Fact check: Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko’s comparison of electric car and traditional batteries misses key pointsThe cost of electric vehicle batteries varies widely, but $10,000 is a mid-range price, compared with the cost of $100 to $200 for a battery in a gas-powered vehicle.
“The average cost of replacing an electric vehicle battery is over $10,000, while the average cost of replacing the battery of a gas-powered car is $100-$200,” Lesko tweeted Aug. 30. “Democrats’ green energy only agenda will bankrupt the American people.” Replacing gas-powered cars and light trucks with electric versions is central to the government’s climate plans. The U.S. Transportation Department has set a goal of having 50% of newly sold vehicles be electric zero-emissions vehicles by 2030.
“The high-voltage propulsion battery in EVs should not be compared with the 12-volt starting/lighting/ignition batteries of all cars,” Whishart said “The fair comparison would be to compare the cost of the high volt battery and electric motor with the cost of the internal combustion engine and gasoline tank.”
Michael Kuby, a geographical studies and urban planning professor at ASU said that ultimately, the price comparison “depends on the total cost of ownership.”