LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As gas prices continue to rise across the country, some drivers in Las Vegas are looking for relief by considering buying an electric or hybrid car.
According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in Las Vegas went up nearly $1.15 from a month ago. The price is about $0.80 away from reaching the all-time high of $5.61 set in June 2022.
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Corey Cantor is the research director for the Zero Emission Transportation Association.
"Edmunds found that interest in electric vehicles and hybrids in terms of their searches in an individual week— what they call research activity— has increased from around 20% maybe three weeks ago up to nearly 24% between March 9 and 15th," Cantor said.
Cantor told me that if gas prices remain high, interest could turn into more people actually making the switch.
"During times of high gas prices, consumers will look for more fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles," Cantor said.
When asked how much people actually save when they switch to an electric vehicle, Cantor highlighted the financial benefits.
"Consumers in Nevada, according to the latest data update that we did about a week ago, can save between $1,000-$2,000 a year, on an average ev, depending on which model they are selecting. Electricity is far more efficient to fuel compared to gas. You kind of keep more of that fuel in the car," Cantor said.
Electric car drivers like Edgar Rivas and Sydney Walker from Las Vegas say they are glad they do not have to worry about gas prices.
"I mean, it's not even on the radar," Rivas said.
"Being a college student, it's just cheaper and helps me save money," Walker said.
When asked if she would ever go back to a regular car, Walker was clear.
"No. No," Walker said.
Both Walker and Rivas told me they pay between $15 to $20 to charge up at stations. They also have chargers at home, which Rivas says helps him save even more.
"NV Energy has a special program that helps — if you have an EV helps you save money. I used to pay $300 for me and my family and now I am paying about $180 a month," Rivas said.
As an Uber driver, Rivas says his electric car is paying off.
"It feels like you are driving around for free," Rivas said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
