We all know it gets cold in Interior Alaska, and that can be rough on our vehicles. So, what do we do? Plug them in! There are many benefits to plugging in your vehicle, like helping to improve the air quality in the Fairbanks North Star Borough and prevent unnecessary vehicle maintenance.
Did you know that a well-maintained vehicle only needs to be plugged in for two to four hours prior to running when temperatures reach 20ºF or colder? To avoid using significantly more electricity than is necessary by plugging in your vehicle all day or all night, GVEA strongly recommends using a programmable or hardwired timer.
For instance, if you plug in your truck for 12 hours a day for 30 days, it could cost you over $115 in electricity! Using a timer set to turn on two hours before you intend to drive the vehicle would cost you less than $20 for the same 30 days – that’s a savings of nearly $100 per month!
Use GVEA’s handy Vehicle Plug-In Calculator on our Energy Saving Tips page to see exactly how much you could save by using a plug-in timer. This can help greatly reduce your monthly electric bill in the winter months and there are a wide range of timer options available to purchase.