Electric vehicles (EV) have been around quite some time now but not everyone has adopted the concept of battery cars. EV cars come at a premium compared to non-EV cars. Some folks, including myself, didn’t think it was worth the investment. Everyone knows that gas prices are skyrocketing recently and the number of EV customers are increasing. I am one of them. Here’s why I bought a plug-in hybrid car.

I waited for the right moment.

I have two old cars and it was about time for one of them to go. I held out as long as possible until I felt that the EV industry was mature enough. The amount of charge an EV can hold is going up. More manufacturers are providing models either hybrid or fully electric. There are charging networks in many places. For me, the time felt right.

Not ready to go fully electric

I’m glad that manufacturers are making plug-in hybrid as well as fully electric vehicles. There’s always the fear that you run out of electric juice and you get stuck. I had this fear so for me going with a plug-in hybrid was a great compromise and a first baby step towards going electric.

Hybrid vs Plug-in Hybrid

If you get a non-plug-in vehicle, it may not give you certain options to control the electric part of the vehicle. Plug-in hybrid cars gives you a sense of how a fully EV car behaves. You need to plug in a charging cable to recharge the battery. I have three options when driving: fully electric, hybrid, or fully gas. My car gives me about 40 miles on a full charge which is enough to get me around on an average day. I set my car in electric mode and it doesn’t touch the gas.

Soaring gas prices

Paying over $100 of gas per fill-up is excruciatingly painful. I’ve had my plug-in hybrid for 3 months and I’ve filled my gas tank twice. At this rate, it makes sense because you’ll save more from not spending on gas.

Tax credits and incentives

Most, not all, manufacturers qualify for federal and state tax credits. For example, Tesla doesn’t qualify anymore because they sold so many cars it reached the tax credit limit. The IRS has a site that list all the manufacturers and models that do or don’t qualify. I will be receiving a $7,500 federal tax credit. There is a state credit I can benefit from. Also, my utilities company has EV program incentives. The cost of an EV may be a little more expensive that a gas car but if you plan it right, the tax incentives can help with the overall cost.

Reducing pollution

My daughter did an environmental science project and I remember her taking a video of the tail pipe of my gas SUV saying here’s an example of contributing towards pollution. Adversely, going electric was something to help reduce pollution.

After driving my plug-in hybrid for 3 months, I truly do enjoy driving it. I’m constantly looking at my battery level because I want to avoid using gas as much as possible. There are a number of benefits to a plug-in hybrid. I evaluated each one listed above and it is why I bought a plug-in hybrid. If you’re in the market to buying a car, I would encourage you to consider some sort of EV car, whether plug-in hybrid or fully electric. Since I’ve taken my first step towards the EV side, I feel much more comfortable going 100% electric for my next car. With gas prices at all-time highs, it can be financially beneficial over gas vehicles. If you are interested in following my journey, email subscribe to get alerts of latest posts or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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