When it comes to electric cars, the vehicle industry is speeding towards the future– no pun intended. Hybrid vehicles are also growing in popularity, and soon solely gas-powered cars may become a thing of the past. But are electric cars good for everyone? Here are some of the biggest pros and cons of electric vehicles.
Pro: No More Worrying About Gas Prices
Gas prices have recently skyrocketed all over the U.S., and unless a miracle occurs overseas, they’re unfortunately not likely to descend any time soon. Luckily, there’s no shortage of electricity. Electric vehicles can be charged from any regular outlet, just like your laptop or cell phone! If you need a boost while on a long trip, there are over 45,000 public charging stations available in shopping centers, rest stops, work locations, gas stations, and more all over the country. Most charging stations allow you to pay a small fee for a faster charge, letting you get back on the road in twenty minutes or less.
Con: Charging Inconveniences
With that said, finding a charging station on the road is considerably more difficult than finding a normal gas station. While chargers are becoming more and more common, you must also be willing to spend a bit more time sitting in place while the car’s battery fills up. Perhaps this will change with more time and money invested in the technology, but as is, budget your time accordingly.
It is worth mentioning that most electric cars don’t need to be charged more than once per day; the average household can easily leave the car charging overnight and have plenty of mileage to get through the following day. If you do anticipate driving more than 100 or so miles on a daily basis, you’re in luck– manufacturers are releasing longer-range models every year. Just make sure you keep this in mind when researching which car to purchase.
Pro: Smaller Carbon Footprint
Despite the rumors swirling around that battery production causes electric vehicles to waste more carbon than gas-powered ones, electric cars do have a considerably smaller carbon footprint than their gas-guzzling counterparts. Even with the manufacturing process factored in, switching to electricity from fossil fuels is a much healthier choice for the environment, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Obviously, electricity isn’t a completely green energy source, but as solar and wind power become more prevalent, renewable energy in the electricity industry is growing more attainable.
Con: Higher Initial Price
There’s no way around it: as with any new product, electric vehicles are going to be more expensive to purchase than most gas-powered cars. Until supply reaches the level of demand and electric vehicles become the “new norm,” this will probably remain true. But the manufacturing process is sure to decrease in cost as time goes on, and consumer prices will shrink with them. A century or so ago, the notion of nearly every American household owning at least one or more cars would have seemed ludicrous, and look where we are now!
Accelerating Into the Future!…and Waiting for the Present to Catch Up
To sum things up, the main idea behind electric vehicles is moving into a greener future, where consumers rely on electricity rather than gasoline. Knowing this, buying an electric car is exciting– like the future has arrived and is waiting in your driveway! It reflects society’s general push towards “smart” technology and an increasingly electricity-centered world. However, there are some downsides to being ahead of the curve, and many of them affect your wallet. In the short term, electric vehicles can be expensive and a little annoying when it comes to road trips– but in the long run, it looks like these nifty innovations are here for good.
Would you want to own an electric vehicle? If you already do, is it worth the cost? For more information, check out this helpful list of electric vehicle myths and facts from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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