With
the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 as well as worldwide initiatives to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, deciding whether to buy a gas, electric or hybrid vehicle in the next several years promises to be more challenging than
ever.
Gas availability and cost, battery production, charging station locations, and affordability might serve
up some preliminary wonderment. Then, more specific issues come to mind: What companies sell electric or hybrid vehicles? What are the costs? Which is better and why? The eResources available in the
Michigan eLibrary
(MeL) can be helpful in your initial investigations down the road to choosing the right vehicle.
EV & Hybrid - Cost
“Will
an Electric Car Save You Money?,”
an article from Consumer Reports in MasterFILE
Complete,
can begin answering some basic questions such as energy costs, tax credits, and reliability. While buyers can save up to $7500 in tax credits (for buying both new and used EVs), it depends on where the car was made, it’s price, and the buyer’s income. For
more on the EV tax credit, be sure and read in Kiplinger Personal Finance, “What
to Know about EV Tax Credits.”
EV & Hybrid – Charging
You may also be wondering about battery life. In fact, fear of running out of battery is a real thing. ‘Call
It What It Is: Charger Anxiety,’ an article in this month’s Motor Trend magazine, also in MasterFILE Complete, outlines
the current realities of EV travel across the United States. However, you can start locally and consider ‘Everything
You Need to Know about Charging an EV at Home (also in Motor Trend).
EV & Hybrid - Reviews
The
Road
Test section of Consumer Reports is a helpful guide, offering price estimates, rating systems, mileage range, and
other data to help inform buyers. These straight-forward reviews are fantastic, but they may not tell the whole story. A
recent
analysis in New Scientist, a publication in
Applied Science & Technology Source,
points out that 42% of all car sales in 2020 were SUVs. It turns out that the larger size of an electric SUV (rather than a small car) erases some of the climate gains from moving to electric in the first place.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to offer, the
eResources in MeL
can help point you in the right direction as you ponder your next vehicle purchase.
If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact
melerhelp@mcls.org for help.
Brought to you by
Ann Kaskinen from the MeL Team.
Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First.
Want more information on MeL? Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org,
or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery.
We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks.
MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only.
The MeL project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.
Ann Kaskinen
MeL Engagement Specialist, K-12
Midwest Collaborative for Library Services
517-325-5333
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