Consumer: EVs (Clean Transportation)

What Are EVs?

EVs, or electric vehicles, run on electricity instead of gasoline. They use electric motors and batteries to power the vehicle.

Quick Facts:

- Charging: EVs can be charged at home or at public charging stations. Many new models offer impressive ranges between charges.
- Incentives: Maryland and the Federal government offer rebates, tax credits, and other incentives for buying EVs. Check out local programs to see what is available.
- Winter and your EV: Cold temperatures may reduce range , and increase charging times. Preconditioning your car and using features like heated seats can help preserve battery life and improve efficiency.

Why Choose an EV?

Save Money on Fuel: Electricity is cheaper than gasoline.
Reduced Maintenance: With fewer mechanical parts, EVs require fewer repairs.
Performance: EVs offer quick accelerationmaking them fun to drive.
Less Air Pollution: Fully electric vehicles produce zero emissions and plug-in hybrids, which use both electricity and gasoline, produce fewer harmful emissions than conventional vehicles.
Reduced Noise Pollution: EVs are significantly quieter than gas vehicles.
Environmental Impact: In Maryland, vehicles are the biggest source of air pollution, creating over one-third of all the harmful greenhouse gasses. EVs are important part of meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals and mandates.

Understanding EV Types

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) run entirely on battery power and are charged by plug-in charging stations.
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) combine a gasoline engine with an electric motor and battery. They use regenerative braking to capture energy during deceleration to boost efficiency. The internal combustion engine also charges the battery. HEVs work well for both light-duty and heavy-duty applications. Many hybrid vehicles can travel between 20 and 35 miles on pure electricity before switching to gas.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) have internal combustion engines and electric motors. Like HEVs, they are powered by conventional fuels and a battery, but the batteries in PHEVs are larger than those in HEVs. PHEV batteries are charged by a plug-in charging station, regenerative braking, or the internal combustion engine. PHEVs offer longer ranges without the need to stop to charge up.

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Charger Types

Level 1 Chargers: These are the simplest type of chargers and can be used with any standard household outlet needing no special installation. They are the slowest type of EV charger, typically taking about 8 to 12 hours to fully charge a hybrid and up to 24 hours for a fully electric vehicle, depending on the battery size. This option is ideal if you plan to charge your vehicle overnight or if it sits for extended periods of time.
Level 2 Chargers: These chargers are faster than Level 1 chargers and require a 240-volt outlet, which might require professional installation. These chargers can usually fully charge an EV in about 4 to 6 hours. Because they work faster, they are perfect for quicker home charging, often installed in garages.
DC Fast Chargers: This charger is the fastest charging option, although they are not typically installed at homes due to their high power requirements and cost. They are often found at public charging stations, like those along highways or in commercial parking lots. They can charge an EV’s battery to about 80% in just 20 to 30 minutes.

Finding Charging Stations

Find a Location
You can use maps like the Maryland Transportation Authority map use apps like the Maryland EV or ChargeHub to locate nearby charging stations. You can also look into federal and state incentives, rebates, or tax credits to save on your purchase.

Charging, Fueling and Infrastructure Expansion
Construction of additional corridor and community charging is underway in Maryland as a result of a $15M Federal Grant Awarded to Maryland Public Private Partnership to Support EV Charging Network secured by the Maryland Clean Energy Center.

Operation & Maintenance Costs

PHEVs and HEVs with their internal combustion engines, have maintenance needs similar to conventional vehicles. All-electric vehicles(BEVs) require less maintenance because:

The battery, motor, and associated electronics require little to no routine upkeep
There are fewer fluids, such as engine oil, that require regular maintenance
Brake wear is significantly reduced due to regenerative braking
There are far fewer moving parts which means less parts that break down

EV batteries are designed to last the expected lifespan of the vehicle. While EV batteries have a limited number of charging cycles, you should check with your EV dealer about battery life and warranty information.