Never Overlook This Key Factor When Choosing Between a Hybrid and an EV

Electric vehicles (EVs) seem to be experiencing a slowdown in sales in 2024. Not everyone is excited about buying a new EV. Some people have "range anxiety" or are concerned about the cost of insurance for EVs. Other people worry about the high price of EVs compared to traditional gas-powered cars, especially if a new EV doesn't qualify for the $7,500 of EV tax credits.

But along with these other challenges, there's one big factor that more people should pay attention to when deciding between buying an electric vehicle or sticking with a (partially) gas-powered hybrid: Can you charge your EV at home?

Home charging of EVs is one of the biggest benefits of owning an electric vehicle -- or depending on your home and garage situation, one of the biggest drawbacks. Let's look at a few reasons why your ability to charge an EV at home (or not) could be a dealbreaker for buying an electric vehicle in 2024.

How to charge your EV at home

In all the discussion about range anxiety, keep in mind that electric vehicles can be charged with a regular power outlet at your house. It's amazing but true: You can fuel your electric vehicle with the same type of outlet that you'd use for a blender, toaster, or weedeater.

Level 1 charging

Any mass-produced EV will be equipped with a 110-volt compatible (Level 1) charging unit. You can use this unit to plug your EV into any standard 110-volt household power outlet for Level 1 charging. If you have a power outlet in the garage or an exterior power outlet by your driveway, you can charge your EV at home.

The downside of Level 1 home EV charging with a standard home outlet is that it takes time. According to stats from the U.S. Department of Energy, Level 1 charging adds about four to five miles of battery range per hour. Tesla says that its charging speed is three miles per hour with a standard household outlet.

Let's imagine you just got home from a long road trip and your EV is almost out of battery. You want to fully recharge the battery by adding 200 miles of range. With a typical EV and average charging speed, this might take 40 to 50 hours of continuous charging.

Depending on your lifestyle and how often you drive your EV, you might be able to get by just fine with a standard household outlet. Electric vehicle owners on Reddit have commented that most EV drivers can charge their vehicles for 10 to 12 hours per day, which could add a total of 60 miles of battery range per day.

If you work from home and don't need to drive your car every day, you could easily recharge to the full amount of battery range just by leaving your EV plugged in for a few days at a time. Average daily commuters might also get plenty of EV charging power at home. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that the average American drives about 37 miles per day. Even if your EV only gets four miles of range per hour of home charging, you could easily cover that amount by charging your car overnight.

Level 2 charging

If you crave a fully recharged battery and aren't satisfied with four miles of range per hour, you can pay extra to buy and install a 240-volt Level 2 charger at your home. You will need to hire a professional electrician for this.

For example, Tesla sells a 240-volt Wall Connector for home charging with a price of $475 and a cost of about $750 to $1,500 to install. But if you want faster charging speed, Tesla's Wall Connector can add 44 miles of range per hour -- almost 15 times the speed of charging a Tesla with a regular household outlet.

Can't charge your EV at home? Here's what to do instead

Not everyone has access to a garage or a reliable parking spot. If you can't count on home-based EV charging, you'll need to go to Level 3 of EV charging: DC Fast Charging.

DC Fast Charging uses Direct Current (DC) to charge batteries faster. This type of EV charging can deliver 100 to 200-plus miles of range in about 30 minutes. Depending on your battery's capacity and level of charge, you might be able to regain 80% of your battery range in 20 minutes of charging with DC Fast Charging.

Depending on where you live, you might be able to find enough nearby DC Fast Charging stations to provide you with enough battery range to meet your everyday driving needs. In the same way that gas-powered cars need a weekly trip to the gas station, you might just need to plan on a weekly charging run. Find EV charging stations near you at the U.S. Department of Energy's website.

When to buy a hybrid instead of an EV

If you're still worried about range anxiety and the higher costs of EV car insurance and you don't want to worry about finding a nearby functioning EV charging station, you might want to stick with a car that can run on gas. Good news: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) can also qualify for the EV tax credits of up to $7,500 for a new car, or up to $4,000 for a pre-owned vehicle!

I drive a plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius Prime, and I love it. It charges easily (22 miles of range in six hours) with a standard home outlet in my garage, and it also takes good ol' gasoline. Choosing a hybrid instead of an EV can help you save money on gas without running out of range.