It seems impossible to travel a kilometer these days without encountering an electric vehicle at the stop sign. The rise in automobiles that operate on batteries rather than gasoline is unsurprising.
With recent gas price increases, many individuals are considering electric vehicles replacing their good-old gas-powered automobiles.
But how probable is it that the electric revolution will replace conventional automobiles? What are the benefits and drawbacks, and how environmentally friendly are they?
Table of Contents
Pros of Electric Cars
An electric vehicle is gentler to your wallet and can help you save a lot of cash on petrol as a consumer. However, there are several reasons why you should invest in an electric car in the present day and age.
1. Good For The Environment
One of the most significant advantages of electric cars is the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, which is beneficial in terms of climate change.
The lower the number of emissions in the air, the healthier. This results in a cleaner environment and a lower carbon footprint for those concerned about their environmental effect.
Passenger cars emit 21% nitrogen oxide and 51% volatile organic compounds. These pollutants contribute to smog and can harm health and the environment.
Electric cars don’t even have an exhaust system; therefore, they produce no emissions.
Because gas-powered cars contribute significantly to greenhouse-gas accumulation in the earth’s atmosphere, switching to an electric vehicle may help contribute to cleaner air and a healthier world.
Electric cars not only reduce carbon dioxide emissions and smog but also avoid most of the energy and pollutants necessary to collect and refine petroleum.
2. Cost-effective
Electricity is (usually) less expensive than fuel, and electricity prices are less likely to change dramatically overnight. In the long term, an electric automobile is less expensive to fuel costs than a petrol or diesel engine.
While the cost of charging your electric car’s battery may vary depending on the size of the battery, your power supplier, and local tariffs, electric vehicles are typically less expensive than filling up at the pump.
After viewing the initial cost, consumers may be apprehensive about buying an EV. But remember that you save money on gas. With recent gas price increases, the money you save starts to add up.
3. Tax Credits
Suppose you are the first owner of an electric model. In that case, you will almost certainly earn a tax credit just for helping to reduce your environmental impact by owning a zero-emissions vehicle.
Depending on the brand and model, the tax credit might be worth up to $7,500. When it comes to EV tax credits, there is, inevitably, fine print, so be sure to consult a tax professional for any queries you may have.
Likewise, leasing an electric vehicle might also be appealing. Some leasing businesses take advantage of the tax benefit and pass the savings on to the motorist. If not, use it as a bargaining chip when purchasing a car.
4. Lower Maintainance
Because electric cars have fewer moving components than typical internal combustion vehicles, service and maintenance are often less expensive.
Tricky elements like spark plugs, valves, pumps, brakes, and oil changes don’t need to be examined or changed regularly – or at all – which means that taking your electric car in for a repair is less expensive.
EVs also employ an energy-generating technique known as regenerative braking, which causes less wear on the brakes, allowing them to last much longer. The result? Long-term maintenance costs are drastically reduced!
5. Energy-efficient And No Noise Pollution
Electric cars use less energy than the internal combustion engine of diesel cars.
Battery-powered electric cars have an energy efficiency of up to 62 percent, indicating that a large proportion of electric energy is turned into the vehicle’s power source. In contrast, the energy efficiency of fossil fuel-powered automobiles is less than 21%.
Unlike a gasoline engine, an electric motor instantly delivers 100% of its available torque. Power is delivered to the wheels instantaneously, allowing for rapid off-the-line launches and swift passing ability.
Except for the minor wind and tire noise, there is no throaty exhaust tone to be heard. Lack of engine noise!
Interesting fact: The 2019 Jaguar i-Pace actively pipes in some fake engine sounds for vigorous acceleration to give some auditory spice to the driving experience.
6. Additional Storage
Electric vehicles typically have room for all your stuff – also referred to as a front trunk – placement area for the mechanical engine in a petrol or diesel model.
Electric cars often have the battery pack located beneath the floor, and because they require fewer parts to start and maintain motion, there is more space for you to store your belongings.
This does not imply that electric vehicles have the most storage space accessible. So if you have a lot to pack, double-check the overall storage capacity before starting your month-long trip!
Cons of Electric Cars
Nothing is flawless, and electric vehicles are no exception. Before putting pen to paper at the dealership, there are a few crucial considerations.
1. Higher Purchases Prices
As per Consumer Reports, when comparing ordinary gas-only automobiles to equivalent electric counterparts, electric cars cost between 10% and 40% more.
While you may save money throughout the life of your automobile, the initial investment may make turning green more challenging.
You might be surprised by the prices if you have never looked for an electric vehicle. Even the cheapest electric car models start in the $30,000 to $40,000 range, with premium ones costing upwards of $80,000.
Consumers may expect to pay between $10,000 and $50,000 extra for an EV until technology progresses and production costs decrease.
2. Less Resale Value
Resale values are well below the average due to a mix of variables, including limited market and the $7,500 federal tax credit offered to new EV purchasers. This is a windfall for used-EV buyers but a curse for original owners.
Electric vehicles’ prices depreciate faster than gasoline vehicles. It will be tough to sell or exchange your EV for as much as you would a conventional model.
While this may be a disadvantage for car dealers, it may also benefit them: secondhand electric automobiles may be less expensive than used gas-powered vehicles.
3. Costly Battery Replacement
Although most electric vehicles require little maintenance, expect to replace the battery pack at least once throughout their lifespan.
Although electric car ownership avoids numerous maintenance headaches, such as oil changes, it can also result in high costs.
These are primarily due to the Lithium batteries used in current electric automobiles. Battery life is projected to be roughly a decade, and new battery packs can be pricey. Most estimates place them in the tens of thousands of dollars.
4. Batteries Need To Be Charged Frequently
Although battery technology is constantly evolving, the fact is that we still have a long way to go! The most excellent electric vehicles currently offer a battery range of up to 300 miles between charges.
However, many have a driving range of about 100 miles or fewer between charges, making them ideal for use in cities and local travels rather than long-distance travel.
And they require at least half an hour of charging at a specialized, high-voltage charging port, such as those found at highway rest stops, to be recharged.
Considering the time it takes to fill the petrol or diesel-powered car tank, many new automobiles can now go 500 miles or more between fill-ups. Fossil fuels have a definite edge in this area.
Using the heating or air conditioning in an electric vehicle reduces range, and batteries store less charge when it’s cold.
5. Limited Public Charging Stations
The EV public charging units are still not as widespread in cities as gas stations.
Currently, there are around 46,000 charging stations in operation in the United States, most of which are located in retail parking lots, public parking garages, and new-car dealerships where EVs are most prominent.
Several businesses and urban apartments have placed charging stations for their staff and inhabitants.
The requirement to charge our automobiles may cause issues. What if everyone charges their car when they arrive at work at 9 a.m. or return home at 5 p.m.? How will the rise in demand be handled?
6. Car Insurance Premiums May Increase
Another disadvantage of electric vehicles is that their insurance rates are higher. Electric vehicle insurance premiums are 23% more than ordinary automobiles.
Part of this is because electric vehicles can be more expensive. So, if something happens to your car, it may be more expensive to repair.
Summary (Pros and cons of electric cars)
| Pros |
|---|
| Good for the environment |
| Cost-effective |
| Tax credits |
| Lower Maintenance |
| Energy efficient |
| No noise pollution |
| Additional storage |
| Cons |
|---|
| Higher purchase prices |
| Less Resale value |
| Costly battery replacement |
| Frequent charge requirement |
| Limited charging stations |
| Higher car insurance premium |
With gasoline prices expected to rise even more in the summer of 2023, we may witness a swell in sales of electric vehicles shortly.
However, some consumers are still unwilling to transition from traditional gas-powered cars, owing to perceptions that electric cars still have the same disadvantages as they had in their early years.
Despite their shortcomings, electric vehicles can be a cost-effective, ecologically benign means of transportation and an increasingly plausible answer to the world’s pollution problems.
Some nations and automakers have already announced plans to phase out the sale of gas and diesel vehicles shortly. It is up to you to determine if the benefits exceed the drawbacks.
Now you know the pros and cons of electric cars, why not use this to be a car salesman? Want to know more about the profession? Here are some pros and cons of being a car salesman.
(Last Updated on September 21, 2022)
