Plug-in Electric Vehicles

The document describes the technical operation of battery electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), noting that a range of 60 to 120 miles can satisfy the vast majority of daily travel needs. It details the 2012 U.S. market, highlighting the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF as dominant models and comparing specifications for several other vehicles. The text analyzes the economic impact of battery costs, the necessity of charging infrastructure, and the role of federal and state tax credits in making PEVs commercially viable.

• Electric vehicle range significantly impacts their ability to meet daily travel requirements; a 60-mile range could satisfy 83 percent of daily travel needs, while a 120-mile range would likely satisfy 95 percent.
• Despite the potential for pollution during electricity generation, plug-in vehicles using the most carbon-intensive coal-powered grids in the U.S. still produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the average gasoline vehicle.
• Battery costs are the primary expense for plug-in vehicles, with the Nissan LEAF's battery costing one third of the total vehicle. Average battery prices dropped 30 percent between 2009 and 2012 to $690 per kWh, with projections suggesting they could fall to $160 per kWh by 2025.
• U.S. federal incentives under the 2009 American Clean Energy and Security Act provide tax credits of $2,500 for qualified plug-in vehicles, plus $417 per kWh of battery capacity over four kWh, up to a maximum of $7,500 per vehicle.
• Public charging infrastructure in the U.S. is limited compared to gasoline stations, with only 8,000 public charging stations available. The federal tax credit for commercial charging stations expired at the end of 2011.

APA

Querejazu, D. (2012). Plug-in Electric Vehicles. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-plug-in-electric-vehicles

Chicago

Querejazu, Daniel. Plug-in Electric Vehicles. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2012. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-plug-in-electric-vehicles.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Querejazu |first1=Daniel |title=Plug-in Electric Vehicles |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=13 August 2012 |url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-plug-in-electric-vehicles |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{querejazu2012plugin, author = {Querejazu, Daniel}, title = {{Plug-in Electric Vehicles}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2012}, month = aug, url = {https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-plug-in-electric-vehicles}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }