Going to a gas station is something everyone does at least once or maybe even more than once a week. In most cases, filling up your car takes no more than five to tten minutes. Now, imagine that same fill up taking thirty minutes to an hour. How would that make you feel?
Gas powered cars have been around since 1876 and have changed a lot over time. Today we have many types of vehicles on the road, and some get very low gas mileage, while others get very great mileage. The ones that are drawing the most interest and new buyers, though, are those that don’t use gasoline at all. These, EV’s – or electric vehicles – are starting to become the new norm for drivers. Some of the major sellers of these include Tesla, Ford, Kia, and General Motors (GM) according to Ellen Sirull in her article for energysave.com.
While EV’s are becoming more and more popular, not everything about this new vehicle is so sweet, as there are a number of downsides to these popular machines. One of the major issues that come up in relation to EVs is the environmental impact of battery production.
John M. Vincent, in his article ¨Pros and Cons of Electric Cars, states, ¨While electric vehicles hold great environmental promise, their batteries aren’t so environmentally friendly. This potential environmental problem is also affected by the poor environmental standards that exist in some of the countries the batteries or battery materials come from. Vincent states, “Many materials used in today’s EV batteries come from countries with terrible ecological and/ human rights records.¨ This is important to consider since EVs are often touted as better for the environment, but they still have issues that one has to acknowledge.
People who drive EVs have to charge the batteries, and this can be done in a number of ways. The most common way is to charge at home, which can be done through charging stations that one has installed in their home or by using an extension cord that is connected inside or near the home. Vincent notes in his Pros and Cons article how home charging costs can be high, which some owners mightnot always take into account when they make the switch. For those who opt for a home charging station, Vincent notes that these start at just a few hundred dollars, but can run as high as one-thousand dollars depending on their capabilities. The wiring of a home charging station can cost owners big money, and the monthly power bill at your home will be higher than most are used to, which is important to note.
Another potential challenge that EV drivers face is that electric vehicles cannot travel as far on a charge as a gas powered vehicle can on a full tank of gas. An Energy.Gov fact sheet from 2022 claims,t “The median driving range of all-electric vehicles (EV) was 234 miles while the median range for gasoline vehicles was 403 miles.” This difference in range means that EV drivers have to more closely manage their travel for long trips.
On the other hand, EVs are popular because of the way they combine high performance and ease of use. One main benefit that is sought by the general population is lower fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicle. In “Benefits Of Electric Vehicles” published by Duke Energy, they note that ¨An electric car can save on average $1,000 in fuel each year. This is something that many
do consider, and it is often the breaking point on switching from a gasoline powered to an electric powered vehicle. Duke Energy’s article also notes that “the cost to maintain an electric car, especially a battery-powered model, is generally much lower than fossil fuel-powered vehicles due to fewer moving parts.¨ This is a strong point considering the costs of vehicle repairs.
Local community member Matt Thomas, who drives a Tesla Model X, says that he chose an EV ¨To help better our earth and to save money on gas since that was a big cost for my family.¨
Thomas’ Tesla has 335 miles of range, which is significantly higher than the median for EVs, but this is not a huge factor for him. ¨I usually don’t really use it for long range,- only for work and for other close everyday occurrences,” he says, “but if I did need it to go somewhere far I would [fully] just charge it the night before.”
As for what he really likes about his EV, Thomas says, “The new tech in the car makes me excited. For example, I can make my horn anything I want under the sun; it’s honestly just a fun and reliable car.¨
People have many different things to consider when it comes to making a final decision on whether they are ready to move to an EV. They also have a lot more options in regard to what kind of vehicle they would like to drive.
