Less "fill 'er up," more "charge it".

• Author: Hartman, Kristy
• Position: TRENDS

It costs $1.29, on average, to drive an electric vehicle the same distance as a conventional car travels on $3.30 worth of gasoline, according to a 2014 U.S. Department of Energy estimate.

Not only does it cost less to "fill er up," but electric vehicles help reduce U.S. dependence on petroleum, which currently dominates the transportation sector. They run on electricity, produced by domestic resources such as coal, natural gas, nuclear and renewable sources. Since electric cars use little or no petroleum--unlike a conventional internal combustion engine--they can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Varieties of electric vehicles on the market include:

* Hybrid electric vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, which combine technologies of an internal combustion engine with electric propulsion. They reduce fuel use by allowing the electric motor and batteries to capture energy that would be lost in conventional vehicles.

* Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, such as the Chevy Volt, which use electricity stored in rechargeable battery packs in the car. They plug into an external source of electricity--such a power outlet--to be charged. They switch to gasoline once the battery power is depleted to extend their range.

* All-electric cars, which run entirely on an electric motor and rechargeable battery. The Nissan Leaf, the best selling all-electric vehicle, is designed to go about 80 miles on a single charge.

More than 260,000 plug-in electric vehicles have been sold since 2008, according to the Electric Drive Transportation Association, an electric-vehicle advocacy group, and at least 22 electric models are on the market. The 8,000 charging stations from coast to coast aren't enough to make it convenient for all...