Advancements in battery technology and recharging capabilities will drive adoption. Since the beginning of 2013 we have not only seen fast-charging stations that rapidly refill a battery but also wireless recharging capabilities and battery swap techniques.
4 Reasons Your Next Vehicle Will Be Solar Powered
Michael Chance | Solar Energy USA
It may sound far-fetched but there is a good chance the next vehicle you purchase will be powered by solar energy. Plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles are more affordable than you think. And as demand is increasing with each new sale, auto manufacturers are taking note and incorporating plug-in capabilities into new vehicle models.
Below is a list of 4 main reasons we at Solar Energy USA think your next vehicle purchase will be a plug-in, solar powered car:
1. Availability.
Virtually every auto maker is unveiling a plug-in model. Last month some Mercedes beta tested stopped by our free public charging station with their plug-in crossover model. BMW is introducing the i3 all-electric followed by the i3 plug-in hybrid. And don’t think that plug-in car development is limited to just the premium automakers – the Fiat 500E EV is already available and Toyota has seen record breaking sales on their line of Prius hybrids including increasing sales of theplug-in Prius model.
2. Competition.
Likewise, as these auto makers vie for plug-in market share, competition will decrease prices and make it more and more affordable to own a plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle. Prices are already dropping, in fact. Battles are brewing between Nissan (Leaf) and Chevrolet (Volt), and the winner at the end of the day is the consumer. Currently, the 2013 Nissan Leaf (MSRP $28,800 dollars) is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit and another $5,000 dollars back from a GA state tax credit.That means the net cost has now dropped to $16,300 for a brand new plug-in all-electric vehicle!
3. Innovation.
Advancements in battery technology and recharging capabilities will drive adoption. Since the beginning of 2013 we have not only seen fast-charging stations that rapidly refill a battery (see the solar powered fast chargers Tesla Motors is installing across the nation), but also wireless recharging capabilities (Plugless Power story here), and battery swap techniques (again, thank you Tesla Motors).
4. Financial Savings.
Last, and certainly not least, let’s discuss how driving a plug-in car saves vast amounts of money.
Here is an example of how much you can expect to spend on fuel using an average car with 25 MPG fuel rating (2013 average MPG rating per EPA data):
Using $3.50/gallon gasoline for an Internal Combustion Engine:
|
MPG |
Miles driven per month |
$ per gallon |
Total cost for 1,000 miles |
$ per mile |
$ per year |
|
25 MPG |
1000 miles per month |
$3.50 per gallon |
$140 |
$0.14 |
$1,680 |
So someone who drives 1,000 miles in a 25 MPG car uses 40 gallons of gasoline. Multiply that by 12 months and you can expect to pay $1,680 dollars (or more) just on transportation / fuel costs.
So how much can you save driving a solar powered plug-in car? Easy – you save that exact same amount because you are no longer using fossil fuel. Rather, you’re refilling your plug-in car with solar fuel that comes free from the sun each day!
In five years that equates to $8,400 dollars! In ten years you will have saved almost $17,000 dollars if you switch from driving a gasoline vehicle to a plug-in vehicle powered by solar!
Contact us to schedule a free in-home solar energy consultation. We’ve helped a number of Atlanta, GA EV drivers take advantage of the sun’s free and unlimited resource. We’d love to talk with you about solar powered cars and solar powered homes!
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AltEnergyMag
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