or as high as 350 miles, and anything in between. So, long-distance EV driving is still dependent on the availability of widespread charging infrastructure across the U.S. 

According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, (AFDC), the infrastructure for charging EVs has increased and it now has a better spread across the U.S. in different states. However, there are still some places where charging infrastructure is scarce. 

For example, parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming still has large gaps between consecutive charging stations. 

However, based on the growth of EV charging infrastructure in recent years, these gaps should be overcome soon, and EVs will become a feasible mode of travel across the country, especially with the high driving range EVs such as the Tesla Models. 

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate? 

There are currently many incentives on offer for EV users. 

At first, EVs save on fuel cost. On average, the fuel cost of EVs in the U.S. is around $485 per year, compared to $1,117 per year for gasoline vehicles. 

Moreover, many incentives are offered by the government to EV users. Federal income tax credits are available to anyone who purchases an EV. 

Moreover, there are many EV incentives at state level, including rebate programs, grants, vouchers, etc. California alone is currently offering 150 different incentives to the EV users. 

As the prices of EVs are still significantly higher than gasoline-powered vehicles, I feel that these incentives will not go away anytime soon. EVs still constitute only a small market share of the vehicles, and these incentives are necessary to attract more users. 

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle? 

Besides the above mentioned factors such as range and cost, the following three factors should be considered for anyone thinking of buying an EV. 

1. Location and usage: The most important consideration for anyone thinking of buying an EV is the location and usage. The availability of charging stations is dependent on the location.Moreover, the location determines the types of incentives that the user can access. For example, California is typically a very favorable location for EVs due to the high number of incentives and mass availability of charging stations.
2. Fuel economy: Not all EVs have the same fuel economy, so it is another important factor. The units used to measure fuel economy of EVs are miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) or kilowatt-hour per 100 miles (KWh/100mile). The Alternative Fuels Data Center website regularly posts and updates the MPGe and KWh/100 mile values of different EV models. 
3. Battery life: The battery is one of the most important aspects of the EV. The battery will need to be changed sometime during the lifespan of an EV, so a person should do some research about the batteries and how to increase battery life through proper usage and maintenance. 

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all? 

In terms of traffic operations, EVs are treated in the same way as a gasoline-powered vehicle. 

In terms of safety, EVs go through the same safety checks as conventional vehicles, such as federal motor vehicle safety standards and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards. 

Some additional vehicle safety measures have been identified related to EVs. 

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

Data from recent years have shown that the growth in EV market share has been exponential. EVs’ market share globally continues to increase each year. Charging infrastructure deployment has also made progress in the U.S. 

Although I do not see EVs having a market share comparable to gasoline-powered vehicles in the short-term future, I see EVs becoming mainstream and more prominent in the market share in the long-term future, sometime within the next 10 to 15 years. 

Chowdhury is also Professor, Automotive Engineering; Professor, Civil Engineering; Professor, Computer Science Director, USDOT Center for Connected Multimodal Mobility; Director, USDOT Beyond Traffic Innovation Center; Co-Director, Complex Systems

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

Battery technology is improving at a very rapid pace. It is common now for electric car range to span at least 250 to 300 miles or more. I anticipate that this range will continue to improve and that charging times will continue to shorten.

When purchasing an electric vehicle, the consumer should assess how they plan to use it. If one makes a long, cross-country trip only once or twice a year, then they might consider renting an internal combustion vehicle for those rare trips. Battery range on today’s electric cars is more than enough for the majority of daily trips.

Cross-country electric vehicle travel has been possible for many years if one owns a Tesla. It is also possible with other makes of vehicles as the “Electrify America” charging infrastructure continues to add new charging stations. 

Many states and municipalities have also installed charging stations. Navigation systems can calculate range and location of charging facilities to ease a driver’s range anxiety.

I anticipate electric vehicles growing in popularity at an increasing rate, so the pace of charging station growth must increase. This will no doubt face some challenges if governments and other entities don’t get moving to help finance the growth of charging stations.

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate?

I can’t speak factually about just what incentives currently exist around the country or how long they will last. I know there are federal tax incentives, and I hope the current administration will continue or increase these incentives. There are also sales tax or licensing and registration cost breaks in certain states. Consumers will need to check into these locally.

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle?

Consider the lower overall cost of owning an electric vehicle. The up-front purchase costs are more (for now) but the lower cost of fuel (electricity) and lower maintenance costs should help even out or perhaps be lower than the cost of owning an internal combustion engine vehicle.

Also, consider the fact that owning and driving an electric car will lower your overall carbon footprint over time — even if the electrical generation in your community is powered by coal or other fossil fuels. 

The grid is getting cleaner all the time and will continue to do so. It’s a lot easier to control emissions from hundreds of electrical power plants than it is from millions of internal combustion engine vehicles.

If you live in a house, you may have costs associated with installing a charging station. Electric cars will charge on standard home electrical voltages but it will take longer. Many folks install chargers that can shorten charging time. 

If you live in an apartment, electric cars may not be for you until the overall charging infrastructure improves. Consider a hybrid, or plug-in hybrid if you can run an extension cord.

Think about how you use your car on a day-to-day basis. If electric car range meets or exceeds your mileage requirements most of the time (and I bet it will), you could become a very happy electric car owner.

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all?

Electric cars are safe. Yes, we do hear of the occasional electrical fire, but frankly, we have a much more dangerous fire potential in a car powered by gasoline than we do with an electric car. 

I can’t think of any reason electric cars would affect traffic and safety laws any differently than internal combustion engine vehicles. Perhaps we will all breathe cleaner air as more electric cars hit the road.

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

I think General Motors has already answered this question when they announced that by 2035 they will no longer produce vehicles with internal combustion engines. Ford, Volkswagen, Toyota, and just about all of the major automotive manufacturers are working to improve range, increase battery production, reduce costs, and build or convert factories to produce electric vehicles in the near future.

And they will do this even if the United States does not encourage the switch to electric mobility because our automotive companies build cars for the global market. 

China and the European Union are already ahead of us in terms of electric car sales. China is the world’s No. 1 automotive market, and we can’t ignore the opportunities for sales growth in China or other countries as the world moves to address climate change and work toward a greener transportation system.

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

Driving range and “range anxiety” are significant issues with EVs and the perception of EV operation. I would refer you to a recent YouTube Engineering Explained video addressing a roughly 1900-mile road trip in a Tesla Model 3. It’s quite an eye-opener with regard to the frequency and time involved in the recharging process. 

In my opinion, EVs are much better suited for local commuting as opposed to long-distance trips.

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate?

EV tax incentives have been fading for the last few years, and I think they should. Even the least expensive EVs are still too pricey for most of us and all of us wind up paying for these incentives in the form of higher taxes. 

Also, the least expensive EVs typically also have the least range, which limits vehicle use to principally a commuter vehicle that does not have a lot of cargo space.

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle?

I would say the three biggest factors besides initial cost and range issues would be cost of ownership, cargo/passenger space, and HVAC system effectiveness. 

Location has a lot to do with the cost of electricity and reduced range when battery energy must be used to heat or cool the vehicle cabin.

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all?

I don’t foresee major impacts on traffic or vehicle safety laws. However, EVs are notoriously quiet in operation, which could present some risk to pedestrians. There are some sound generation technologies that can address this, especially when the vehicle is in reverse.

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

Your last question is complicated, for a number of reasons.

First of all, I believe there should be a progression in the industry from conventional ICE to hybrid-electric and then to BEVs. 

It seems that some manufacturers want to skip the second step and go directly to EVs, which I think is a bad move. 

General Motors had a wonderful near-BEV platform with the Chevy Volt. Everyone I know that owned one loved this car and had very few problems with it. And it had something that virtually no current BEVs have — an ICE range extender! 

Yet GM stopped production of the Volt almost two years ago in favor of producing the Chevy Bolt. I would buy a used Volt in a heartbeat, but I wouldn’t touch the Bolt with a 10-foot fiberglass pole. 

Our current electrical infrastructure cannot support a mass shift to EVs all at one time and probably not for the foreseeable future. A more gradual approach of increasing hybrid-electric vehicle sales and BEVs with compact, high-efficiency range extenders would, in my opinion, go a long way in gaining consumer acceptance of increasing vehicle electrification.

One of the biggest concerns with electric cars today is their limited driving range. Will cross-country driving in an electric vehicle be possible in the near future? Why or why not?

Cross Country Driving in the U.S. is much different than in other countries where a journey of 300 kilometers is a significant undertaking. 

China is another large geographic country that may provide some insights into possible options for long-distance driving.  One company there changes out the car batteries so the car owner does not have to wait while the car battery is charged.  Total time at the station is about the same as filling up with gasoline. Hybrids provide an option for long-distance driving.

For many consumers, price is a major hurdle. What lesser-known incentives, if any, are available to consumers to help offset costs? How much longer will those perks be around as electric cars proliferate?

The federal tax rebates, and if applicable state rebates, are helpful in offsetting the higher cost.  All-electric vehicles will require less engine maintenance.  If an owner has access to off-peak electrical service, the cost of fuel will be less over the life of the vehicle.  If driving locally, you won’t have to waste time filling up with gas, if you can charge at home.

Besides the above factors, what are the three biggest considerations for anyone considering buying an electric vehicle?

• You are benefiting the environment by reducing air and water pollutants.   The planet benefits from reduced or zero air emissions and no engine oil going into the water from cars leaking in parking lots and streets.
• Driver benefit from a willingness to adapt to and use technology
• Realize that understanding that self-maintenance on the vehicle will be difficult if not impossible for the average citizen

How will electric cars affect traffic and safety laws, if at all?

As an owner of a PHEV, I follow the same traffic and safety laws as any other car owner.  I do not foresee any changes in laws as EV and PHEV s meet all safety standards.

When do you expect electric cars to become mainstream?

If you define mainstream as over 50% of new car sales I would estimate 2035.