Save money and go green by driving an electric vehicle
Check out the many benefits to switching to an electric vehicle.
A smoother, more efficient ride. Zero dollars spent on gasoline. Less overall maintenance. Are you on board yet? Check out the many benefits to switching to an electric vehicle.
Tax time will be better than ever.
You can earn a $2,500-$7,500 federal tax credit just by purchasing an EV.
Gas stations be gone.
Charge easily at home, work or hundreds of public charging stations around the Tennessee Valley.
Save money.
EVs can be up to 5 times less costly to operate compared to gas- and diesel-powered cars. This can save you up to $1,000 a year on gas and general maintenance.
Go green.
EVs have no tailpipe emissions. The power plant producing your electricity may produce emissions, but electricity from hydro, solar, nuclear or wind-powered plants is generally emission-free.
Learn more about EVs from TVA EnergyRight.
SVEC added a Chevrolet Bolt to our fleet of vehicles in 2019. Charging is as easy as plugging it in to an outlet. We have found this EV fun to drive with TONS more power than expected.
FAQs
The distance you can travel on a full charge will vary based on the vehicle type, battery size and age, and other factors, such as topography and driving habits.
In general, though, the Nissan Leaf is expected to be able to travel about 100 miles on a full charge. Drivers of the Chevy Volt, which operates on both electricity and gasoline, should be able to travel for about 40 miles before the vehicle starts using gasoline.
You can charge your EV any time of day at the same rate, SVEC does not change rates throughout the day.
Yes, you can charge your vehicle at home. The new generation of electric vehicles will have standardized connectors to charge as either Level 1 (120-volt) or Level 2 (240 volt).
The cost for charging will depend on the vehicle's battery size. The Nissan Leaf now comes equipped with a 24 or 30-kilowatt-hour battery. So, if you charge your vehicle from a 50-percent charge to 100 percent (about 12-kilowatt-hours), it would cost a little more than a dollar with residential rates at about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour.
That will depend on your vehicle's battery size and whether you are using Level 1 or Level 2 charging. As an example, the Nissan Leaf is expected to take 18 to 24 hours to charge with Level 1 and 4 to 8 hours with Level 2 according to Nissan.
Much like adding a pool or hot tub at your home, there will be considerations you will need to make regarding the electric service at your house. You need to work with your vehicle dealer. The electrician will need to purchase a State Electrical Permit and arrange for an inspection by the state. Depending on the age of your home, you may require service panel upgrades. Level 2 charging equipment will require a 240-volt, 40-amp dedicated circuit connected to a breaker. It will need to be hard-wired directly to the circuit by a licensed electrician. You should also contact SVEC to determine if any SVEC system upgrades will be needed.
Level 1:
Charges at 120 volts, the same voltage as a standard home electric outlet. Level 1 would be like running a hair dryer for the amount of time it takes to charge your vehicle.
Level 2:
Charges at 240 volts, the same voltage as a clothes dryer outlet. Vehicles charging with a Level 2 system would use about as much energy as running both a handheld hair dryer and clothes dryer for the time it takes to charge your vehicle.
DC Fast Charge:
Requires 3 phase power. There will be 60 fast-charge locations installed in Tennessee around Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga.
Current and future electric vehicle owners can learn more about tax credits, emissions, charger locations and more by checking out TVA's Energy Right Solutions website: https://energyright.com/electric-vehicles/