Why You Should Consider an Electric Car
Updated:  January 10, 2025

The town of Hyde Park is encouraging residents to consider electric vehicles for your personal and business needs. We have set a goal of 10 new purchases. If we are able to reach this goal, the town will receive another grant from NYS.

Electric cars are not only cleaner for our shared environment, but in general they are fast, safe, handle very well, and are less costly to own than gasoline or diesel cars. While there are still some very high-priced EVs, most are priced in the $40-50,000 range, and there are several available in the $34-40,000 range. Available instant rebates can take up to $9,500 off the price of a new EV, or $4,000 off the price of a used EV.

NY State is a Great Place to Own an EV

NY has generous incentives to buy a new EV. Charging infrastructure is a state priority. There are no extra punitive fees for owning an EV, like there are in other states. Insurance costs are in line with gas vehicles. And our energy mix ensures that your EV produces far fewer greenhouse gasses than a typical gas car...

Busting EV Myths


Myth Fact
EVs don't have enough range. FALSE. Most EVs on sale today get near 300 miles of range on a single charge, and some get 400 or 500.
You can't take an EV on a road trip. FALSE. You certainly can, but it might take you a bit longer. The Tesla charging network is great and you can travel anywhere in North America on it with relative ease. For other EVs doing the same thing takes a bit more planning. All EVs navigation software will find charging stations for you when you need them on a trip. It typically takes 30 minutes to recharge from a DC fast charger. These chargers are often located near bathrooms, food, or attractions. Find Charging Stations. Plan Your Route.
The battery will wear out in a few years, and need a costly replacement. FALSE. EV Batteries should last 200,000 miles. Almost all EVs have an 8 year / 100,000 mile warranty on their battery and powertrain. We don't have many 10 year old EVs on the road yet, but most of those early EVs still have their original battery at 70-90% of their original capacity. And studies show that EVs produced after 2019 have better battery life than earlier EVs.
Sure, there have been several high-profile cases of bateries failing and needing to be replaced. Just like gasoline engine and transmission failures, they do happen. But this is not at all the norm.
A Sept 2024 study of fleet vehicles concluded that modern EV batteries loose 1.8% capacity on average per year, and should outlast the car they are in.
EV batteries use lots of minerals we don't have. MAYBE. It's complicated... The world has plenty of lithium, including large reserves in the US. Lithium is mined responsibly mainly in Australia and Chile. Rare earth minerals used in some EV motors are still mostly sourced from China though. New Lithium-Ion battery chemistries called LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) use no cobalt or nickel. (And remember, the largest user of cobalt is Oil Refining. So if people are really upset about child mining of cobalt, they should be demonstrating at oil refineries.)

Batteries can be 95% recycled, so all those mined minerals can be reused indifinitely. When recycling ramps up (we get some batteries to recycle at scale) we will be able to supply almost all the minerals we need in the US, and global mining can be greatly reduced. Read all about lithium mining.
Your expensive EV battery will just end up in a landfill. FALSE. After their useful life in cars is over, the battery can be used for grid storage for another decade, then recycled. Recycling companies are already operating, and can extract 95% of the original minerals from a used battery.
Your "Green" EV is just powered by coal. FALSE. Less than 20% of US electricity is generated by coal, and none in NY state. This myth tries to imply that your EV pollutes more than a gas car, but that is also false.
EV produce more greenhouse gases then gas cars. FALSE. Every study concludes: EVs do produce more GHGs to build, due to the battery. But that difference is offset within a few years of driving by much lower tailpipe emissions. About 1.5 years on average, depending on your state's energy mix and the car's battery size. With the comparitively green energy mix we have in the Hudson Valley, it takes about 1 year of driving to offset the extra carbon emissions produced by building an EVs battery.
EV batteries catch fire often. FALSE. EVs actually have less fire risk than gas cars. There are (on average) 250 gas car fires per day in the US. While these are rarely reported in the media, every EV fire is. Read More. Read More.
The fact that insurance rates for EVs are about the same as for gas cars proves that EVs are not a fire risk. If they were, the insurance companies would charge accordingly.
EV Fires are hard to extinguish. TRUE. A damaged EV battery can smolder and re-ignite. First Responders need special training. However, EV batteries do not "explode" like gasoline does.
EVs don't work in winter. FALSE. But expect to lose 25% of your range if you park outside in winter and can't keep your EV plugged in. Even if you park outside, if you are able to keep your EV plugged in during the winter, then you will have no range loss, as the car will keep the battery warm.
Charging your EV will overload the grid. FALSE. EVs use much less electricity than you think – about as much yearly as an electric water heater. And EVs can be set to charge at any time of day. Most owners charge overnight or off peak, when the grid has extra power and rates are low. This actually helps to stabilize the grid. Central Hudson has an incentive program that pays you to charge off peak when they have extra capacity.
Insurance is higher for EVs. MAYBE. Like all cars, insurance rates for EVs vary by car, state, and driver. In general, insurance rates for EVs may be a little higher than the rates for other similar vehicles (due to repair costs), but that difference is disappearing. Read More.
EVs can't tow. MAYBE. Electric motors are great for towing. Electric motors power all the trains worldwide. But an EV's range is reduced when they tow.

Cost to Operate

EVs are generally more costly to purchase than an equivalent gasoline-powered car, before rebates. But EVs are less costly to fuel and maintain than gasoline cars. This makes the "Total Cost of Ownership" of an EV less than a gas car, even with a higher purchase price. "Filling up" with electricity from your home costs about a third of the price to fill up with gasoline. Maintenance is also much less for EVs, about all you need to replace is tires:
Need Help Figuring out if an EV is right for you? The Clean Energy Coaches from NY for Clean Power can Help.
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Want to experience an EV personally? We can arrange a meeting and drive with an EV owner.
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This means that overall, considering the purchase price and ongoing costs to run the vehicle, EVs are much less costly over the life of the vehicle than gasoline cars.

Charging

Most EV drivers will recharge their cars at home. You can use the included charge cable and plug that comes with your car. If you are unable to charge where you live, you may be able to charge at work. If neither of thse is possible then perhaps an EV will not be convenient for you right now.
Find Charging Stations.
Electric Car Charging Guide.

Safety

Due to their low center of gravity (the heavy battery pack is under the floor of the passenger compartment) EVs perform very well in all government-mandated crash tests. In fact, EVs are among the highest rated for crash safety. Read More. Read More.

Rebates

Many EVs qualify for federal instant rebates of up to $7,500 for a new car, and $4,000 for a used car.

NY State also offers instant rebates up to $2,000 for a new car.

These can be combined to give you up to $9,500 off the price of a new car.

Selection

New — There are several dozen EVs for sale in the US, from all major brands and dealers. The selection of EVs has never been better, from large 3-row SUVs and pickup trucks to small sedans. Here is a Google search that will get you tons of info on the EVs for sale right now.

Used — Now that EVs have been around for a few years, there is more choice than ever in affordable used EVs. See an example here.

More Information

All About EVs, Charging, and incentives.
Central Hudson Guide to Electric Vehicles.

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