I really like the braking regeneration, or rather I hate going back to a conventional car thinking of how much energy I'm wasting by breaking at lights or downhill.
I really like the braking regeneration, or rather I hate going back to a conventional car thinking of how much energy I'm wasting by breaking at lights or downhill.
If you have one that has sufficient range to handle your commute and errands, the biggest differences depending on model are recharging and braking. Let's cover braking as it is actually part of recharging. Disclaimer, I'm not an EV owner.
Braking:
Some EVs have a separate regeneration control from the brake pedal. You regenerate any time you need to slow down and in many cases most of the braking prior to stopping is also handled by regeneration. If you have a stop sign coming up, you slow down with the regeneration and stop with the brakes. If you are coming down a hill or mountain, you regenerate to aid in speed regulation. As the name implies, regeneration takes some of the energy being taken away from your forward momentum and uses it to generate electricity to recharge the battery.
Charging:
This is actually the easiest one for those that have the ability to install a high power charger at home. Recharging at home is like recharging your cell phone at the end of the day. You simply plug your car in when you park at home. While a full charge on some models easily makes the 8 to 10 hour range with the high power, you rarely will be near 0 charge when you come home (if you are than you are likely buying gas at least every other day).
There are three types of charging, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 (DC Fast Charge).
Level 1:
Level 1 is the bare bones charging, this is sufficient if you travel 20 to 30 miles a day or fewer, can charge at work, or can use level 1 to get a boost charge at work. Level 1 is usually country dependent, in the US, this is 120 volts AC with a 15 or 20 amp outlet. Charging at this level is slow and also less efficient due to the voltage conversion required.
Level 2:
This is where the bulk of your charging will be in daily operation. Level 2 charging is a moderate speed and good for overnight charging. Level 2 charging is also available at charging stations. It is also recommended that if you travel that you carry adapters to connect to a NEMA 14-50 stove type outlet as some bare bones charging setups simply have an outlet and not a full charging setup. Level 2 is also the fastest you can charge at home.
Level 3:
Level 3 or DC fast charging is the newer charge connection. There are multiple connectors at this level, mainly CHAdeMO and Tesla. The DC fast charging system moves the charging electronics to the charging station allowing for better power transfer as the charging electronics inside the car don't have to handle the high power. DC fast charging can recharge to 50% capacity in 1/2 hour. Speaking of the connectors, you can get adapters (and Tesla sells them) to connect a CHAdeMO charger to a Tesla, but not the other way. Use of Level 3 charging is rather infrequent and is mainly designed for those few cases where you are nearing the limits of your range during a single day or for Road trips.
Lastly, while your electric bill will go up from an electric car, the addition to your electric bill is far less than what you will pay for gasoline. Maintenance is significantly less too as you have no oil changes (some EVs may have a battery coolant that needs changed, but not all). Brakes will last a long time (you use them for stopping, not slowing). If you are slightly mechanically inclined, you may be able to do your own tire rotations. Combine that with silicone wiper blades and your service interval is extended to safety inspections (if applicable) or tire changes.