As electric cars become cheaper and cheaper, more and more people are interested in buying them. However, the shift from natural gas to electricity is a big step. Do your homework before you risk buying electric cars.

Read the following information carefully to see if you are really interested in electric cars.

Does this car have enough mileage?

Nowadays, many electric cars can travel more than 200 miles on a single charge, but some electric cars have a much lower range. Within 200 miles, most people don't feel mileage anxiety during their daily commute. Remember, this range is different regardless of the EPA's estimate. Many factors affect the driving distance of a car, such as speed, driving habits, weather, and climate control. For safety reasons, it is wise to expect less mileage than EPA estimates. If you drive more than 200 miles a day, you may want to avoid most electric cars.

Can I charge my electric car at home?

One of the most convenient aspects of owning an electric car is charging at home. At the end of the day, you just plug your car in. When you wake up in the morning, it's ready. This means that you no longer have smelly hands when refueling, no longer stand in the cold, and no longer pull your car out of the garage to warm up.

Having said that, there are several important considerations. You can charge your electric car with a standard 110-volt wall socket (primary charging), but it will take some time. The first level charge can drive 4 miles per hour. This may be useful if you don't use many miles a day. However, if you run out of range of 250 miles, it will take a few days to recharge.

Most electric car owners hire an electrician to install a 240-volt socket in their garage. This allows secondary charging, which can increase the driving distance by 25 miles per hour. Be sure to find out how much it costs to add 240-volt service at home.

If you don't have a garage, you can charge it outside. If you install a 240-volt outlet outdoors, make sure it meets the regulations and that your charging line or charging station is designed for outdoor use.

How much is the electricity?

Like gasoline, the price of electricity varies from the place of residence. The average electricity price in the United States is 13.28 cents per kilowatt-hour. In Louisiana, you pay 9.5 cents, compared with 19.79 cents in California. No matter where you live or where you charge, the cost of electricity is still much lower than that of gasoline in the same field. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the fuel cost of a BMW 3 series is more than three times that of a Tesla Model 3. However, to save the most money, there are some details you should know.

Charging at home is usually cheaper than charging in public places, although some public charging units are free. Electricity prices vary according to the time of day. Charging at night or on weekends is usually much cheaper than charging during peak hours, such as weekday afternoon and evening. Your local utility company can explain it in detail. Some utility providers even offer special plans to accommodate electric vehicle owners.

Is there a public charging station nearby?

Although charging at home is the most convenient way to charge an electric car, you may need to charge it on the road. Some public charging stations are level 2, but many provide DC fast charging so that you can quickly charge the car. Some electric cars can charge up to 80% in less than 30 minutes at a fast-charging station. However, many factors are involved.

Be sure to find out whether the electric car you plan to carry can be charged quickly and how much mileage you can increase in a given time. In addition, you should locate charging stations in your area and on your typical route, and then determine what type of charging they support.

Can I use an electric car on road travel?

Any electric car can travel by road. Whether it is convenient or feasible depends on your route and the range of your car. If your electric car can run 200 or 300 miles, you may be ready to go to the bathroom and eat snacks when your battery is low.

Planning your trip and making sure you have a charging station every three hours or so should not be a problem - especially if you're driving on a major highway. However, you may have to deviate from the usual route to ensure that you can charge DC quickly at each station. Otherwise, your travel time will be greatly extended. Many electric car owners also own a gasoline car for family self-driving tours. If you don't travel a lot, you shouldn't worry too much.