EV range is typically around 80 miles for a generation 1 used EV to with newer EVs going 250 to nearly 400 miles on a full charge. The average American’s daily round-trip commute is less than 30 miles.
If you are nervous or impatient about charging,, consider a plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle. Since a large majority of a car’s miles are typically from short trips, a Prius Prime, Chevy Volt or Honda Clarity can meet your needs. On a long road trip, the gasoline engine kicks in. For example, a 2017 Prius Prime uses electric power for trips under 20 miles, giving it an overall fuel efficiency reported by owners of 85 mpg.
If you have two cars, your gas powered car could be for your long distance trips. Or you could also borrow or rent a gas powered car.

You can buy a reliable used EV for as low as $5000. Consider these two options:
A 2013 Nissan Leaf (Average Range 53 miles) costs from $5,000 to $6,300 at dealerships within 500 miles of Ashland (According to Consumer Reports). If you are able to buy this from a dealer and you are low or moderate income, you may be able to get a $2,500 Oregon State Rebate. If you are an Ashland utility customer you can get an additional $1,500 off.
A 2014 Chevy Spark (Average Range 70 miles) costs around $6,500 at dealerships within 500 miles of Ashland according to carguru.com.
See an updated list of Spark’s here.

Consider this example: If you replace a gas car that gets 24 mpg with a 2015 Nissan Leaf and drive 10,000 miles/year, you would save almost $4,000 over 5 years. You can plug in different assumptions with this City of Ashland Calculator.

EVs have a fraction of the moving parts of gasoline vehicles and are very reliable. That means no oil changes, no spark plugs, catalytic converters or other emissions equipment. They also use fixed gears instead of transmissions which further reduces maintenance. Electric vehicles also have regenerative braking systems that save wear and tear on the brakes. According to a September 2020 Consumer Reports article you can save $4,600 on average over the life of the car by buying an EV vs. gasoline powered car.