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Can the U.S. infrastructure grid handle electric cars?
One of the subjects I’ve been hearing come up a lot lately in regard to EVs is that our infrastructure grid can’t handle charging millions of electric cars. Is this true? Is it even worth buying an EV if the recharging process is going to be unreliable?
Jason Crosby · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
This is probably one of the biggest myths out there when it comes to
electric vehicles
. Yes, America’s grid can easily handle electric cars—and even though EVs will most likely become the dominant form of personal transportation, charging them all isn’t going to be an issue. By the time that electric cars are owned by 80% of the U.S., this will only translate into a 10-15% increase in electricity consumption. One of the main reasons for this minimal increase in national electricity consumption is that EVs are more fuel-efficient than internal combustion engines, somewhere between 5-6 times as efficient. Though their batteries aren’t powerful enough to take them beyond the 700-800 mile range, between 10-20 years, that will likely be possible. Another facet regarding the ways that electric cars will affect the grid is smart charging capabilities.
Smart charging
is a technology that links a vehicle owner’s charging device with their EV’s battery. “Smart “ charging devices identify times during the day that electricity consumption is highest, and pull power from the grid to hold in its reserves so that owners don’t experience any charging delays when the power grid is most active. Smart charging will help lessen the chances of power outages and will ensure that charging your EV happens as quickly and efficiently as possible. And when you finally find your perfect EV,
Jerry
can help you find a great car insurance policy that is customized for you. After providing you with a comprehensive cross-analysis of the best policies across providers, Jerry will handle the phone calls, paperwork, and renewals for your top pick so that you don’t have to. They even help cancel your old policy! So why do all that extra work when Jerry can do it better?
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- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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