New study finds increasing electric vehicle acceptance

Electric car ownership costs about $600 more annually than owning a conventional vehicle, including the purchase price, according to a new AAA/Mid-Atlantic study.

"But when you look at the price to actually fuel the vehicle, when you're looking at the price of electricity compared to the price of gasoline, it actually turns out that it is significantly less expensive," AAA's Tracy Noble said.

The AAA national study of more than 40,000 electric vehicle owners also shows that many who now drive them on a regular basis have reduced "range anxiety," the fear of being limited by the vehicle's battery charge.

That's in part because of experience, and in part because there are more charging stations around, Noble said.

Of those surveyed, two in five electric vehicle owners say they drive more now than when they owned gas-powered cars. The survey also found 96 percent say they would buy or lease another e-car the next time around.

"I think there's that comfort level that's coming and people are moving towards cleaner vehicles," Noble said.

Better than three out of five of the e-vehicle owners in the survey say they also have a gas-powered car.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5.