The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released new data showing that although most electric vehicles (EVs) have shorter ranges than gasoline vehicles, there are EVs with ranges equal to or greater than some gasoline-powered models – and further, that the median range for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is 440 miles longer than the 412-mile median range for gasoline models.
For the 2016 model year (MY), the maximum range for an all-electric vehicle is 294 miles, while the minimum range for a gasoline model is 240 miles.
PHEVs use both gasoline and electricity drawn from the grid, and as such, the all-electric range of PHEV models varies greatly. The DOE finds that the total gasoline and electric range of a PHEV is between 150 miles and 600 miles in MY 2016 vehicles.
The DOE says the ranges for EVs have been increasing since their debut in the mass market, but technological improvements have also increased the ranges for gasoline vehicles. For 2016, the median range for gasoline vehicles is 412 miles, while the highest range is just over 700 miles.
Yes, but I can refuel my gasoline powered vehicle in under 2 minutes. I don’t have to plug it in and let it sit before continuing on my journey. I could never road trip from Denver to Phoenix in a single day (like I did in April) with an electric car.
You could in a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) as outlined in the article with a better range than your gasoline only. Then when you are driving in town, you could be driving on all electric while plugging in at night while you sleep. I recommend trying it!