Electric Vehicles

Electric Vehicles (EVs) help drivers save money + reduce emissions:

• $6,000 – $10,000 average savings over vehicle lifetime, when switching to an EV.  EV fuel and maintenance cost savings can offset higher purchase prices.[1]
• 66% emissions reductions – The lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions reductions savings potential of EVs operating on the Virginia Dominion Energy grid.[2]
• $4,600 saved in maintenance and repair costs, lifetime average savings per EV, as   EVs have fewer moving parts, do not require oil changes, utilize regenerative braking, and more.[3]
• EVs can reduce hazardous air pollutant emissions, particularly benzene, which correlates to improved air quality and reduced negative health impacts of pollution, such as asthma.[4]
• Switching to an EV is equivalent to planting 77 trees over 10 years.[5]
• Walking, biking, and riding public transportation remain the preferred modes of travel in Arlington, but when you need to drive, drive an EV!

Why EVs?

To directly address the planet’s climate crisis, Arlington County’s Community Energy Plan (CEP) is creating a carbon neutral Arlington by 2050. EV deployment is one of the key strategies to achieve this goal, through:

• Electrifying the County vehicle fleet by 2050
• Accelerating electric vehicle adoption in the private and commercial sectors

Supporting a network of convenient charging stations throughout Arlington. EVs offer lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. While EV purchase prices can be higher than ICE vehicles, the vehicle cost is often offset by federal, state, and utility incentive programs and lower maintenance costs.

There are now more than 7 million passenger EVs on the road worldwide, with new EV makes and models announced weekly. The federal government is supporting the EV market with plans to electrify the federal fleet and calls for the installation of 500,000 new charging stations nationwide over the next decade. Automakers have announced that in the next 5 years, over 200 new electric models will be released, including:

• GM plans 30 new EV models by 2025 and all-electric cars, SUVs, and vans by 2035. 
• Ford plans new electric crossover SUV, pickup truck, and sprinter van along with a $27 Billion investment in EVs by 2025.
• Audi pledges 1/3 of its portfolio will be electric by 2025.
• Volvo will electrify all of its vehicles by 2030.

EV 101

There are over 35 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and 20 battery-electric vehicles available on the market for light-duty vehicles, as of March 2021. For a full list of available models, see the FuelEconomy.gov website.

Electricity rates play a substantial role in fueling costs, with residential charging being the cheapest option as EV owners can plug-in directly to their home power supply. Time-of-use (TOU) rates are even available locally to offer cheaper electricity rates overnight, when grid demand is lowest, and when vehicles can be programmed to charge.

How do I charge?

To learn more about how to install a charging station, operate a charging station, or charge in public visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Learn about Direct Current (DC) EV Charging

Other resources:

• Dominion’s EV page and calculator
• State and utility programs
• Federal incentives 
• Hybrid and PEV resources
• Emissions by Vehicle Type