Electricity at my house costs 0.049 Dollars per KWH. (Kilowatt-hour)

Question

However, there is a fee for "delivery" of electricity.

So for the sake of this activity, we'll say the cost of electricity is actually $0.10 per KWH

If you search online how many KWH you need to fully charge a Tesla Model 3, the quick answer is roughly 94 KWH.

Given this information, how much does it cost to fully charge a Tesla Model 3? Put your answer in the text box to the right (in dollar and cents form), and explain whether you think that is a good price given the cost of the car (show all steps and work).

Answer 1

To calculate the cost to fully charge a Tesla Model 3, we'll use the total energy requirement for the charge and the price per kilowatt-hour.

Step 1: Determine the total energy needed

The Tesla Model 3 requires approximately 94 KWH to be fully charged.

Step 2: Determine the cost per KWH

The cost of electricity for charging is given as $0.10 per KWH.

Step 3: Calculate the total cost of charging

To find the total cost, we will multiply the energy required by the cost per KWH:

\[ \text{Total Cost} = \text{Energy Needed} \times \text{Cost per KWH} \]

Substituting the values:

\[ \text{Total Cost} = 94 , \text{KWH} \times 0.10 , \text{Dollars/KWH} = 9.40 , \text{Dollars} \]

Step 4: Final Answer

Thus, the cost to fully charge a Tesla Model 3 is $9.40.

Step 5: Analyze whether this is a good price

To assess if $9.40 is a good price for charging, we can consider the following:

1. Fuel Cost Comparison: If you compare this to fuel costs for a gasoline car, many cars achieve about 25 miles per gallon of gas (varies by model). If gasoline costs $3.00 per gallon, driving 300 miles (approximately the range of the Model 3) might cost around $36.00 in fuel. The Tesla Model 3, therefore, can be much cheaper to drive.

2. Electricity as a Cost per Mile: To break this down further, if we assume the Model 3 can go about 300 miles on a full charge (optimal conditions), the cost per mile would be:

\[ \text{Cost per mile} = \frac{9.40 , \text{Dollars}}{300 , \text{miles}} \approx 0.0313 , \text{Dollars/mile} , (\text{or about 3.13 cents/ mile}) \]

3. Environmental Impact: Charging an electric vehicle is generally more environmentally friendly than petroleum vehicles, depending on the source of electricity.

4. Car Price: The initial cost of a Tesla Model 3 can be considered high (averaging around $35,000 - $50,000, depending on the model and specs). However, over time, the fuel savings can help offset this cost.

Conclusion

With a charging cost of just $9.40 for a full charge, Tesla Model 3 owners enjoy significant savings compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. While the upfront cost of the car is relatively high, the lower fuel costs and minimal maintenance make it an attractive option, especially for those who drive frequently. Overall, this charging cost can be considered very reasonable and is beneficial in terms of fuel savings compared to gasoline vehicles.