Have you ever wondered if owning an electric car could be for you? There can be many considerable benefits to owning an electric car, but there can also be downsides. Today, I will discuss some of the main advantages and disadvantages to owning an electric car in hopes of helping you make the choice if this is for you.
Here are 4 advantages in owning an electric car:
1. They are easier on the environment. All electric vehicles have no exhaust system which means that they have zero emissions. Gas vehicles are a very large contributor to greenhouse-gas buildup, which is why many people are making the switch to an electric car.
2. Electricity is cheaper than gas. Americans pay about 15 cents per mile when they drive a gas powered car. Electric vehicles can run at about one-third of that cost. Since many people charge their electric vehicles in their garage, installing solar panels on the roof of your home can save even more money in electricity.
3. Maintenance is less frequent or expensive. Electric cars do not need to run on oil and do not need any oil changes or any other maintenance that would be related to a gas engine. This means that you would only need to spend money on battery maintenance, which is much cheaper than maintenance on a gas engine.
4. You will receive tax credits. If you are the original owner of an electric vehicle, you will receive a tax credit just for helping the environment by driving a zero-emissions car. Depending on the make and model of the car, your tax credit could be as much as $7,500.
Now here are 4 disadvantages in owning an electric car:
1. They have a short range. Electric vehicle range is something that car companies are always improving. But, on a full charge, most models will only go about 60 to 100 miles on a full charge, with a small percentage of models that can reach between 200 to 300 miles per charge.
2. Recharging can take time. A gas powered car only takes a few minutes to fill up at the gas station while an electric vehicle can take about 4 hours to reach a full charge with some models taking 15 to 20 hours to fully charge.
3. They can be very expensive. If you have ever looked at the prices on electric cars, you know how expensive they can be. The cheapest electric cars on the market start at about $30,000 to $40,000. Luxury models, though, can be $80,000 or more.
4. Charging stations are limited. Unlike gas stations, charging stations for electric vehicles are not very popular. This can make it difficult to find a spot to charge if you were on a long road trip or if you lived in a more suburban area. Luckily, as the popularity of electric cars grows, so do the charging stations.
In conclusion, if you have the income to pay the upfront costs of buying an electric car, want to do your part to contribute to the environment, and have access to charging stations for electric cars in your area, taking the plunge and purchasing an electric car is an easy choice. The advantages to being clean for the environment and saving in expenses long-term related to gas or maintenance of a vehicle are apparent. As popularity of electric cars increases, the availability and ease of charging will certainly improve creating a surge of electric car use in the future of automotive trends.