Q. You mentioned in your column about your plug-in hybrid that you have a 240V charger as well as the 120V charger that came with the car. Which 240V charger do you have, and how much did your electric bill go up per month?

—L.D., San Francisco

A. I have an Emporia Level 2 EV charger with J1772 connector, sold by Emporia Energy. Since it was introduced it has been racking up positive reviews industry-wide, including the best charger on a budget award from Car and Driver magazine. The reputation for quality combined with the $399 price made it an easy choice for me.

I do not quite agree with the “budget charger” classification because it strikes me as a reliable, full-featured charger with high performance that happens to sell for only $399. Before I had the Emporia I had a Siemens charger that was very glitchy, and when I was done with the lease on my 2014 BMW i3 I sold the charger on Craigslist for a giveaway price (along with a warning) because I was so unhappy with it. With the Emporia I have not had a single glitch, it tracks my energy usage with an app and charges my Tonale very quickly. The charger can be used with an Emporia load management system if your electrical panel can’t handle the current draw, but I am not familiar with the load management system as I did not need it.

With many auto manufacturers switching to the Tesla plug, Emporia now offers the charger with the Tesla connector for the same $399 price. It is available in a hardwired configuration or with a NEMA 14-50 240V plug. I have the version with the plug. The hardwired connection is used for outdoor installations or when drawing the maximum current of 48 A. The NEMA-50 version is limited to 40 A, which is more than enough to max out the charging speed of my Tonale. (Strictly speaking, the charger is part of the car and the “charger” you connect provides the electricity to it.)

My electric bill went up between $8 and $20 per month in the winter when I drove the Tonale exclusively. I made use of free public chargers whenever I could, so that does not reflect my total electricity usage. I saved about $240 per month in gasoline compared to the car it replaced, which averaged 22 mpg on premium gas. The $240 covers the bulk of my $359/month lease payment, which made me quite happy! Your mileage will vary (no pun intended) based on the amount and kind of driving you do and the gas and electricity prices in your area. I think it is safe to say the savings will be significant. This is especially true if you have a 240V charger for fast battery top-offs and most of your driving is local and can be accomplished solely with electric power.

I checked the Emporia website and they have refurbished units for only $309, which is an excellent value. emporiaenergy.com

Q. I am looking for a new small radio that travels well. I currently have a Radio Shack DX-398 that I’ve been happy with for years. It will no longer turn on. Can it be fixed, or should I just buy something new?

—L.H., Pittsburgh

A. It is unlikely to be repairable given the age and the defunct Radio Shack brand. The DX-398 was a good little radio and used examples in good working order are available on eBay for well under $100. If you want something new, check out the $89.99 CC Skywave radio from ccrane.com.

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