Reprise: Is it really cheaper to charge a battery than to fill up a gas tank?

Talking Michigan Transportation

Note: This episode originally posted on Aug. 14, 2023.
On this week’s podcast, Michael J. Coren, the Washington Post’s climate advice columnist, talks about his recent reporting (subscription) on the cost of filling a vehicle’s fuel tank versus charging an electric vehicle (EV) battery.
The answer, he explains, is less straightforward than it seems.
He writes, “Just calculating the cost of gasoline versus electricity is misleading. Prices vary by charger (and state). Everyone charges differently. Road taxes, rebates and battery efficiency all affect the final calculation.”

Other references and links:
Finding on tailpipe emissions and EVs
https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2023/08/07/new_epa_tailpipe_standards_call_electric_vehicle_promises_into_question_970708.html
Pew research on Americans’ perceptions of EVs
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/07/13/how-americans-view-electric-vehicles/
Energy Innovation study of the cost to fill up
https://energyinnovation.org/publication/how-much-does-it-cost-to-fill-up-an-electric-vehicle-vs-a-gas-powered-car/
The early adopter era is over for EVs
https://www.axios.com/2023/08/09/electric-cars-adoption-rates

Luvut

1. Reprise: Is it really cheaper to charge a battery than to fill up a gas tank? (00:00:00)

2. Electric Vehicle Cost and Emissions Comparison (00:00:08)

3. Transitioning to Clean Energy and Infrastructure (00:15:21)

4. Costs of Carbon Emissions and EVs (00:24:51)