Shopping for an EV

Use these tools to find an EV for your lifestyle

  • PlugStar Is a resource from Plug In America that is a one stop shop for purchasing an EV

  • Use this resource from Plug In America to answer questions and see which EV is best for you. 
  • Take this short quiz from Sierra Club to figure out which EVs are best for your lifestyle. 
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Used EVs

  1. What electric vehicles do you have available to test drive? Do you allow drivers to test drive vehicles for multiple days to learn more about the vehicle?
  2. What is the full range of this vehicle? 
  3. What is the size of the battery in kWh? How fast can the battery charge? (this varies by manufacturer/model). 
  4. Does the vehicle come with a standard, Level 1 charging cable? 
  5. Does the dealership have Level 2 or DC Fast Charging capabilities on-site and is it free for those who purchase a vehicle?
  6. Can anyone at the dealership do maintenance on an EV? Do you know of anywhere local that does EV maintenance or repairs?
  7. Does your dealership offer anything included with the purchase of an EV? For example, a pass for charging.
  8. For used EVs-How old is the vehicle? What does the range of the vehicle look like now compared to brand new?

Did you know most manufacturers have EV models available?

Click here to view all the Department of Energy’s full list of available models.

Things to Consider:

MPGE

This abbreviation stands for “miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent.” It measures the fuel efficiency of vehicles that run on non-liquid fuels like electricity. The EPA uses the precise amount of electric energy that's equal to the energy in one gallon of gasoline or 33.7 kilowatt-hours. EVs Typically get over 100MPGe that means spending less on fuel.

Charging Rates

The rate that electric vehicles can charge depends on the capability of the car. It also depends on the capability of the charging station. It will charge at whatever rate is lower. For example a 50 kW vehicle can only charge at a rate of 50 kW even if the charging station is capable of delivering energy at 350 kW. Conversely, higher capable vehicles can charge at lower capable stations, but they are limited to what the station can provide. This means if you purchase an EV with a lower charging rate it will take longer to charge when using DC fast charging.