How do you know if an electric vehicle is right for you?

It’s safe to declare that electric vehicles have outgrown their niche status and are now an option for many car buyers.

But how do you know if an EV is right for you? One place to begin your research is through Duke Energy’s EV website, Duke-Energy.com/EV, which provides information about electric vehicles and interactive tools. The EV Selector Tool pairs personal preferences – average miles per day, body style, pricing range – with EV options. The EV Savings Calculator adds up how much money you could save driving electric versus gas, and a map shows EV charging stations throughout the world.

“We’re trying to show people that it really is easier, practical and convenient to have an electric car,” said Marshall Rand, a senior business analyst with Duke Energy. “But because so many people aren’t even considering EVs, we wanted to create a one-stop shop for EV information and help them through the pain points.”

Here are seven items to consider when deciding whether an EV should be your next car:

You can find charging stations on Duke Energy's EV website.

1. Range: How far an EV can go on a full charge varies model to model, but most can go at least 200 miles and some reach into the 300s.
2. Charging: With the growth of EV sales has come fast growth of charging stations. Every EV comes with a Level 1 charger that you plug into a standard outlet at home, up to 6 miles per hour. You can hire an electrician and upgrade to a Level 2 charger to get around 25 miles per hour. Level 3 fast chargers at public charging stations can charge up to 125 miles of range in 15 minutes. Locate them on the Plugshare map on Duke Energy’s EV website. Duke Energy is investing in infrastructure to install more fast-charging public systems, including significant expansions in Florida and the Carolinas.
3. 
   Cost: Many new electric vehicles cost less than $35,000. Tax credits can reduce the overall cost. Used EVs are on the market for $15,000 or less.
4. Battery: This is the heart of the EV, so it’s good to know that most have warranties for eight years or 100,000 miles. New EV batteries are expected to go 300,000 miles with little degradation.
5. Maintenance: Because EVs are made more simply and don’t use gas or oil, the maintenance schedule is light.
6. Shhh: EVs purr. The quiet acceleration can be appreciated by driving an EV.
7. Body type: EVs come in just about all shapes and sizes, including SUVs. The one notable omission: no pickup trucks. Yet.