Don't be offended — most of us are. Below: 34 of the most common EV myths, each with a sourced TRUE / FALSE / MISLEADING verdict. Also here: a free Deal-Checker that flags junk fees on dealer quotes, the free Dealership Survival Kit, an EV finder, and a blog that doesn't waste your time.
Electric vehicles start on fire far less than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. While it's true that EVs can start on fire, only 25 fires are recorded for every 100,000 EVs sold. In comparison, approximately 1,530 gas vehicles and 3,475 hybrid vehicles were involved in fires on that same 100,000-sold scale.
Sources: Fair Fax County
While it's true that purchasing any new vehicle is going to be a costly endeavor, long-range electric vehicles actually cost less than the average internal-combustion engine vehicle. The five-year total cost of ownership of a financed EV is significantly less expensive than an ICE vehicle, and the same can be said for three-year leasing.
This is one of the most persistent myths about EVs, and it's flat-out wrong. EV batteries are outlasting the cars themselves. Many older Tesla models have hit 200,000 to 400,000 miles on their original battery packs and are still going strong. Nissan LEAF models are lasting 10-20 years, far beyond their 96-month, 100,000-mile warranties. On top of that, federal regulations require EV manufacturers to warranty their batteries for at least 8 years or 100,000 miles, so even in a worst-case scenario, you're covered.
Yes, EV batteries do degrade with use -- but far slower than people assume, and nothing like the cell phone in your pocket. EV packs degrade at roughly 1.8% per year on average, meaning after 10 years you'd still have over 80% of your original range, and even after 20 years you'd only have lost about 36%. Most owners never come close to wearing one out before selling the car. The "they're just like phone batteries" comparison is the part that really falls apart: phone batteries get a full charge cycle nearly every day and live in a thin case with almost no thermal management. EV packs have sophisticated liquid cooling and heating, are cycled gently (most owners only use 20-40% of capacity daily), and are engineered for a totally different lifespan. Comparing the two is like comparing a commercial airplane engine to a lawn mower.
If you want to extend battery life even further, the playbook is simple: avoid relying on DC fast charging for everyday use, don't leave the car baking in extreme heat or freezing for long stretches, and try to keep the state of charge between 20% and 80% when you can. Do that and the pack will likely outlast everything else on the car.
Sources: Clean Technica, Inside Evs, Pinnaclenissan, GEO tab, Car And Driver
When electric vehicles first gained traction in the U.S., only a small portion of the country had the right infrastructure for those cars to actually be viable options. This was due in large part to the electrical grid that they would have been charged on being powered by fossil fuels. Today, technologies and infrastructure have improved to the point that on a clean grid, an EV might create roughly 15% of the emissions of a gasoline car. Even on grids powered by fossil fuels today, an EV will produce emissions roughly equal to a gas-powered vehicle that gets 82 mpg, which is still a good deal better than the most efficient gas vehicle (which is the Toyota Prius at 57 mpg).
Sources: Clean Technica
It is no secret that Tesla has the largest network of charging stations across the country, and as a big name luxury brand, it would be easy to assume they don't play well with others. But in truth, Tesla has always claimed to desire opening its Supercharger network for any and every EV out there, and many brands are already taking advantage. The network includes three different types of chargers, including one type that is exclusive to Tesla. The second type is designed to charge any EV as long as you have a Magic Dock adapter. The third are NACS Superchargers, which can either be accessed through an adapter that many other brands are already handing out or by NACS-equipped vehicles, which are also starting to roll out. These are the brands currently capable of accessing NACS Superchargers: Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Rivian and Volvo.
Sources: Tesla
EVs are actually better equipped to handle water than gas-powered vehicles. The battery pack and all cabling are insulated and shielded to protect against water intrusion, and EVs are put through the same rigorous safety testing as any other vehicle. Here's the kicker: EVs have no air intakes, which means they can't hydrolock -- something that can instantly kill a gas engine when water floods in. No vehicle should be driven through seriously flooded conditions, but if you had to pick one to be in during a flood, the EV is the safer bet.
Sources: Electrifying
While it's true that Tesla was beginning to see a sales dip, this overshadowed the fact that many other companies were seeing an increase in sales for their own electric vehicles. In truth, American car buyers set a new record in the second quarter of 2024 by purchasing 330,463 EVs, a 23% increase over the preceding quarter, and an 11.3% increase over the previous year's Q2.
Sources: KBB
Here's what most people miss about EV charging: the vast majority of it happens at home, overnight, while you sleep. You plug in when you get home, wake up with a full battery every single morning -- something gas car owners can never do. No gas station trips, no waiting. For daily driving, charging time is essentially zero. On road trips, DC fast chargers can add 200+ miles of range in 20-30 minutes, which is about the time it takes to use the restroom and grab a coffee. Level 2 home chargers (240-volt, like a dryer outlet) can fully charge most EVs in a few hours. The "charging takes too long" argument only makes sense if you ignore the fact that EV owners spend far less total time refueling than gas car owners do.
Sources: Transportation
Yes, EV range does drop in cold weather -- but so does gas mileage, and nobody uses that as a reason not to buy a gas car. Gas vehicles lose 10% to 40% of their fuel efficiency in cold conditions according to the Department of Energy. EVs see similar drops of 10% to 20%, with some edge cases reaching 40%. The difference is that with modern EVs offering 250-350+ miles of range, a 20% drop still leaves you with plenty for daily driving. Most EVs also come equipped with features specifically designed for cold weather: preconditioning (warming the battery while still plugged in), heated seats, heated steering wheels, and heat pumps that retain significantly more range at lower temperatures. Cold weather is a manageable inconvenience, not a dealbreaker.
Sources: Carand Driver, EV Engineering Online, Energy Gov
This is a common complaint about many car companies, but the narrative has recently been applied to electric vehicles in general. The truth is that no car is truly "all-American," as car parts are sourced from countries all over the globe. To put it in perspective, a study by American University highlights the percentage of American parts used by automakers, and both Ford and GM - two of the most widely considered American brands - came in at just 54%. Do you know which brand scored the highest and is, therefore, the most American brand today? Tesla, at 81%. The study also includes a list of models, and the top four spots were claimed by 5 Tesla models, with a tie at #4, and they weren't the only EVs in the top 10.
Sources: KBB, American Education
This fear is understandable but the math is firmly on the EV's side. Electric vehicles require anywhere from 1.6 to 4.0 kW of energy per hour to keep the interior warm. That means a 60-kWh battery with even two-thirds of a full charge can keep you warm for 10 to 25 hours straight. Larger batteries or more charge means even longer. Compare that to a gas car: idling burns about 0.5-1 gallon per hour, so a half-tank might give you 6-10 hours -- and you also risk carbon monoxide poisoning if snow blocks the tailpipe. An EV has no exhaust, so there's zero CO risk. In reality, an EV is one of the safest vehicles to be stranded in during winter.
Sources: Recurrent Auto
Nobody is forcing you to buy an EV. There is no government mandate requiring you to purchase or drive an electric vehicle. What's actually happening is that emissions regulations are pushing automakers to produce cleaner vehicles -- and EVs happen to be the best way to meet those standards. But the bigger driver isn't regulation, it's the market. Automakers are investing in EVs because consumers want them: EV sales hit record after record, and companies like Tesla, Rivian, and others can't build them fast enough. Gas-powered vehicles will be available for years to come. The shift to EVs is happening because they're genuinely better products for most people -- lower fuel costs, less maintenance, better acceleration, and quieter rides.
Sources: Reddit
One of the most common complaints regarding the electrification of the automotive industry is the lack of infrastructure throughout the U.S. The truth is that there are more than 150,000 public AC charging points throughout the country, and around 50,000 public DC charging points as well. Each year the number of total charging outlets across the country has increased by thousands, including a jump of over 31,000 units from 2022 to 2023. Sources believe if the rate of EV adoption continues the way it has, the U.S. will need to bring the number of outlets to over 1.2 million by 2030, in other words we'll have to add about a million outlets over the next five years. However, thanks to Tesla opening up its North American Charging Standard connector to be utilized by other manufacturers, the network is much more accessible. Couple that with recent grants to the Department of Transportation for upgrading the infrastructure throughout the country, and things seem to be trending in the right direction.
Sources: EV Charging Stations, Consumer Affairs, Here
It's no secret that Tesla vehicles have received a number of recalls throughout the years, to the point that it seems like they receive more than any other company. But the main reason it seems that way is because of the publicity Tesla receives. When something goes wrong with a Tesla, it's immediately news, whereas an issue with a Ford doesn't become as noteworthy to the press or population. In fact, in 2024 Ford and Chrysler both issued 51 unique recalls, with four other brands issuing more than 20. How many did Tesla issue? 11, which is tied for the fourth fewest alongside Honda. Furthermore, the vast majority of the automaker's recalls have little to do with it being an EV, but rather affect things such as the hood latch, warning lights, TPMS and Autopilot. They also include software updates as recalls, which further inflates the number.
Sources: BRC legal, Cars, Nymag
One of the biggest selling points for the electrification of the industry is that it's better for the environment, ultimately helping with climate change in the long run. There are plenty of detractors out there who think otherwise, but we'll highlight two of their beliefs. The first is that EVs are actually worse for the climate than those with internal combustion engines because of the emissions from the power plants generating the electricity to charge them. While it's true that some sources of power emit carbon pollution, that does not change the fact that an EV creates less pollution than an ICE vehicle on average. The second opinion many detractors bring up is battery manufacturing, but even taking both the manufacturing and charging of EVs into account, they still have a smaller carbon footprint than gas-powered vehicles.
Sources: EPA Gov
You've likely heard detractors speak about how expensive it must be to maintain an electric vehicle, but they're only thinking about one part of the vehicle rather than the vehicle as a whole, so let's take a closer look at things. The Automobile Association of America, better known as AAA, puts together a study each year called Your Driving Costs, and in this study there is a breakdown of maintenance costs per mile for nine different types of vehicles. When it comes to maintenance costs, electric vehicles are by far the least expensive at 7.89 cents per mile. Medium sedans cost 10.89 cents per mile, while the second least expensive is small sedans at 9.55 cents. If you keep your EV long enough to require a battery replacement, that will indeed be expensive, but overall maintenance is quite a bit less expensive in an EV.
Sources: Cars US News, News Room
While we've already established that the number of EV fires is significantly lower than fires in other types of vehicles, they can still happen. Many people believe when these fires do occur, that they're almost impossible to put out, but that's not the case. The International Association of Fire Chiefs has established and disseminated processes across the nation teaching fire departments and their fighters how to deal with EV fires. While they can certainly take longer to put out than a gas-powered vehicle fire, the big positive is that there isn't as much of a rush to completely extinguish the fire. Fighting an EV fire is more about containment and allowing the battery to burn out completely to prevent the risk of reignition.
Sources: IAFC, Maritime Magazines
This claim is misleading because it conflates brand switching with rejecting EVs. When a Tesla owner buys a Ford next, that's not "returning" an EV -- that's switching brands, which happens constantly in the auto industry. In 2024, while 51% of Tesla owners chose a gas vehicle for their next car, 32% went to EVs from other brands and 16% went to hybrids or plug-in hybrids -- meaning nearly half stayed electrified. That's also a massive improvement from 2020, when 76% went back to gas. The trend is clearly moving toward EVs, not away from them. Meanwhile, overall EV sales continue to set records quarter after quarter. People aren't returning EVs -- a growing number are buying them for the first time.
Sources: Car scoops
This is one of the fossil fuel industry's favorite talking points, and it falls apart under any scrutiny. Even on the dirtiest electrical grids in the country, an EV produces fewer lifetime emissions than a comparable gas car. On a fossil-fuel-heavy grid, an EV still performs equivalent to a gas car getting 82 mpg -- far better than any gas vehicle on the road (the most efficient is the Toyota Prius at 57 mpg). And here's the key point: only 10% of EVs sold in the US are in states where 50%+ of electricity comes from coal, while over half are sold in states with significant renewable energy. As the grid gets cleaner every year -- and it is, rapidly -- every EV on the road automatically gets cleaner too. A gas car will pollute the exact same amount the day you junk it as the day you bought it.
Sources: EV Adoption
What about road trips and other long distance traveling? This is a question a lot of people ask when it comes to electric vehicles, and while all-electric ranges have been increasing each year it's still a valid question. Even if your vehicle gets over 300 miles on a full charge, what if you're traveling 600 miles? If you need to travel in your EV, you certainly can, as the infrastructure continues to expand. As long as you plan your route, you'll be able to make appropriate stops to recharge your vehicle at one of the ~200,000 charging stations throughout the country. All 50 states have charging stations, with only one (Alaska) having less than 100 charging ports as of 2025.
Sources: World Population Review
Although it might not be as practical, this is inherently false as you can technically charge your electric vehicle on any outlet, even your regular AC outlets at home. Every EV built today comes standard with a Level 1 charging unit, which is compatible with 110-volt outlets - the same outlets found just about anywhere around your home. One thing to keep in mind is that utilizing a 110v outlet to charge your EV is going to take far longer to fully charge; however, most typical commutes drain very little of your battery, meaning you'll only need to charge 10-20% to be full by morning. For those EV buyers that drive their vehicle more, anyone can upgrade their garage with a wall-mounted Level 2 charger. This still isn't going to be as quick as the DC fast charging stations you find in public, but it will cut down your time to charge compared to Level 1 by quite a bit.
Sources: Energy Gov
Without a doubt one of the biggest fears spread amongst the general American population in regards to the electrification of the automotive industry is that the nation's electrical grid won't be able to handle it. With nearly 3.5 million EVs on the road at the end of 2023, and a projection of nearly 26.5 million EVs by 2030, the demands for electricity are going to see a marked increase over the next five years. So, can the grid handle it? Using historic information and future projections, the answer is that it shouldn't be a problem at all, as trends dictate we'll see around a 1% increase in required electricity production per year, and the U.S. has seen a 3.2% average increase in production each year for several decades. That's not to say that work can't or shouldn't be done to improve the grid, but it should have no problems handling an influx of EV production over the next several years.
Sources: Cars US News
The vast majority of electric vehicles are built with protecting their batteries in mind. While the battery is typically located under the floor of the vehicle, it has all sorts of external protection to prevent things like road salt and water from touching it. So, on its own, road salt is almost zero threat to EV batteries. However, the real threat comes in the form of saltwater, which can obviously be created from road salt. Saltwater can cause short circuiting in your EV's battery, which can ultimately cause fires, if it spreads between both its positive and negative terminals. But this is only a real issue if your EV is left submerged in saltwater, such as from ocean flooding. So, you won't want to take your EV water fording near the ocean, and make sure to park in high places if winter flooding is a concern.
Yes, taxpayers fund EV tax credits -- just like they fund subsidies for oil and gas, which receive an estimated $20 billion or more per year in federal subsidies and have for over a century. The federal EV tax credit was up to $7,500 per vehicle, though it was repealed and ended for purchases after September 30, 2025 (state and utility incentives still exist). A 2024 study by economists from multiple universities found that EV credits under the Inflation Reduction Act directly benefit buyers, have measurably slowed climate change effects, and have shifted manufacturing back to U.S. soil -- the credits literally require vehicles to be assembled in North America to qualify. Meanwhile, oil subsidies come with no such requirements and prop up an industry that contributes to air pollution responsible for tens of thousands of premature deaths annually. If you're upset about taxpayer money going to EV credits, you should be furious about fossil fuel subsidies.
Sources: VC research
This one has a kernel of truth wrapped in a lot of misdirection. Yes, cobalt is used in many lithium-ion batteries, and yes, the Democratic Republic of the Congo produces more than 70% of the world's cobalt -- and a portion of that mining (specifically the small "artisanal" sector, which is roughly 15-30% of DRC output) does involve child labor. That part is real and worth being angry about. The misleading part is the framing that EVs are somehow uniquely responsible. Cobalt has been in your cell phone, laptop, tablet, power tools, cordless vacuum, wireless headphones, and medical equipment for decades. If cobalt mining bothers you, the EV is the smallest device in your house using it.
It also ignores how fast the EV industry is actively moving away from cobalt. Lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries -- which contain zero cobalt -- now power roughly 40% of new EVs sold globally, including the standard-range Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, most BYD vehicles, and a growing share of Ford and Rivian packs. Sodium-ion batteries (also cobalt-free) are starting to hit the market. The cobalt content of the average EV battery has dropped more than 60% since 2018 as manufacturers shift to high-nickel and cobalt-free chemistries. On top of that, automakers like Tesla, Ford, and GM have signed onto supply-chain auditing programs (the Responsible Minerals Initiative, IRMA, etc.) specifically to keep artisanally-mined DRC cobalt out of their packs.
Bottom line: the underlying concern about exploitative mining is legitimate, but pinning it on EVs while the same metal sits in the phone you're typing the complaint on is the misleading part.
Sources: Dol Gov, News Mit Edu, Drive Electric TN
Another type of alternative-fuel vehicle that has been around for quite some time is the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle. The first HFCV came in 1966, but the first mass-produced model wasn't until 2013. A lot of people think that hydrogen-based vehicles are an even better answer than regular electric vehicles, but in actuality this statement is false. EVs are actually more efficient than their hydrogen counterparts. An infographic from Transport & Environment depicts the difference between them excellently, breaking down where energy losses occur for all three types of vehicles: battery electric, fuel cell and conventional. While conventional cars have an overall efficiency of 13%, HFCVs only increase that figure to 22% whereas EVs offer 73%.
Sources: Inside EVs (Transport & Environment data)
No matter which type of idiot you are, there's a solid chance you've heard this phrase a handful of times throughout the past several years. That's because it's actually a story that makes the rounds literally every year. Every year multiple news stories surrounding Tesla claim, for some reason or another - whether it be the fact that they were burning through cash, that they planned to sell a vehicle for too cheap, or that they're facing some dangerous issue - that they could, should or would be going bankrupt. But the proof is in the pudding -- and the pudding is the balance sheet. In the third quarter of 2025 alone, Tesla pulled in a record $28 billion in revenue, booked $1.4 billion in profit, and was sitting on tens of billions of dollars in cash. Companies actually circling bankruptcy don't post record quarters with a war chest like that. Tesla has proven its detractors wrong time and again, and they're showing no REAL signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Sources: Tesla Q3 2025 SEC Filing
It's difficult to argue with how satisfied someone is with a product or service. That's how they feel, and no matter what someone else thinks or believes, it's not going to change how someone feels. That's what makes things like J.D. Power surveys and awards such great benchmarks within the automotive industry. For example, the U. S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study showcases the overall satisfaction automobile owners feel with their vehicle. J.D. Power then compiles those vehicles into a point-based system that compares overall brands against one another. Although brands like Rivian and Tesla are not eligible to be given awards, they still go through the process. While the actual winner of the 2024 APEAL Study was Porsche with 891, Rivian surpassed them with a score of 900. Similarly, Rivian was the only brand to receive a 5/5 Satisfaction Score in Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction surveys.
Sources: JD Power, Consumer Reports
On paper, most gas cars can go further on a full tank than most EVs can on a full charge -- but that stat misses the point entirely. The average American drives about 37 miles per day. Even the most affordable EVs on the market offer 200+ miles of range, covering nearly a week of typical driving on a single charge. For the 95%+ of driving that's daily commuting and errands, range is a non-issue. And EV ranges keep climbing. Here are the top five highest all-electric ranges on the market in 2025: Lucid Air at 512 miles, Cadillac Escalade IQ at 460 miles, Rivian R1T at 420 miles, Tesla Model S at 402 miles, and Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ at 390 miles. For road trips, fast chargers can add 200+ miles in 20-30 minutes. Range anxiety is becoming range irrelevance.
Sources: Coltura
This used to be one of the biggest reasons to buy an EV -- but the rules changed, so the answer is now "it depends." The federal Clean Vehicle Credit of up to $7,500 for a new EV (and $4,000 for a used one) was repealed and ended for any vehicle purchased after September 30, 2025. So if a salesperson tells you the EV comes with a $7,500 federal credit today, they're working off an old script.
The good news is that plenty of money is still on the table -- just not from the IRS. Many states offer their own rebates worth a few thousand dollars, lots of utility companies will pay you $500 to $1,500 just for owning an EV and charging during off-peak hours, and the federal credit for installing a home charger (the 30C credit) is still around. It's a patchwork that changes by ZIP code and by month, so the move is to check exactly what your state, city, and utility offer where you live before you buy.
Sources: IRS
Despite the fact that many people seem to believe EV batteries wind up at landfills, which would admittedly be a very bad thing for the environment, Tesla has confirmed that 0% of its batteries end up in landfills. How is that possible? Because 100% of its old and no-longer-usable batteries are recycled instead! They have even gone so far as to introduce their own in-house battery recycling systems. Tesla isn't alone in this regard, as other EV companies recycle their batteries as well. For example, Nissan recycles its old batteries into street lights in Japan, while Hyundai uses its old recycled batteries to shore up electrical grids.
Sources: Motor Biscuit
There are tons of different reasons a vehicle might crash, many of which have very little to do with what kind of vehicle is actually being driven. Even still, a lot of detractors believe that EVs are out there crashing more often than conventional cars, but the truth is actually quite the opposite. According to a study by the Highway Loss Data Institute, insurance claims for electric vehicles occur roughly 20% less frequently than those for conventional cars, which indicates that they actually crash less often.
Sources: Torque News
This is one of those claims that sounds reasonable in theory but has been completely disproven by reality. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been around since the 1960s and have had decades to gain traction -- and they haven't. As of 2022, only about 70,200 hydrogen cars had been sold worldwide compared to over 26 million plug-in electric vehicles. In the US in 2023, just 3,143 hydrogen cars were sold versus 380,000 battery EVs.
The infrastructure tells an even bleaker story. The entire United States has only 53 public hydrogen refueling stations, 52 of which are in California, compared to over 65,000 EV charging stations nationwide. By 2020, all but three automakers had abandoned plans to manufacture hydrogen passenger cars. Toyota Mirai sales fell to just 1,702 units globally through November 2024. Only two hydrogen car models are even available to buy: the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo.
Hydrogen may have a future in heavy-duty trucking, shipping, or industrial use where batteries are impractical, but for passenger vehicles, the market has spoken decisively. EVs won.
Sources: Wikipedia
This number gets thrown around constantly, and it's almost always wrong. EV battery replacement costs vary by pack size and model, but the $25,000 figure is a worst-case Plaid-tier outlier presented as if it's the norm. Take Tesla as the example since it's the most-cited brand: real-world out-of-warranty replacements on a Standard Range Model 3 typically run $12,000-$14,000, and Reddit owners have posted service receipts as low as $11,000-$13,000 for the full job including labor. Long Range Model 3 and Model Y packs come in around $13,000-$16,000 installed. Even the larger Model S and Model X packs generally land between $13,000 and $20,000 -- not $25,000.
More importantly, almost no one actually pays out of pocket for a new pack. Federal rules require EV manufacturers to warranty their batteries for at least 8 years or 100,000 miles, and modern packs routinely outlast the rest of the car (see "EV batteries don't last long"). On top of that, third-party refurbishers offer rebuilt packs at a fraction of OEM pricing, most degraded packs can be repaired at the module level rather than swapped wholesale, and industry-wide battery pack prices have dropped roughly 90% since 2010 -- and they're still falling.
Bottom line: the "$25,000 battery" is a scary sticker price for a repair the vast majority of EV owners will never need -- and when they do, it usually costs far less.
Sources: Recurrent Auto, SlashGear, Tesla Motors Club, BloombergNEF