Are you considering the purchase of an electric car? Do you know what changing to an electric powertrain will entail?
If you’re not sure what you’re in for when choosing a car that doesn’t use gasoline or a traditional internal combustion engine, it’s time to look at the pros and cons of this type of vehicle.
Pro: Less Maintenance with Less Frequency
You don’t need oil, you don’t need gas, and an electric car has fewer moving parts than any of the gasoline models on the road. Typically, these cars are easier on every part of the car, including the brakes. You’ll love the fact that you don’t need to worry about maintenance as often when you drive an electric car.
Con: Shorter Driving Range
Typically, a gas-powered car can drive up to 400 miles on a full tank of fuel. We don’t have a single mainstream EV that can drive this far yet. In fact, we’re still in a market where some of these cars only drive a little over 100 miles on a full charge. This can be a problem when you want to take a road trip.
Pro: Electric Cars are Much Quieter
At first, you’ll find it a bit eerie, but when you’re used to it, you will love it. Driving an electric car offers you the quiet you’ve never had before. These cars are so quiet that in some states legislators have considered requiring these cars to have some type of noisemaker installed. If you had to choose, maybe you could have yours sound like an ice cream truck.
Con: Charging the Batteries Takes Too Long
No matter how many times an EV is advertised with a percentage of the charge being refilled in a half-hour or single hour, this time is still much more than the time it takes to fill a tank of gas. If you need to refill an EV to a full charge, this typically takes the time you’ll sleep, which makes your EV a tough choice if you have an emergency in the middle of the night.
Pro: Electric Cars are Much Better for the Environment
Once produced, there is no comparison when you’re looking at the environmental impact of an electric car versus a gasoline vehicle. EVs don’t need an exhaust system and have no emissions which makes them much cleaner and better for the environment. This means fewer greenhousegases and air that is easier to breathe.
Con: The Price is Typically Higher for an Electric Car
Because EVs are relatively new to the market, the price you’ll pay is much greater than gasoline counterparts. This price will likely change over thenext few years as technology evolves and the gap between gas and electric vehicles closes, but for now, you’ll pay more when you purchase an EV. Is this type of driving worth the extra cost?
Pro: Electricity is Renewable, Gasoline is Not
Not only is electricity renewable, it’s much cheaper to provide than gasoline. While a natural resource from oil, gasoline is in limited supply and requires massive drilling equipment to bring it up out of the Earth. Electricity is renewable through the use of solar, wind, and water that moves and turns turbines to turn this energy into electricity.
Con: Charging Stations Can be Hard to Find
The infrastructure to support your electric car isn’t as vast and expansive as that for gasoline models. You might not find an EV charging station everywhere you go. While there are apps to help you and many businesses are providing more options for charging, you may end up in a situation where you’re barely going to make it to the next charger.
Pro: You can Use HOV Lanes by Yourself
Are you tired of watching the carpool lane drive past you during your commute to work? If so, buy an EV and you can use this lane as well. The fact that you’re using a vehicle that’s environmentally friendly is being rewardedby offering you access to this lane, even when you are driving along by yourself. This is a huge benefit for those in some of the largest cities of the country.
Make the Right Choice for Your Drive
If you think you might want to drive an electric car, you need to consider the pros and cons of these vehicles. If after doing so, you still want to drive a vehicle powered by electricity, you’ll be glad to find several models are available to you. Find the one that is right for you and start your electrified drive today.
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