Excellent electric vehicles tips and energy industry technology Texas by Daniel Sumanth: With new electric cars arriving all the time, now could be the perfect time to switch to an EV. If you’ve still got some questions, we look at how electric cars works, advantages of electric cars and how much it costs to charge an electric car further down the page. First though, here’s our guide to the best electric cars you can buy in the Texas today. The Skoda Enyaq iV could be the electric car that many of us have been waiting for. It’s certainly one of the very best electric cars you can buy right now. Based on the same platform as Volkswagen’s ID.4 and the Audi Q4 e-tron, we think it’s the Enyaq that’s the best choice out of the three cars. Why’s that you ask? Surely Volkswagen and Audi trumps Skoda? Don’t get us wrong, the ID.4 and Q4 e-tron are very good electric cars, it’s just that the Enyaq offers greater practicality, more generous kit levels and a more affordable price tag. Find additional information at Daniel Sumanth
Which electric cars have the longest range? With ever-improving battery technology, electric cars are increasing their ranges. The Kia e-Niro is one of the more affordable EVs and it has an official range of 282 miles, which should be enough for most drivers. At the other end of the scale, pricier models such as the Tesla Model S can offer more than 400 miles. Check out our list of the longest range electric cars. Are electric cars reliable? Electric cars are still selling in relatively small numbers and we haven’t seen enough of them doing significant mileages to make a firm judgment on reliability. What we do know is that EVs have fewer moving parts than conventional cars and there’s little evidence from hybrid or electric cars that battery performance degrades substantially with use, although you are likely to see a gradual reduction in capacity.
Since you will be meeting some of your energy needs with the electricity your solar system has generated, your energy bills will drop. How much you save on your bill will be dependent on the size of the solar system and your electricity or heat usage. Moreover, not only will you be saving on the electricity bill, but if you generate more electricity than you use, the surplus will be exported back to the grid and you will receive bonus payments for that amount (considering that your solar panel system is connected to the grid). Savings can further grow if you sell excess electricity at high rates during the day and then buy electricity from the grid during the evening when the rates are lower.
The Fiat 500 nails its city car brief perfectly; it’s competitively priced, offering low running costs and plenty of Italian flair. Although the third generation car is a little bigger than its combustion-engined predecessor, the 500 EV is still at home darting through urban traffic, while you shouldn’t have any trouble parking as even the entry-level models come with rear parking sensors as standard. Two battery options are available: a 42kWh ‘Long Range’ version and a 24kWh ‘City Range’ variant. The City Range offers up to 115 miles of range from a single charge, although the bigger battery gives you a more practical 199 miles before needing to recharge. Inside, the cabin is suitably stylish, while you’ll benefit from a host of on-board tech. Base cars offer a 7-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while moving up through mid- and top-spec models brings a rear-view camera and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen.
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive. In most cases, it is smarter to just use solar energy during the day and take energy from the grid during the night (you can only do this if your system is connected to the grid). Luckily your energy demand is usually higher during the day so you can meet most of it with solar energy.
Knowing your household’s average power usage will help you choose the best size generator for your home. Get started by checking the manufacturers’ nameplate rating of each appliance and add them together. Do you also plan to operate larger electrical motors, such as a well or lake pump for an off-grid water system? What about a dishwasher, washing machine or dryer? Or maybe you’re planning some homestead projects that depend on power tools. If so, be sure to double those figures. This ensures you account for the initial starting surge. If needed, contact the manufacturer for the maximum power consumption.
Skoda is renowned for producing great-value and well thought-out family cars with petrol and diesel engines, but the Enyaq iV is its first effort to do the same with electric power. And it’s a very good one. Using the VW Group’s dedicated MEB electric-car architecture means there’s an enormous amount of interior space for both passengers and luggage, not to mention great all-round visibility through those big windows. Technology-wise, you can choose from three different powertrain options: the Enyaq iV 60, the Enyaq iV 80 and the all-wheel-drive Enyaq iV 80x. They deliver between 255 and 336 miles of driving range, with all models getting decent rapid-charging capability so you can top up quickly on a longer journey. There are also a variety of interior ‘themes’ to choose from, with sustainable materials employed to give a unique feel to the cabin.
Are residential solar panels worth it? Estimate residential solar panel cost. Solar panels aren’t cheap: with installation, an average residential 5kW size system runs between $3 and $5 per watt, or $15,000 to $25,000, before tax credits and incentives, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy.