Via Oregon - November/December 2020 - 15

decade, so battery replacements
have been extremely uncommon.
That said, if you needed a total
battery replacement today, it could
cost several thousand dollars. A
widespread market for used EVs
with depleted batteries should eventually develop. By that time, the cost
for replacement is expected to
drop-and an entire industry dedicated to recycling and refurbishing
batteries is likely to emerge.

Q
A

DAVID H. COLLIER (2)

Are EVs really that green
when the electricity they use
is produced by burning coal?
According to the Department of
Energy, EVs convert more than
77 percent of electrical energy from
the grid to power at the wheels.
Gasoline vehicles only make use of
12 to 30 percent of the energy stored
in gasoline. So as a matter of pure
energy efficiency, EVs have a big
advantage.
Still, charging an EV does use grid
electricity (unless you have solar
panels). The Union of Concerned
Scientists analyzed total carbon

emissions for both gasoline and
electricity production and use in
every region of the country. Driving
the average EV using grid-supplied
energy creates carbon emissions
equivalent to those of a 122 mpg
gas car in California.

Q
A

Does the U.S. electric grid
have the capacity to charge
millions of EVs?
Electricity demand has been
flat for the past decade, while
capacity has increased. If energy
production and consumption continue to rise at the same rate, the
grid should be able to meet forecasts for increased use of electric
vehicles, according to a study by
the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Most utilities welcome the
opportunity not only to sell more
electricity but also to spread demand
throughout the day-and most EV
owners charge their vehicles at
night, when there's extra grid
capacity and utility rates are lower.
Emerging technologies will also
allow EVs to push energy stored in

their batteries back to the grid, actually adding power to the system.

Q
A

Can people who live in
apartments or multifamily
housing own an EV?
The convenience of plugging
your car in at home is an advantage, with one notable exception.
About one-quarter of U.S. residents
live in apartments or condos without
dedicated parking spots. That makes
EV charging more challenging.
EV owners who live in multifamily
dwellings need to get creative.
Strategies include asking the property owner to allow you to install a
charger in the garage or parking lot
and using charging spots where
you park for work.
Fortunately, the situation may
improve. Many building codes now
require make-ready spots for EV
chargers in new construction. And
Los Angeles, among other places,
now offers a growing number of
on-street chargers attached to light
poles. - B R A D L E Y B E R M A N

A A A | VIA

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Via Oregon - November/December 2020

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