GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Whether you are EV curious or own an EV, we are taking this week to break down all there is to know about electric vehicles.
Let's start with the basics.
What is an Electric Vehicle (EV)?
A battery electric vehicle or BEV is a car that’s powered strictly by its battery — no gas, just electricity. There are different types of BEVs but all of them have charge ports. That’s where you plug in your car and charge it like your cellphone battery. You can do this from home or on the road at designated charging stations. The travel range of an electric vehicle can vary based on the brand, but anywhere from 75 to 400 miles on a single charge is possible. These cars are known for making little noise and having a clean environmental footprint.
Our Car
Lafontaine Ford of Grand Rapids provided us with a Ford Mach-E. The range to travel on a full charge is 280 to 300 miles. Eligible buyers of a Mustang Mach-E may currently qualify for $3,750 in federal tax credits and the car starts at $45,995.
General Sales Manager, Jeremey Trent, about the car and what to expect.
"This is a sports performance car with 480 horsepower. Its family versatile with leather interior, 15.5" screen and Apple Car Play," explained Trent.
This Week
Now that we know the basics, we will spend the next four days looking into the different topics.
Our trip will take us from Grand Rapids to Mackinaw City, to Port Huron, to Detroit and back to Grand Rapids.
On Tuesday, we will look into the status of Michigan’s infrastructure, as well as how much it would cost you to install a charger into your personal home.
On Wednesday, we will look at all things climate-related. We talk to climate experts about the environmental footprint of an electric vehicle from start to finish and if it's really more environmentally friendly than a gas-powered car. We also spoke with a local physician on the health impacts a gas-powered has on vulnerable communities.
On Thursday, we cover all things economics. Questions we hope to answer include: what incentives are available, what jobs are being created from electric vehicles and what programs are being made to fill the need for trained electricians and mechanics.
If you have questions about electric vehicles, you can text CAR at 616-559-1310 to ask your questions and receive content from this week.
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