The past five years has seen a tremendous shift in the passenger vehicle market. Electric vehicles (EV) are now ubiquitous; filling our TVs with advertisements, zipping quietly down our streets, and charging at our supermarkets and city buildings.
South Portland Sustainability and other organizers like Efficiency Maine and the Natural Resources Council of Maine will host the annual National Drive Electric Week event at the Back Cove parking lot across from Hannaford in Portland, on Sunday, Sept. 24 from noon to 4 p.m. AP file photo/Paul Sancya
As with all new, rapidly-evolving technologies, the new world of EVs can be hard to keep up with. This column will help you to maneuver through the new landscape and offer opportunities to get involved with National Drive Electric Week between Sept. 22 and Oct. 1. For more information, visit https://driveelectricweek.org for more info.
Finding an EV
Yes, certain models of EV can be hard to find. Every major car manufacturer has announced they’ll move to build only EVs by 2030 or 2035, but that shift takes time and investment. While the industry is seeing immense public and private investment and manufacturers are ramping up production significantly, EVs are largely made to order. This means EVs are best purchased by going in-person to the dealer, test-driving an EV on the lot, and placing an order directly.
Though the used EV market is still small, it will grow each year as manufacturers ramp up production with new EVs flooding the market.
Affording an EV
While the average purchase price of an EV is slightly more than an internal combustion engine vehicle, robust incentives make EVs cost competitive. There are 23 EV models ranging from $25,000 to $40,000 base manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
The federal government offers a tax credit worth up to $7,500 on the purchase of many American-produced cars. Efficiency Maine offers a rebate for most EV models also worth up to $7,500 for Maine residents. Additional incentives from municipalities and manufacturers may also be available, too.
An EV also costs considerably less to own over the course of its life. While it varies widely from state-to-state, Mainers on average save $27 per fill up in an electric sedan, $30 per fill up in an electric pick-up, and $19 in an electric SUV.
Electric vehicle owners also save on maintenance costs as EVs do not require oil changes. These numbers are largely dependent on what and how you drive now, and your charging and driving habits once you have an EV.
A one-stop shop for your at-home research on EVs can be found on the Alternative Fuels Data Center tools page: https://afdc.energy.gov/tools.
Test-driving an EV
Join South Portland Sustainability and other organizers like Efficiency Maine and the Natural Resources Council of Maine for our annual National Drive Electric Week event at the Back Cove parking lot across from Hannaford in Portland, on Sunday, Sept. 24 from noon to 4 p.m. The event offers the opportunity to check out dozens of EV models, including a number that will be available to test drive. We’ll also be joined by Lincoln & Main and Gorham Bike & Ski with e-bikes – an even more sustainable means of getting around town.
Can’t make our National Drive Electric Week event? Be sure to check out other EV ride-and-drive events such as the Solar & Electric Vehicle Expo (Saturday, Sept. 30 from noon to 4 p.m.) in South Paris and Sustainable Scarborough Day (Sunday, Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) in Scarborough. For more information on all events, visit https://driveelectricweek.org/attend.
Our Sustainable City is a recurring column in the Sentry intended to provide residents with news and information about sustainability initiatives in South Portland. Follow the Sustainability Office on Instagram @soposustainability.
Cashel Stewart is the sustainable transportation coordinator for South Portland and can be reached at cstewart@southportland.org.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
