The Cost of Fuel for Our Two Cars

Julie and I are driving (loving) our two electric cars, A BMW ActiveE and a Honda Fit EV. Both cars are working perfectly for our lifestyle.  This simple chart above we created using our real world experience and cost.

We both drove gasoline cars for nearly 30 years, we have been driving EV’s for five years.  We look forward to driving the ever improving EV’s powered by solar for the next 25 plus years. The EV’s have simply proven to be better cars that are more fun to drive, easier to drive, fuel and maintain.  We're a pretty typical family for suburban dwellers, 2 car family & garage, normal to high miles per year, lots of trips all over So-Cal.  Yes, once or twice a year we rent a car or trade with a family member to go on a road trip. They enjoy the experience of having an EV for a week or two.

A few points about the chart, it’s overly simplified in order to be very easy to understand.  

Both oil and sunshine begin as free. One finds you, the other you have to look for. One is getting less costly and easier, the other is getting more costly and harder. One has a short conveyance chain, the other a long one.

The Solar PV system is paid in full at a cost that is less than 4 years of buying gasoline.

Our actual mileage driven is 12,000 a year for me and 18,000 for Julie for a total of 30,000 miles per year.

The BMW ActiveE travels 3.4 miles per Kwh, The Honda Fit EV travels 4 miles per Kwh.  The BMW i3 will be equal to or more than the Honda Fit EV as it weighs far less.  We choose to use 4 miles per Kwh.  Your mileage per Kwh may vary (I love saying that!)

Our Solar PV system is already paid with the savings as we installed it in 2007.   

 Gas in our area is $4.40 a gallon, we choose to use $4.00 a gallon.

The historic increase in gasoline cost is 3.5% per year.  Over the last 10 years the increase in gasoline cost is 9.2% (source EIA)  We choose to use the 3.5% year over year number.

The cost of transmission lines is not included in the Solar PV equation.

The cost of port facilities, protection of shipping lanes, roads to transport the fuel and health care cost are not included in the gasoline equation.

Solar PV generation is higher in some places and lower in others, check you area here. http://gisatnrel.nrel.gov/PVWatts_Viewer/index.html

If you factor in Solar PV TOU rates (Peak time you sell your solar energy at a high price and Super off peak you charge your EV’s at low rates) the system size and cost would be 30% less. We did not factor in a TOU rate plan.

Solar PV system cost can vary, in San Diego California  it's running about $3250-$3750 per kw system size.

Cheers!
Peder 70,000 Sunshine powered miles. 

Laundromats & Gas Stations

Only a nostalgia buff could love the experience of a Laundromat.  I will grant you that they did serve for some as a “Mix and Match Dot Com” where true love was found along with the odd homeless single sock. In the romantic sense, Laundromats are far superior to gas stations.  

Most of us cheered the day when we had ascended in life to the convenience of having our very own personal washer and dryer. We could do laundry whenever we wanted, as much as we wanted, in the security of our home. We promised ourselves in silence, to never go back to the Laundromat. 

Gas stations are just like Laundromats, a mandatory drudgery that needs to be undertaken once a week during which you get to spend $60-$75 for the privilege of sharing with your community, a gas pump.

If only the price of gasoline were as stable as the prices at the Laundromat. The smell of soap far more pleasant than that of oil and gasoline. The chance for romance...at the gas station, forget it. At the gas station they charge you $4.00 for the gas to drive 25 miles.

Yesterday, the lines at Costco for gas

Following on the heels of the great inventions; the personal washer and dryer, now emerging is the personal fueling station. 

The personal fueling station is installed in your garage allowing you to fill up the car in the safety and security of your own home. You can fuel whenever you want, as much as you want. When you ascend in the convenience of your life thus having your own personal fueling station, you promise yourself in silence, to never go back to a gas station.

Once installed your own personal fueling station cost you $0.75 or less to drive 25 miles.  If you’re really adventurous,  you can make the fuel on the rooftop of your garage via sunshine for $0.40 to drive 25 miles, 1/10th the cost of buying an equivalent gallon of gasoline at a gas station. This cost is essentially fixed in price for the future.

How much does this personal fueling station cost? Far less than the average cost of a washer and dryer.  

What do I have to do to prepare for a personal fueling station? The hookup is similar to a washer or dryer.

The gasoline car and gas station are beginning to look very antiquated. 

Cheers
Peder 70,000 Sunshine powered miles.