Advantages of Electric Cars

The main advantages of electric cars are convenience, environmental benefits and fun. EVs are fun to drive while you are doing good things for the world. How so?

First, let’s take a look at the conveniences of battery powered electric cars:

1. EVs are simple to start compared to gas powered cars. You never really “start” the car. As long as the batteries are charged up, all the driver does is close the switch and the car is on! No more accidentally grinding the starter or waiting for the car to warm up. Turn the key; put it in gear, and go.

2. No more tune-ups with an EV. You may need to change out the battery pack once in a while or replace a fuse, but the EV is very low maintenance. Engine repairs are almost not existent since electric motors are very reliable and long lasting. Older motors may require some work on the brushes, but not much, and hardly anything compared to the work required to keep an old gas powered car going!

3. Cheap to operate. At this time, electric cars are still expensive compared to gas powered cars. This has to do with the higher cost of relatively newer battery technologies, and the lack of real mass manufacturing of the components – economy of scale. However, the EV costs only a few cents per mile to drive. The new Nissan Leaf costs about $0.03 USD for the electricity! Try that with a gas burner.

4. EVs are cool. At the present there are not many electric cars around. EVs are different, and still pretty cool. Maybe you can get a date over your EV!

Next, the environmental benefits:

1. Cleaner air. Note that we do not claim that EVs have zero environmental impacts. All vehicles and manufactured machines in general put some dent in the environmental fabric. However, EVs are cleaner than gas powered rigs, the carbon argument notwithstanding. It is argued that if the source of electricity is coal fired power plants that you are just moving the pollution from one place to another. This can be shown to be correct in some cases, but overall it is a lame attempt to resist improvement.

Number one; there is the option to switch to cleaner energy sources such as wind, solar, wave, geothermal and solar power. In fact, it would be a good thing if EVs could force this switch!

Number two; electric cars use energy more efficiently than gas powered cars. Gas powered cars waste about 2/3 of their fuel in excess heat…gone, bye bye, up and away. Just think that of every $1.00 you put in the gas tank, only $0.33 goes towards actually moving you towards your destination! Electric cars use almost all of their energy to move forward to where they are going. What a concept! Take a look at any electric car today, they carry the energy equivalent of like 1 gallon of gasoline, but are doing the same job in many cases. So, less energy used means less pollution any way you shake it.

2. Attitude. It is all about attitude the coaches tell us. It is no different with cars. If you have an attitude of disrespect for the air you breathe, you will help make it less breathable. That’s fine, except that people with this attitude also junk up the air for the rest of plants, animals, and people here on this 3rd planet from the sun. Electric cars help promote an awareness of conservation of resources and an attitude of gratitude for the resources we have and need to keep on keepin on.

3. Conservation of resources: Since transport uses much of the World supply of petroleum, and the World is facing Peak Oil at some point here, electric cars have the advantage of helping in a major way to conserve existing petroleum reserves. This will help preserve lower costs to consumers and ease shocks from the pounding of peak oil.

EV Fun:

Finally, remember the Fun! Here is an interesting and not much talked about aspect of the electric vehicle: the EV Grin.

For some reason, almost everybody that first drives an electric vehicle gets this kind of grin, smile or whatever. It has been called the EV Grin. There is something about the silent, smooth power of the electric car that just makes the driver smile.

Electric cars (set up properly) are quick off the line and run smooth. There is no shifting required many times, and the driving is easy and fun. At stop lights you do not need to worry about revving up off the line, or holding your foot too hard on the brake, unless you own an EV like the Tesla which is programmed to “idle” like a contemporary car.

EVs can smoke the tires too. If you are so inclined, take advantage of that low end torque and smoke it!

These are some of the advantages of electric cars. Of course there are drawbacks to EVs, but that is another article.

Happy Motoring!