Chapter 28 — Quiz: The Electric Vehicle Transition

Check your understanding before moving on. Answers and short explanations are hidden under each question. Scoring guide at the end. No peeking until you've committed to an answer.

Multiple Choice

Q1. A customer asks how big the battery is. The correct number to quote is measured in: - A) kW (kilowatts) - B) kWh (kilowatt-hours) - C) volts - D) amps

Answer **B) kWh.** Kilowatt-hours measure stored energy — the battery's "fuel tank." Kilowatts (kW) measure a *rate* (power out of the motor, or charging speed). Mixing these up is the fastest way to signal to a researcher that you don't know the product.

Q2. Compared to a gas car, an EV's real-world range is most reduced by: - A) Driving slowly in the city - B) Cold weather with the cabin heater running - C) Using the radio - D) Charging to only 80%

Answer **B) Cold weather with the heater running** — can cut range 20–40%, because a gas car heats the cabin with free engine waste heat while an EV must spend battery energy to do it (plus cold chemistry is less efficient). City driving actually *helps* an EV's range.

Q3. Level 2 home charging typically adds about: - A) 3–5 miles of range per hour - B) 20–40 miles of range per hour - C) 100+ miles of range per hour - D) A full charge in 5 minutes

Answer **B) 20–40 miles of range per hour.** Level 1 (a standard wall outlet) is the ~3–5 mi/hr option; DC fast charging is the road-trip option (roughly 10–80% in 20–40 minutes). Level 2 is the daily home/public workhorse.

Q4. A customer plans a road trip and asks how DC fast charging works. The most accurate thing to tell them is: - A) "It'll go from empty to 100% in about 20 minutes." - B) "You'll typically charge from about 10% to 80% in 20–40 minutes, because it slows down near full." - C) "It's the same speed as charging at home." - D) "You should fast-charge it every day."

Answer **B).** Charging slows dramatically near full (the "taper"), so road-trippers charge the fast middle (≈10–80%) and skip the slow top. And almost nobody fast-charges daily — it's the road-trip tool, pricier and a bit harder on the battery than home charging.

Q5. A customer asks for a flat price on installing a Level 2 home charger. The professional response is to: - A) Quote "$500, easy" to keep the deal moving - B) Refuse to discuss it — it's not your job - C) Give an honest range (~$500–$2,000+), explain what drives it (panel capacity, distance), and offer an electrician's name for a real quote - D) Tell them it's free with the car

Answer **C).** The install cost depends on *their* house, which you can't see from the showroom. A fake-precise number that turns out wrong destroys trust and can kill the deal after the fact. The honest range + an electrician's name *is* the value-add.

Q6. Regenerative braking primarily does which two things? - A) Speeds up the car and saves fuel - B) Recovers energy into the battery and reduces brake-pad wear - C) Cools the battery and improves the stereo - D) Replaces the steering and the transmission

Answer **B).** The motor runs in reverse to slow the car, feeding energy back to the battery (extending range) and doing most of the slowing so the friction brakes — and pads — last far longer. This is also why EV brake jobs are rare.

Q7. "One-pedal driving" sometimes feels jarring to new EV drivers. The best reassurance is: - A) "You'll get used to it; there's no way to change it." - B) "It's usually adjustable — you can dial the regen down so it coasts more like a gas car, then turn it up as you get comfortable." - C) "Only experts can drive these." - D) "Just press both pedals at once."

Answer **B).** Regen strength is adjustable on most EVs. Showing the customer the setting turns "this feels weird" into "oh, I can ease into it." Demonstrate it on the test drive.

Q8. Which statement about EV battery degradation is most accurate and honest? - A) "The battery dies in 2–3 years like a phone." - B) "Batteries never lose any capacity at all." - C) "Modern batteries degrade slowly — many retain ~85–90% after 8–10 years and 100k+ miles — and the pack is covered by a long warranty." - D) "Degradation is so bad that EVs are worthless after 5 years."

Answer **C).** Degradation is real but slow and far smaller than the phone-battery fear suggests, and the battery carries the *longest* warranty in the car (federal minimum 8 yr/100k). Don't promise an exact percentage — tell them to read the specific warranty.

Q9. The single most dangerous thing a salesperson can do regarding EV incentives is: - A) Mention that incentives might exist - B) Suggest the customer check the official program page - C) Tell the customer a specific tax credit is guaranteed and subtract it from the price as a promise - D) Recommend they talk to a tax professional

Answer **C).** Incentives change frequently and depend on the buyer's income/tax situation, the specific vehicle, and location. Promising a guaranteed amount that the customer doesn't actually qualify for costs them thousands, destroys trust, and exposes you and the dealership to a deceptive-practice complaint. Mention the upside, but never quote a credit as guaranteed.

Q10. Why is an EV usually cheaper to maintain than a gas car? - A) EVs never need tires - B) No engine means no oil changes, spark plugs, timing belts, or exhaust work — and regen makes brakes last much longer - C) EVs are exempt from all repairs - D) EV insurance is always lower

Answer **B).** With no internal combustion engine, an EV skips oil changes, spark plugs, timing belts, transmission fluid, and exhaust/emissions work; regenerative braking spares the brake pads. Tires (EVs are heavy), cabin filters, and the usual wear items still apply — and insurance is often *higher*, not lower.

Q11. A "deep researcher" EV customer out-techs you on battery chemistry. The professional move is to: - A) Bluff a confident answer so you don't look weak - B) Get defensive and reassert your expertise - C) Concede the technical axis honestly, then redirect to the value you own — the specific car, the home-charging reality, the money, and the trade/paperwork - D) End the conversation and pass them to someone else

Answer **C).** You won't out-tech a true enthusiast, and bluffing is fatal — one catch and they assume everything else is a bluff. Concede gracefully, then compete where you win: this exact unit's equipment, the install-cost reality, honest incentive guidance, and painless logistics. The enthusiast is often the *easiest* sale once you stop competing on the axis you'll lose.

Q12. A PHEV (plug-in hybrid) is best described as: - A) A fully electric car with no gas engine - B) A regular hybrid you cannot plug in - C) A car with a modest plug-in electric range and a gas engine that takes over when the battery is depleted - D) A gas car with a bigger fuel tank

Answer **C).** A PHEV bridges the gap: short trips can run on electricity (charge at home), and the gas engine eliminates range anxiety on long trips. The trade-off: it still has an engine (still gets oil changes), modest electric range, and two systems to carry.

True / False (give a one-line justification)

Q13. True or False: The EPA range number on the window sticker is a guaranteed minimum you'll always get.

Answer **False.** It's a standardized lab estimate — a *center point* in a wide real-world band. Cold + heat, high speed, towing, load, and battery age all move it, sometimes down 20–50%. Sell the band, not the headline.

Q14. True or False: For most daily driving, an EV owner with home charging never makes a special trip to "refuel."

Answer **True.** The car charges overnight in the driveway, so it starts every morning at "full." The gas-station-style stop only happens on road trips (DC fast charging). This reframe defuses most range anxiety.

Q15. True or False: Insurance on an EV is generally cheaper than on a comparable gas car.

Answer **False.** EV insurance is often *somewhat higher*, because EVs can cost more to repair (expensive packs, specialized parts/labor). Always tell the customer to get a real quote before buying — it varies by car and insurer.

Q16. True or False: A lease can be an honest way for an EV buyer to hedge fast depreciation and capture an incentive.

Answer **True.** Because a lease pays for *depreciation, not the whole car* (the Chapter 23 threshold), it lets a buyer use the EV for a few years without betting on its long-term value — useful when the technology is improving fast — and incentives can sometimes be captured cleanly through the lease structure.

Q17. True or False: Towing a trailer has only a small effect on EV range.

Answer **False.** Towing can cut EV range *roughly in half*. This matters enormously for truck/SUV buyers who tow — flag it honestly *before* the sale, not after a stranded road trip.

Q18. True or False: Some EV makers sell directly to consumers online with no franchised dealer in between.

Answer **True.** Makers like Tesla and Rivian use a direct-sales model (often fixed, no-haggle pricing, online order, delivery center). Franchise dealers compete by being the low-friction, transparent option *plus* offering test drives, service, trade help, and a human who handles problems.

Short Answer

Q19. Name the five things that move an EV's real-world range away from the sticker number.

Answer (1) Cold weather + cabin heat (the biggest, −20–40%), (2) high speed (EVs lose range fast on the highway), (3) load and terrain (passengers, cargo, towing ≈ −50%, hills), (4) driving style (hard acceleration drains faster; gentle + regen can exceed the rating in town), (5) battery age/degradation.

Q20. Write the four-part honest way to handle a customer who brings up a tax credit.

Answer (1) Tell them incentives *may* exist and could meaningfully lower their cost (don't hide the upside). (2) Tell them the rules change and depend on *their* income/tax liability, the specific vehicle, and location. (3) Direct them to the official government program page and a tax professional to verify *their own* eligibility. (4) Never put an unverified incentive into the deal math as a promise; if you show it in TCO, label it "if you qualify — verify."

Q21. A customer charges a 75 kWh battery at $0.16/kWh and gets ~250 real-world miles. What's their cost per mile, and roughly how does it compare to a gas car at 28 mpg and $3.50/gal?

Answer EV: 75 × $0.16 = $12.00 per full charge ÷ 250 mi = **$0.048/mile** (~5¢). Gas: $3.50 ÷ 28 = **$0.125/mile** (~12.5¢). The EV costs **about 60% less per mile** to fuel at home. (If they fast-charge a lot in public, the EV's per-mile cost rises — be honest about that.)

Q22. In one or two sentences each, explain why a PHEV is a good bridge for (a) a range-nervous buyer and (b) a buyer with no easy home charging.

Answer (a) The gas engine eliminates range anxiety — when the battery's depleted, they just fill up at any gas station, so a long trip needs no charging stops. (b) Even with limited charging, they capture *some* electric driving on short trips, and the gas engine covers everything else — so an imperfect charging situation isn't a dealbreaker the way it can be for a full EV.

Q23. Why does the chapter call an out-knowledged-you enthusiast often the easiest sale, not the hardest?

Answer Because the enthusiast has already done the hardest part — deciding what they want — so your job shrinks to confirmation, painless logistics, honest money/incentive guidance, and being the human they're glad they chose. The only way to lose them is to bluff; concede the tech axis and own the value you have, and the deal is usually quick.

Applied Scenario

Q24. A customer in a cold state commutes 40 miles round-trip on the highway, charges at home in a garage, qualifies for nothing extra incentive-wise (already checked), and is choosing between a 290-mile EV and a comparable gas SUV. They ask, "Honestly — is the EV worth it for me?" Sketch the honest answer you'd give, hitting daily range, winter, and the money.

Answer **Daily range:** No worry at all — even if winter cuts 290 to ~180, that's more than quadruple a 40-mile commute, and they wake up full every day. **Winter:** Be honest that a long winter road trip needs charging planning, but the commute is a non-issue. **Money:** With home charging, fuel cost is roughly half the gas car's per mile, and maintenance is much lower (no oil, fewer brakes) — but the EV costs more up front, insurance may be a bit higher, and they qualify for no incentive, so over five years it may be roughly a wash or a modest EV win. **Verdict:** "For your driving, the EV works great day to day and the running costs are lower; on pure money with no incentive it's close, so it really comes down to whether you *want* the EV experience. If you do, it fits your life. If the up-front price stretches you, the gas SUV is a perfectly honest choice." That honest, math-based answer — willing to say "gas" — is what earns the sale and the referral.

Q25. A digital researcher arrives knowing the EV's specs cold, holding a credit-union pre-approval, and mentions they're "this close" to just ordering the same EV from a no-haggle direct-sales website. Write your single best opening posture in 3–4 sentences.

Answer Something like: "You clearly know this car better than most folks who walk in — so let me be useful where it actually counts for you. I'll get you a straight number on what a home charger install runs around here and the name of an electrician, walk you through the incentive picture honestly so you don't get a surprise at tax time, and make the trade and paperwork painless — and you can drive it today, no games on price. The website can't drive it to you, take your trade, or fix it in two years; I can." This concedes the tech axis (Ch 28/Ch 4), competes on low-friction transparency plus human help rather than price games (Ch 27), and treats the researcher as a partner, not a threat.

Scoring Guide

Count one point per question (Q1–Q25).

  • 22–25 (88%+): Excellent. You can have an honest, credible EV conversation with a deep researcher and never overpromise an incentive. Proceed to Chapter 29.
  • 18–21 (72–87%): Solid. Re-read any section behind a missed question — especially §28.6 (incentives) and §28.4 (home-charging reality), the two highest-stakes topics.
  • 13–17 (52–71%): Shaky. Re-read the chapter, focusing on the vocabulary table (§28.1), the range band (§28.2), and the TCO math (§28.5). Then redo the quiz.
  • Below 13: Reread the full chapter and work the exercises before continuing — this is a high-stakes, fast-changing product and the cost of getting incentives or range wrong is real.

70%+ = ready to proceed to Chapter 29. Anything less, review and retake — the EV conversation is one you'll have more often every year.