It’s no secret that many drivers across the country, and even the world, are swapping their fuel-guzzling vehicles for a more environmentally friendly option. Many are purchasing or leasing electric cars as a way to not only save themselves money in the long run, but to help the environment at the same time.
Countries all over the world are pledging to reduce their carbon emissions significantly, even the likes of the state of California who pledged to ban sales of gasoline-powered new cars by 2035. Also, Lemonade Car electric insurance offers special coverages and discounts for electric vehicles and hybrids. This is all helping to drive the electric vehicle (EV) movement into the country.
Many drivers are considering joining the electric car revolution, by swapping to a hybrid or fully electric vehicle. With this, comes the great debate on whether swapping something we’re familiar and comfortable with, for something new and greener is the best thing to do at present time.
With this in mind, we’ve drawn up a short list of the pros and cons of owning an electric car in today’s climate.
The disadvantages of electric cars
Let’s get the negatives out of the way first, as we discuss the disadvantages of electric cars.
- Electric cars travel fewer distances than gas-powered cars
On average, electric cars hold a shorter mile range with a full charge, than fuel-powered cars, with most models ranging from 60 to 120 miles per full charge and some luxury EVs reaching a range of up to 300 miles.
Whereas, fuel cars on average will reach 300 miles, yet, more fuel-efficient cars can achieve more than 300 miles from a full tank.
This doesn’t mean to say that road trips are no longer an option once you own an electric car, as there are charging stations around the country to help you achieve your road trip dreams.
- Electric cars take longer to ‘refuel’ than fuel-powered cars
Refuelling your car with gas or diesel takes no time at all, so anything longer than this seems like an inconvenience. Plus, finding a gas station along your journey isn’t too hard to find.
However, when it comes to ‘refuelling’ your EV, this can take anything from 30 minutes to eight hours. When using a Level one or Level two charger, it can take up to eight hours to fully charge your car battery. On the other hand, if you use a faster charging station, you could achieve 80% battery in just 30 minutes.
With EVs taking longer to ‘refuel’ drivers, if on a long journey, you’ll need to plan ahead to find charging stations along the route, allowing you to charge between stops A and B.
- Electric cars are more expensive and some may require a battery replacement
It’s true, most electric vehicles are more expensive to buy than gas-powered vehicles, however, you save more in the car’s lifetime with fuel costs, tax credits and state incentives.
Some, if not most EV models will require a new battery at some stage in their life, just like anything in your home that needs the battery changing. However, the battery needed for your car is extremely expensive compared to the AA batteries you put in your television remote – so this will need to be considered if you’re looking to invest in a new electric car.
The advantages of electric cars
Now onto the positives of owning an electric car.
- Energy efficient
Referring to the amount of energy from a fuel source that’s converted to actual energy used to power the wheels of a vehicle, an EV is more energy efficient than a gas-powered vehicle.
Electric vehicles convert between 59 to 62% of their energy into the movement of the vehicle, whereas a conventional gas-powered vehicle will only convert between 17 to 21%. Looking at these figures, it’s clear to see that charging an EV battery may take longer to ‘refuel’ but puts more energy towards moving and powering your vehicle than vehicles that refuel at gas stations.
- Reduces emissions
Tailpipe emissions are a major source of pollution here in the United States, but thanks to all-electric vehicles only using a rechargeable battery, EVs do not create any pollution of this kind, helping America to lower and reduce its tailpipe emissions.
If this wasn’t enough, because all-electric cars rely on electricity to power and ‘refuel’, there’s no need to use fuel of any kind, reducing the usage of fuel in the country, and the world, as well as helping you to save money. Recharging your car comes in a much lower rate than a full tank of gas. Plus, domestic sources of electricity are often provided through renewable sources such as solar panels and wind turbines. In fact, the wind is America’s largest source of renewable energy.
- High performance, low maintenance
Not only are EVs quiet and smooth to drive, but they also require less maintenance than combustion engine vehicles. A high-performance drive with less maintenance hassle, what could be better?
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Now you know some of the pros and cons of owning an EV, will your next car be electric?