The Problem with Electric Cars
The problem is battery cost and weight. It is usually one-third of the total cost of the car. The special batteries used to provide power to the car range from $12-15,000 each. They weigh around 600-700 pounds. The batteries used normally sell for $22,000.
Now you know why the price of hybrids or all electric cars are much more than the others. The Ford EV sells for nearly $40,000 that has a 23 kw-hour that costs Ford about $522-650 per kw-hour. The Nissan Leaf sells for $36,000 and has a range of 73 miles on a full charge, the Ford EV gets 76 miles.
Electric cars usually require from 4-8 hours to recharge. The Chevy Volt, a hybrid, runs $40,000. Car companies are hoping to reduce the cost of electric cars to $300 per kilowatt-hour within two years, which will allow the cars to be more affordable to around $ 25-30,000 new.
The whole other issue is about used hybrids and electrics. At what time will the batteries need to be replaced, which are currently $12,000. This is a major reason not to buy a used electric car, not mention availability, how long do the original batteries last (some say, 7 years).