Published on October 19th, 2019 | by Sunit Nandi

Is an Electric Car Right For You?

Electric vehicles (EV) used to be something people considered “out there” or even “space age,” but today, electric cars are everywhere and becoming more popular every day. If you have considered purchasing an electric car it pays to do your homework. As with any car, there are pros and cons to this choice. Some of the drawbacks may be a deal-breaker for you. Read on to see if you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

The Pros

1) The Environment

Of course Mother Earth is going to be #1 on this list because that was the motivation behind the electric vehicle movement. Electric vehicles have zero emissions. In fact, they don’t even have an exhaust system. Driving an electric car versus a gas-powered one means you are greatly reducing greenhouse emissions. That may be reason enough for you right there.

2) Tax Incentives

The federal government, as well as some states, have sweetened the pot when it comes to purchasing electric vehicles. Financial incentives are being offered to consumers who take the plunge and buy an EV. The IRS is willing to issue a tax credit up to $7,500 for the purchase of a plug-in electric car.

3) Lower Expenses

Gas is much more expensive than electricity, so right off the bat, you’re headed for savings. In addition to what you will save on fuel, maintenance on an EV is a lot lower too. An electric car does not have a combustible engine, which means it won’t require oil changes or other maintenance costs that come with engine care.

4) Enjoy the Silence

Okay, they aren’t silent, but electric vehicles are considerably quieter than a gas-powered car. There is no engine noise because, well, there is no engine. In fact, you may have to look twice to make sure you turned the thing off before you walk away.

The Cons

1) The Range

This is the biggest drawback for most consumers who are thinking about purchasing an electric car. If you have a short commute, you may not be concerned, however with an average range of 60-100 miles per charge you definitely need to plan ahead so you know how far you can go before you need a charge. This brings us to the second con which is charging.

2) Charging

Not only does charging take a while, but charging stations are not always easy to find. Fully charging your electric car can take anywhere from 4 hours to 20 hours. To complicate matters, finding a charging station can be a real drawback. Depending on where you live, accessibility can be very limited. As we said before, owning an electric car takes real planning.

3) The Price Tag

The tax credit is nice, but it doesn’t completely offset the hefty price tag on electric cars. You can expect to pay $10,000 – $50,000 more for an electric car than a conventional one. Hopefully, as technology advances, we will see those numbers drop considerably.

Electric cars are all the rage and for good reason. We should all be doing out part to care for this Earth we call home. For more information regarding EV’s and other innovative technology, visit Vigyaa, a website dedicated to forward-thinking ideas.

Tags: car, electric, right

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.