Should I Buy an Electric Car?
If you live in an area where it’s easy to charge your electric car, a purely electric vehicle might make sense. But if you’re not sure about the charging infrastructure or don’t have access to public charging stations, going with a hybrid or another type of fuel-efficient car may be better for the environment and your budget.
1. Electric cars are better for the environment than gasoline cars.
One of the biggest reasons to buy an electric car is that they’re better for the environment than their gas-powered cousins.
Electric cars produce no tailpipe emissions, so they won’t contribute to climate change or air pollution—and they’ll keep your local air cleaner, too. Plus, you can rest easy knowing that an electric car has a lower carbon footprint compared to its gasoline counterpart. Because coal plants are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., by choosing an electric vehicle over a comparable gas-powered model, you’ll be helping reduce your own carbon footprint as well as those left by future drivers who travel on roads paved with fossil fuels produced by these power plants. (And if you’re worried about how much electricity will cost? Don’t worry: see number 7 below.)
2. Electric cars are quieter than gasoline cars.
If you live in a city and spend time outside, you’ve likely noticed that it’s getting harder to escape the noise of traffic. Many people who live in cities find it hard to sleep at night because of the constant roar of engines going by their houses or apartments—and this can be especially problematic if you have small children or pets around that need some peace and quiet at night. Electric vehicles don’t produce any exhaust noise at all, so they’re much quieter than gas-powered vehicles when driving around town (although they do make more noise when accelerating).
3. Electric cars can be cheaper to fuel, maintain, and deliver better performance than gasoline cars.
One of the main reasons people are interested in electric cars is to save money on gas expenses. And for good reason: the average gallon of gas costs about $2.50 these days—that’s more than $1 per liter! If you’re driving a gasoline-powered car with 20 mpg (that’s 4 liters/100 km), then every time you fill up your tank it’ll cost $20 just for fuel alone. That’s not including any oil changes or other maintenance costs that come with owning a car over time. But what if instead of burning gasoline straight out of the ground like we do today, we could power our vehicles with something cheaper? Like electrons from the sun? Now that would make everything easier!
4. There are tax incentives for driving electric vehicles (EVs).
- Tax incentives are available in many states.
- Tax incentives vary by state.
- Tax incentives are not always the same for gas and electric vehicles.
- Tax incentives may be available for home charging stations.
5. Many Americans don't know much about electric vehicles and that makes them feel uncomfortable with buying them.
Many Americans don’t know much about electric vehicles and that makes them feel uncomfortable with buying them.
- Many people are not familiar with electric vehicles. They may not have seen or heard of them on the road.
- Many people are afraid of new technology and the unknown, especially when it comes to something as large as a car purchase.
- Electric vehicles are still a relatively new concept for many people; they haven’t been around long enough to see how well they perform over time or how reliable they will be in different climates.
6. Buying a new electric car is expensive because they cost more at the point of sale than its gas counterparts.
Buying an electric car is more expensive than buying a gas-powered car. This is because the initial cost of an electric vehicle (EV) is higher than its traditional counterparts. Depreciation, maintenance, and insurance costs are also more significant in the long run for EVs. If you’re planning on driving your EV daily, then you should consider these aspects of owning an EV before deciding to purchase one.
7. Electric vehicles have a shorter driving range than gas-powered cars before needing to recharge their batteries, which takes time.
The short driving range of electric vehicles can be a downside for some drivers. On average, an electric car has a range of about 100 miles per charge and needs to be recharged before it can be driven again (though some models offer longer ranges). Charging an electric vehicle at home takes time: It may take up to eight hours or more to top off the battery from empty by plugging it in during the night. Charging stations are available at public locations, such as shopping malls and airports—and some gas stations are adding charging outlets for EVs too—but these charges may not always work out perfectly for your route home from work or running errands around town.
8. Public charging stations for electric vehicles are limited.
Public charging stations for electric vehicles are limited, especially outside of metropolitan areas, though some car makers are working to address this problem by installing charging networks in populated areas rather than relying solely on existing infrastructure like power lines or gas stations (which would otherwise require expensive upgrades).
It’s estimated that there will be over 15 million electric vehicles on the road by 2025—that’s half of all new cars sold! If you want to get in on the trend before everyone else does, here are some things you need to consider:
Do I have access to a charger?
Most people don’t own their own homes and don’t have garages where they can charge their cars overnight. While there are public chargers popping up in many cities around the country (and around the world), they’re still relatively scarce compared with gas stations. If you live in an urban area with lots of traffic congestion—or even just a small commute from your house—it may not make sense for you because these cars take a while to charge up at home or at work.
What if my battery goes flat?
Electric vehicles tend not only to last longer than gasoline-powered cars but also require less maintenance overall due to fewer moving parts inside that could break down over time due to wear-and-tear issues.
Conclusion
Electric cars are cleaner and quieter than their gasoline counterparts. The technology behind them is getting better every day, which means that they will be able to go farther on a single charge and recharge faster than ever before.
However, there are still some things you should consider before making the switch from gas power to electricity: cost at the point of sale, driving range (especially if you don’t live near metropolitan areas), and the availability of charging stations in your area. These factors may make it difficult or impossible for some people to adopt an electric vehicle as their next car purchase.
