Electric vehicles for everyone: 3 reasons why EVs make sense more than ever in 2023
1. Range doesn't matter anymore
As the EV market has developed, we've seen range increase in leaps, to the point where it's hardly even a necessary consideration anymore. As long as you're buying a new EV in 2023, you can basically have your pick based on features. Between the 350 kW charging speeds offered on many modern EVs, some of which can replenish 160 km (100 miles) of range in 10 minutes, and the wealth of public chargers available in the US, even longer trips are pretty simple with an EV nowadays.
The average electric vehicle in 2021 had a range of 349 km (~217 miles), compared to the average range of only 127 km (~79 miles) back in 2010. Combine that growing range number with an average US commute of only 41 miles (~66 km) and you have an almost perfect situation for EV adoption to pick up.
2. Electric vehicles are more convenient to own
When you buy an internal combustion engine vehicle, you commit to the maintenance cycle of that vehicle. You will need to change the oil every few months, replace consumables like the clutch and battery every once in a while, and service things like the gearbox and brakes when necessary. EVs, by the nature of their simple construction, skip out on a lot of this routine maintenance, reducing the cost of ownership.
Add a home charger into the mix, and you have a vehicle that you never have to worry about filling up on the way to work. Sure, it's not perfect just yet — EVs perform worse in cold weather and do still require some maintenance — but the overall ownership experience is simpler than an ICE vehicle could ever be. As long as there are no untimely recalls on your specific model, that is.
3. There are EVs for everyone now
In the early days of the electric vehicle, variety was sorely lacking, with most EVs being something like the Nissan Leaf or whatever Tesla was launching that week. Now that manufacturers have seen the demand for EVs spike, we're seeing the EV industry grow tremendously and prices decrease drastically. Even Tesla is rumoured to be going for the budget buyer soon.
In 2023, we have the sleek Hyundai Ioniq 6 for a comfortable, sporty ride, the Kia EV9 to satisfy the nine-seater SUV buyer, the Kia EV6 GT for those looking for a spacious speed demon, the Hyundai Kona EV for a family-friendly compact SUV, and the VW ID.Buzz for the modern hippy. We even have the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Hummer EV to appeal to those of us who feel like we need a tank to drive to work and back.
Ultimately, it's up to each buyer to determine whether they should be buying an electric vehicle themselves, but the developments that the EV market has undergone in just the last two to three years have changed the landscape significantly and made it worth considering an EV if you're shopping new.
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