Top perks of buying an electric vehicle

Buying an electric vehicle (EV) is a huge investment. It’s also an investment you want to maximize. As is, an EV is  a great choice to save money, reduce driving emissions and even access new cool tech innovations that can make your home’s energy usage more efficient.

In this blog, we’ll explore how owning an EV can open up new opportunities, that owning a fossil-fuel-powered  car does not include. So, let's dive into the major incentives of having an EV at home, from  savings to environmental impact and amazing tech.

Savings and incentives

• ‍Cheaper to "power" than traditional fuel cars: For example, let's use the upcoming EV, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range RWD, which has a 75.0kWh battery and can run 545km on a full charge. Suppose you are charging at home and paying 4,37 c/kWh (the average energy cost in May 2024 in Finland). That means a full charge of the Tesla Model 3 would have cost you €6,74 (including transmission fees, which are 4-5 cents on average). Considering that a regular fuel car needs 7-8L of gasoline per 100km to drive 545km in the same month, it would cost you 74€ at a 1.9€ per liter price (May 2024 fuel stats in Finland). That's a 10x cost when compared to charging an EV.‍
• Tax incentives: Many governments still offer tax benefits and incentives to EV owners. These incentives make the initial cost of buying an EV more affordable, helping you save money from the moment you purchase. In some countries these incentives are becoming less common and substancial because EV adoption has peaked. Below a quick rundown of tax benefits and incentives for EV drivers in the EU if you were to buy an EV right now. Want the full list? Check it here.

Positive climate impact

• ‍Lower emissions: By going electric, you are reducing your driving emissions - mainly because EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions. Then, you also have a ton of power when you charge. For example, you can reduce charging emissions if you charge at home with energy powered by clean sources like solar or wind power. Then, if you charge during hours of the day that are the cheapest, it usually means those are the cleanest because there’s less demand.  It is important to understand that the source of your electricity affects your carbon emissions. For example, if your country still uses a lot of fossil fuels for electricity production, your charging won’t be too clean.

• ‍Access to demand response services: By allowing your EV to respond to price signals and grid signals in the future through smart technology, you can get rewarded for charging during off-peak hours or even pausing charging when the grid is under stress, helping prevent blackouts while earning incentives. Synergi is building a solution to enable households to join these programs! These programs balance the electrical grid when there’s too much congestion at any given hour. You can deep dive into demand response, easily explained by the link here.

Access to smart tech

• Smart charging tools: Even though your EV brand has an excellent and functional app to handle all matters related to your EV, third-party apps like Synergi have become popular because they offer additional possibilities, like smart charging. Synergi app allows you to charge your EV when electricity is cheapest and usually greenest! So forget waking up in the middle of the night to charge; the Synergi app does it for you. Smart charging savings can easily reach ~230€ per year with frequent use. Every time you use smart charging, you save! You can check this article here if you’re curious about how Synergi smart charging works in practice.
• Integration with solar energy: With new companies and their innovative smart tech products coming into the picture, there’s even more for you to choose from. One of the secrets is offering people ways to combine the power of existing home energy devices with an EV, such as solar panels. Nowadays, almost everything can be connected via the cloud, so companies like Synergi have built integrations between EVs and solar panels. This allows you to charge your EV using  your own clean energy while transmission costs. You can check this article here if you’re curious about how Synergi solar charging works.

• ‍Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology: Your EV can work as a backup power source for your home or send energy back to the grid. This is called vehicle-to-grid. V2G has been under research and pilot projects by different EV manufacturers for many years. While the widespread rollout remains to be seen, Nissan is one of the first companies to integrate bidirectional chargers into their future EVs after a series of pilots globally. Bidirectional chargers allow electricity to flow between the EV battery and the power grid. EV owners can share electricity with their homes and devices or return it to the grid during peak hours. Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) includes aspects of V2G but aims to expand the EV capabilities to transfer electricity to the grid, your home, buildings, and other energy-consuming destinations.

Community and support

• ‍The EV community: Owning an EV is more than just a purchase – it’s a way to connect with a community of like-minded individuals committed to sustainability and innovation. We at Synergi know from experience that EV owners have some of the most active online communities. For example, many EV driver groups on Facebook have thousands of users communicating daily. Sharing tips and experiences within the EV group helps build a collective effort and awareness toward greener transportation. There’s also the community you’re part of depending on your EV brand. It’s no secret that Tesla drivers have truly vibrant and active communities globally. One of their cornerstone activities is the yearly “light shows” - a visual experience synchronizing vehicle lighting with music. However, it does not matter what EV you get; a network of like-minded peers is ready to share the journey with you!

Let’s wrap it up!

Whether you're considering purchasing your first EV or looking to maximize the benefits of owning one, consider all the possible tools and services available to you, such as smart charging solutions,  demand response programs, and EV communities. These tools make owning an EV a smarter and more rewarding experience for you and society!