Frequently Asked Questions

Most pure electric cars can go about 130km before needing to be recharged. Most people drive much less than that in a day. They’ll charge overnight at home and be good for the day.

The Tesla Model S has a much longer range, about 400 km. Other cars, like the Chevrolet Volt, go a much shorter distance on battery power but include a gas engine to extend the range of the battery.

Most people charge at home. You can use a standard 100V outlet. If you have a 240V dryer outlet, that will be quicker.

You might be able to charge at work, depending on your employer.

Finally, you can charge at a public charging station. The PlugShare website is a terrific source of information on the location of public chargers.

If you charge at home, you will pay standard rates for electricity to charge your car. That amounts to 3–5 times less than what it costs to fuel a gas-powered car. Some employers provide free charging at work for their employees. There are many public charging stations (over 250 in the Lower Mainland), for example at shopping malls and libraries, and many of those are free.


But suppose you do have to replace the battery—what would that cost? Nissan provided us with one data point when they announced a battery replacement program for the LEAF. The cost is $5,499 plus installation fees and tax.



The total cost of an electric car over its lifetime is often less than that of a comparable gas car. They cost a bit more up front but you get that back in fuel savings and reduced maintenance costs. The details depend on which car you buy and what you are comparing it to. This website shows a cost comparison between several popular electric cars and their gas-powered equivalents.

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