There’s a lot of buzz around electric vehicles across the United States as transportation needs are evolving. In fact, American Electric Power (AEP) and AEP Ohio are part of the Electric Highway Coalition — embarking on a plan to make sure drivers have access to a seamless network of charging stations connecting major highway systems from the Atlantic Coast, through the Midwest and South and into the Gulf and Central Plains regions.  

As more charging stations pop-up, here’s why an electric vehicle might be the right fit to plug in to your transportation options:

Go the Distance 

Many new battery-electric models exceed 300 miles on a single charge and can drive coast-to-coast using Tesla or Electrify America stations. Plug-in hybrids give you the flexibility to drive electric on a daily basis, but use gasoline to take long trips. This provides real cost saving potential. With the decreased production of oil, experts say gas prices could rise to $3-4 a gallon by the end of the year. 

Easy to Refuel

Forget those last minute trips to the gas station — refueling at home or work happens in the background while you go about your daily routine or while you’re sleeping at night. Find public charging stations operated by Chargeway and PlugShare near you. And more are coming as the Electric Highway Coalition continues its work.

Affordable to Own

The cost to charge an electric car is about one-third the cost to fuel a gas-powered car. Plus, maintenance costs for an electric car are about half that of a gas model.

Special Offer: Nissan LEAF

AEP Ohio customers are eligible for a discount up to $6,000 (off MSRP) on a 2020 Nissan LEAF and LEAF PLUS. Savings are also available on 2021 models.*

See the deal >

Spark Your Interest? Accelerate Into the Future

Fill out this form to stay informed about electric vehicle programs from AEP Ohio and visit AEPOhioCars.com to easily compare models based on fuel efficiency, available federal and state tax credits and total cost of ownership. 

*Subject to residency restrictions. Dealer participation may vary. Contact your local participating Nissan dealer for details at NissanUSA.com/nissandealers. Offers end 03/31/2021.

24 responses to “Driving Into the Future: Electric Cars

  1. Would like additional information regarding the various e-vehicles presently available and those in the next few years and how to have my home setup for if and when I lease or purchase one.

    1. Hi Herman. Happy you’re interested! I’d recommend checking out AEPOhioCars.com — there’s lots of info there on different models, financial credits and the total cost of ownership. Electric vehicles can be charged using a standard outlet in your garage. However, a more efficient way of charging is using a 240v circuit. (similar to your clothes dryer) It will also charge your vehicle faster. Your electrician can provide an estimate of what it would cost to install.

      1. TOU ? When can we expect his rate incentive,. I recently purchased a new BMW 530e PHEV/

        1. Congratulations on your new electric vehicle! AEP Ohio currently does not have a TOU rate available. We have filed with the PUCO and expect to have a ruling later this year.

  2. I would like to see incentives for other EVs, the Nissan Leaf just doesn’t do anything for me. I am interested but since there are other EVs, would be thrilled for choices…

    1. Hi Richard. I’d recommend checking out our comparison tool at AEPOhioCars.com. It allows you to compare various EV options and provides a CLEARCOST Breakdown for each – this provides a breakdown of MSRP, incentives, estimated fuel, maintenance & insurance costs for each vehicle. Many manufacturers offer cash back incentives or special financing, so I would encourage you to work with the dealership as well once you narrow down the EV models of highest interest to you.

  3. My friend has an electric car, and he tells me that his electric bill is astronomical every month. He tells me he regrets buying one. I have to agree with him.

    1. I’m curious as to what kind of car he purchased? I’ve owned one for 9 years, and my electric bill went up around $10 per month — not at all astronomical and much cheaper than the amount spent on gasoline.

    2. Hi Frank. I’m sorry to hear that your friend is disappointed with his purchase. Charging at home can be the least expensive way to refuel an electric car. Using current average prices, a typical driver could save more than $1,200 each year by switching from gas to electricity. The average cost to charge an electric car will depend on where you live and the distance you drive. However, the price of electricity is more stable than gasoline — and it can cost 66–80 percent less than gas.

    3. Frank, there are a few details missing here. How far does your friend drive per month? What would be the cost to drive that same distance using gasoline? What other appliances in the house are on electric (ie water heater, furnace, etc.)? I have an electric car and drive around 400 miles per month. My car gets about 320 watt-hours per mile. So that means I’m using about 128 kWh per month. At 12 cents per kWh, my cost is about $15 per month.

      If I drove that distance using gasoline at today’s price ($2.61) with a relatively efficient car that got 30 mpg, it would cost me about $35. So the savings are huge even though gasoline isn’t that expensive at the moment. Plus electricity prices are very stable for the consumer, whereas gasoline prices fluctuate wildly depending on world events.

  4. What are we going to do with all the batteries when they are old and unable to hold a charge? Can they be repurposed? I have had enough batteries lose the ability to recharge that this really concerns me.

    1. Chris, there is already a supply chain set up to recycle used lithium ion batteries. In fact, about 90% can be recycled. You can search for “Volkswagen opens EV battery recycling pilot plant” to see just one example but there are a number of others out there both in the US and abroad.

    2. Hi Chris. This is a great question. Electric car batteries are built to outlast the cars in which they are installed. And nearly all electric car batteries are warranted for eight years and 100,000 miles. Car batteries are more advanced than the batteries that power your phone, laptop and other battery-powered devices and are built to last far longer. Once the battery has passed its useful life, it can be recycled.

  5. I would like any information available on electric vehicles, I’m concerned
    about what is necessary to keep the vehicles charged, especially at home.
    What would you need? What would you have to install.? Would there be kits available? These are some of the questions to be answered. Buy or Lease?
    Financial credits available verses total cost. Interesting ideas, for sure.

    1. Hey David. Definitely check out AEPOhioCars.com. There’s a lot of great info on there for you. Additionally, electric vehicles can be easily charged in your garage using a standard outlet. The vehicles come with the charging cord to plug in the outlet. If you want charge more efficiently and faster, you can install a 240v circuit (similar to your clothes dryer plug) in your garage by contacting an electrician.

  6. I purchased a 2012 Volt brand new and have been nothing but pleased with it. It is now 9 years old and I’ve had zero issues with it. I drive completely on electric while around town and use gasoline on long trips — which still gives me 42 mpg. My electric bill did NOT raise more than $10/month — which is much cheaper than filling tanks with gasoline. I charge overnight at home, which uses a normal 110 outlet. The charging cord is approximately 20-25 feet, so you might have to install an outlet if you don’t have one close enough. No need for a 220 unless you want to charge more quickly. My battery still appears to be strong after all this time, and I love driving in pure silence without the noise of an engine! One other perk is that these batteries create a heavier vehicle, which makes maneuvering in snow easier due just to the sheer weight.
    Unfortunately, the Volt is no longer in production — which I think is a shame. But please do your own research, test-drive various electric vehicles, and see what you think. Also take into consideration your needs. Will you only be driving locally? Or do you want the flexibility of driving long distances without having to take up driving time to stop and charge?

  7. I had a 2013 Nissan Leaf for several years. It was a excellent car. I was the second owner and the first abused the battery and capacity was way down. This is a huge concern for the used market for EVs. Compared to newer EVs the 2013 Leaf had terrible range even when new. But in general the newer EVs have better batteries. I loved having an EV and will buy another.

    Regarding those who say they’ve heard other people’s electric bill went way up – their opinion is subjective, of course. But obviously charging has to do with the battery. The more you have to charge it the longer the charger runs the more electricity you will use. We had a level II charger 240v 40 amps. If it ran 2-4 hours a day that’s 38,400 watts at most. Our electricity is about $0.11 a kW (1000 watts). This might be at most $2-4 per day. BUT the charger didn’t pull 40 amps for the whole charge time so it is really hard to estimate actual usage. Our bill went up about $40 per month (but we were spending a LOT more for gas and maintenance to run the Honda Fit). Electric is the way to go and makes so much sense over gasoline.

  8. Your article failed to mention the annual $200 Hybrid/EV Tax for registration that was implemented in Ohio last year. That certainly takes a lot of the luster off the shinny picture of EVs. It is especially onerous for plug in hybrids (PHEV) that still use a lot gas and consequently contribute to highway funding through that gas tax.

    1. Hello Norman. This is partially correct. Last year, the State of Ohio imposed an annual registration fee of $200 for electric vehicles and $100 for hybrid vehicles. This fee helps cover road maintenance within the state, similar to that of the fuel tax paid at the pump. Using current average prices, a typical driver could still save more than $1,200 each year by switching from gas to electricity.

  9. Cost of EV’s are prohibitive to those on SSI or lower income families. I don’t see how many households will be able to make the switch unless there are some massive incentives.

    1. Hello Danny. Actually, this is a common misconception about electric vehicles. Thanks to new technology, competition and electric car tax credits, many electric cars cost less than or close to the average new gas-powered car.

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