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FAQ related to Electric Vehicle Charging HOW DO ELECTRIC VEHICLES WORK? The battery from electric cars use electricity stored in a battery pack to power the electric motor. Since the battery electric cars don’t run on gasoline or diesel, and are run entirely on electricity, they are also called “all-electric” vehicles. While electric vehicles don’t produce tailpipe pollution, the electricity they use could be produced from a coal or gas powered power plant. UCSUSA research shows that battery electric cars charge off the dirtiest gas dominated grid still produces less pollution than their gasoline-powered counterparts. BEVs powered by renewable energy sources are virtually emission free. To find out how you can pair your electric vehicle to a solar panel system and be completely energy independent, call EmPower Solar at 516-837-3459. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE? This can vary based on car and location but Level 1 charging typically adds about 4 miles per hour and takes about 8-20 hours to fully charge. Level 2 charging, which is most common at home adds about 20 –30 miles per hour and most full EV cars take 6-8 hours to fully charge. Most PHEV’s fully charge in less than an hour. DC fast charge adds about 40/50 + miles per hour depending on the kW power of the charge unit and can charge 80% of your electric car battery in as low as 30 minutes. HOW MUCH DOES A HOME CHARGING SYSTEM COST? An electric car charging station starts around $499.Installation costs vary from $300 to $1,000 depending on the level of charger and electrical upgrades required. ClipperCreek, Leviton, Bosch, ChargePoint, and eMotoWerks are a few brands of household chargers. Delta and Siemens also offer home charging stations. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC CAR? Electricity costs 21 cents/kWh at your home if you live on Long Island or New York City. If you have solar panels, you could pay as low as 8 cents/kWh taking into account the levelized cost of energy. Charging at a public station could cost up to twice as much as home with all-in rates of up to 50 cents/kWh or more if you take into account hourly rates / charge fees at some stations. HOW MANY SOLAR PANELS DO I NEED IF I WANT TO CHARGE MY EV WITH SOLAR ENERGY? This depends on three things; the range of your EV’s battery, the capacity of your EV’s battery, and your home’s viability for solar panels. A typical homeowner driving 12,000 miles a year will need about 3,500 kWh a year to power their vehicle—so they would need a 2-5kW rooftop solar system depending on how much sun their house gets. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CHARGE AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE? The average cost of electricity for Long Island and New York City is $0.21 per kWh. Depending on the kWh of the electric vehicle battery, the cost of one time full battery charge for an electric vehicle can range from around $8.40 to $21 if you charge at home, with additional costs if you charge at a public charging station. For example, a Nissan Leaf, with its 40kWh battery will cost $8.40 per full one-time charge, and will get you 150 miles while a Mitsubishi Outlander, with its 12 kWh battery will cost $2.52 for a full one-time charge but will only go 28 miles on electric before switching to gasoline. WHAT ARE THE INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES? There are state and federal rebates available to purchase an electric car. The federal tax credit for $2500 to $7500 per new EV purchased for use in U.S lowers the up-front costs of electric vehicles. In NY, Gov. Cuomo’s Charge NY initiative is offering a Drive Clean Rebate of up to $2,000 for new car purchases or leases. E-ZPass offers a special 10% discount to Hybrid vehicles getting at least 45 to the gallon and meeting SULEV standards. Visit e- zpassny.com for a list of EV vehicles that are eligible. HOW DOES WORKPLACE CHARGING WORK? Workplace charging provides a reliable opportunity for commuters to own and drive an EV without worrying about the hassle of finding available public charging. Step 1: Employer executes ChargePoint host site rebate agreement Step 2: Employer executes Charge to Work NY Employer Participation Agreement, has low-cost EV charging stations installed at the workplace. Step 3: Employees execute Charge to Work NY Employee Participation Agreement, receive vehicle rebates upon purchase/lease of EV CAN I CHARGE MY ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH SOLAR PANELS? Yes, you can! Our solar systems convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC), which is the form of electricity that both your home and electric vehicle use. If you already have solar panels installed for powering your home, you only need to purchase an electric vehicle charging station to route the power from your solar panels to your electric vehicle.