Electric cars pros and cons are fundamentally a matter of personal opinion, and a disadvantage to one could be an advantage to another. Why drive such a car? What is it about such cars that attracts people not only to drive them but also to design and develop them?
There are two camps on this - those interested in the environment and those on economy. There is a third, as there is with any new technology - those wanting to appear 'different' or 'cool.' Whether it is perceived as being cool to purchase and drive such cars is a matter of opinion, but let's discuss electric car pros and cons first before making further comment.
Electric Cars - Pros
For anybody to purchase an electric car there must become benefit over regular gasoline cars for them to justify doing so. We shall start here with a cynical viewpoint, but prepared to be swayed by argument and see where it leads. With that understood, here are some of the main benefits proposed by those who advocate that we buy electric by choice.
1. Electrical Power is Environmentally Friendly
Let's examine this statement. 'Environmentally friendly' - what does that mean? Presumably the argument is that electrical power has less of a carbon footprint than a gas powered car. It has no need for fossil fuels, and so when you buy an electric vehicle you do not rely on oil sources for your fuel.
Nor do you emit hydrocarbon waste or carbon oxides - carbon dioxide and monoxide which are believed to be not only poisoning the planet, but affecting our upper atmosphere. Perhaps Messrs. Lenoir, Benz and Ford have much to answer for - or perhaps not, because there is no doubt that the internal combustion engine and the development of the motor car has played a massive part in the development of modern industry and technology.
However, back to the pertinent discussion regarding the potential effect on the environment of electric cars. There is more than just the power source and environmental effect going for them.
2. Electric Vehicle Technology
An electric vehicle runs from batteries - so is not internal combustion. What does that mean? First, it emits fewer (or no) hydrocarbons in its exhaust than regular vehicles - because it has none! That's a good argument, as is that of lack of noise.
No noise means no need for a muffler, and no hydrocarbon emissions means no need for a catalytic converter or an internal combustion engine, distributor, points, spark plugs, coil, radiator, fan belt, valves and everything else we swear at when we are trying to fix them or change them. That in itself is a blessing and a massive plus for electric cars.
These advantages are almost sufficient to persuade anybody to buy an electric car rather than a regular internal combustion car. But then again, they said that about airships in comparison to regular airplanes of that era. Airships had one drawback that counted against them - they tended to explode! This dissuaded people from using them, so what's the drawback with electric vehicles?
Electric Vehicles - Cons
1. The Power Source
Electric cars don't explode, but they do run out of electricity. Not for the lack of a coin, but for the lack of a charging point. Larger cities might have them, but you won't get far down Route 66 on electric - certainly nothing like from Chicago to L.A.! Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry and the Stones would be very lucky to get out of state with their electric vehicle! The average car, such as the Nissan LEAF, does no more than about 90 miles on one charge - what then?
That's the main drawback. They are fine for the school run and shopping, and perhaps that's what they were designed for. With today's technology, electric vehicles will never catch on big time unless something is done about recharging. Not just with charging stations, but also the speed of charging since it takes up to 8 hours to fully recharge a battery. "I'm just going to fill her up dear - book a room for us!"
However, Nissan has tackled this problem quite well with the Nissan LEAF (Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car). A home charger will take 8 hours, sure, but you can get a commercial fast charge at a Nissan dealer, or street charging station, that provides an 80% charge in 30 minutes.
Once supermarkets install these you can plug in, do your shopping and your car is charged ready for you when you return. There is no doubt that as sales increase, this will become a commercial decision and all supermarkets will have them. Not only that, but a Nissan LEAF can receive a 30 mile charge with a rapid 5-minute supercharge!
2. The Environment
Electricity has to come from somewhere, and some have calculated electric cars to be only slightly more friendly than gas cars in their power source. This will change as methods of generating electricity changes, but it still cannot be denied that electric vehicle emissions are zero.
3. Power
Electric motors cannot match the power of internal combustion engines, and in this respect they never will unless there is a radical new discovery in electrical power. However, for normal day-to-day use, an electrically powered car offers sufficient power and speed for normal use. Again taking the Nissan LEAF as an example, this car can reach a speed of 60 MPH in 10.8 seconds. That is sufficient for normal driving within the speed limit.
Conclusions: Buy an Electric Car or Not?
Electrical cars have both good and bad features. However, for driving around town, they appear superior to gas cars in all respects. If you are driving long distances go for gasoline. It would not be surprising to find most 2-car households owning one of each in the not too distant future.
If you are looking for a new car, then electric cars might be worth thinking about.
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