Guides
Electric car guides
Short, sourced answers to what EV buyers ask: leasing, charging, winter range, batteries and warranties. New to EVs? Start with the EV glossary.
- How to buy an EV, step by stepSix steps from budget to delivery: what to check, what to ask, and which numbers matter for a US buyer in 2026.
- EV leasing explainedWhat money factor, residual and cap cost mean, how a lease payment is built, and where dealers make money on one.
- Lease or buy an EV?Leasing moves the resale risk to the lender. Buying wins if you keep the car long. A simple way to decide.
- The federal EV credit is gone. What now?The $7,500 new credit, the used credit and the lease route ended September 30, 2025. The home charger credit ended June 30, 2026.
- What does home charging cost?Your rate times your car's energy use. With the state average, 1,000 miles a month adds tens of dollars to your bill, not hundreds.
- Do you need a home charger?A regular outlet adds a few miles an hour. A 240V Level 2 unit fills most cars overnight. Install costs run about $800 to $2,500.
- NACS or CCS?The US is moving to the Tesla-style NACS plug, now standardized as J3400. Many cars still have CCS. What that means when you charge.
- How much range do you lose in winter?Expect to keep about 78% of your range at 32°F and about 70% at 20°F. Why it drops, and how to lose less.
- How long does an EV battery warranty last?Automakers cover EV batteries for at least 8 years or 100,000 miles. The fine print is what counts as a failure.
- Used EV checklistBattery health, warranty left, charging port and charging history: what to check before you buy a used electric car.
- EV glossarykW, kWh, MPGe, NACS, CCS, Level 2 and the other terms on spec sheets, in plain English.