They make almost no sound and consume almost no fossil fuel. Washington state wants 50,000 of them on the road by 2020. With plug-in vehicle, or PEV, sales growing in the United States, it’s a goal that’s likely to be met. At the end of 2014, the state claims 11,829 on the road — 613 of these are in Clark County. Only two years ago, just 2,740 electric vehicles operated in the state.
The early acceptance of hybrid vehicles in the Pacific Northwest seems to make us a sweet spot for electric-powered cars. Additionally, our lower utility rates and mild climate makes it easier on these cars’ batteries.
“There are usually two cars sharing the charger at Clark Public Utilities at any given time,” said Lizzy Safranski, business services manager for the utility. “Our charger seems to be in continuous use and it definitely shows an increase in the number of vehicles recharging here.”
Consumers find several pluses to electronic vehicles. They emit no toxic gases, have little green house effect, don’t create smoggy conditions and are nearly noise-free.
Sales and models available have grown steadily over the past four years. Now just about every auto manufacturer from Chevrolet to Mercedes is producing one or more models for consumers. They span the gamut from the thrifty Nissan Leaf to the luxury Tesla for $90,000. These low- and high-end brands have caught consumer attention and have opened the market here — so you’ll see these and even plug-in Mercedes riding the roads around the county.
Because of the near constant use of the chargers at the utility, it’s considering expanding the number of chargers. “With the increase in electric vehicles used by our customers and employees, we’re reviewing options for adding charging stations at our other facilities,” said Dan Krebs, director of operations.
Incentives make jumping the technology curve from internal combustion to plug-in easier. Based on vehicle weight, the federal government offers a tax credit of between $2,500 and $7,500 for vehicles drawing 5 kilowatt-hours. This credit applies to vehicles manufactured from 2010 and after. It runs out once a manufacturer sells 200,000 models. The incentive excludes two-wheelers.
Washington state’s incentives on plug-ins include lease and sales tax exemption and no emission control or inspections. The annual licensing fee is $100. Gov. Jay Inslee has encouraged the Legislature to consider extending incentives and adding more for plug-in owners, including access to the carpool lane.
Traveling up the Interstate 5 corridor, drivers of plug-ins will find plenty of charging stations. To plan a route or to find stations, visit www.afdc.energy.gov/locator/stations. Locally you will find familiar places such as U-Haul, Fred Meyer and Walgreens stores, as well as many local car dealerships, outfitted with charging stations.
Electric vehicle chargers have levels, with the Level 2 charger being the most common around town. A Level 1 uses 120 volts alternating current taking up to 11 hours to recharge a dead battery. At 240 volts AC, a Level 2 charges a car in four to seven hours. Both Level 1 and 2 fit residential use. Level 3 chargers are not yet as common around town but these chargers can reload a battery to at least 80 percent in 30 minutes.
If you’re in the market to move to a plug-in vehicle, the utility suggests that you call before you install your own plug-in charger.
“Because the utility must plan for increases in electric usage, we’d appreciate customers calling us before installing one, so we can anticipate the increase,” Safranski said. “At this point, the impact is minimal. Still, it’s always good to know and helps to keep an eye on current trends.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
