Electric Cars As a More Secure and Cleaner Option

The electrical vehicle has been progressively well known throughout the two most recent decades. The possibility of a vehicle running totally on electric power over non-renewable energy sources, like gasoline or diesel, is fascinating purchasers who want to help the environment by cutting down their carbon footprint. While electric vehicles are all the more environmentally friendly, they seem to come across issues such as long charging times for their batteries, lower mileages achieved by these vehicles, higher average costs than traditional vehicles, as well as some terrains cannot accommodate these vehicles.

In the 1920s, electric vehicles were more popular and sold more frequently than gas-powered vehicles. The electric-powered cars very common in the United States up until Henry Ford dropped the prices of gas-powered vehicles down rapidly after his mass production of Model T cars. Also, the many discoveries of oil made the price of gasoline more affordable to the public than electric cars. Since roads were expanded to connect cities with highways, there was more of a demand for a longer driving range.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified writer

Proficient in: Electric Car

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Nowadays, electric vehicles are viewed today as the new answer for our planet as a way to transport individuals and cut down on exhaust which harms not only the environment but ourselves. These vehicles do not run on gasoline, diesel, or oil to operate, but rather, on a rechargeable lithium-particle battery. This form of transportation is cleaner and safer for everyone as they do not discharge carbon dioxide gas or other environmentally-harmful contaminants found in petroleum-fueled vehicles into the atmosphere.

For example, choosing to drive a Nissan Leaf rather than a Honda Civic will decrease around 4,096 pounds of carbon emissions every year. In a recent study, Stanford University gauged, for the expense of carbon, the amount of carbon released into the air from an internal combustion engine vehicle, over a ten year period, would compare to roughly $4,506. (Malmgren). Driving a normal petroleum-fueled vehicle, particularly in large communities such as cities where cars can remain idle during red lights or traffic jams, releases huge traces of toxins that can cause unfavorable impacts on the wellbeing of those who live there. For example, exhausts from cars can be correlated to respiratory problems, reproductive harm, as well as an increased risk of developing cancer.

While electric vehicles are safer for the environment as they do not discharge gases into the atmosphere as gas-fueled cars do, they have a deceptive side to them that numerous buyers are not aware of nor do not think more critically about when purchasing the vehicles. As previously stated, electric vehicles are powered by a large battery that must be recharged before the vehicle is driven. Electric car providers, consumer stores, and different companies across the globe encourage those who drive these cars by offering perks such as charging stations and closer designated parking around shopping districts. This tactic of providing perks also works well to incentivize others to make the clean switch. While these electric cars are considerably safer the environment, the issue that arises with them is the method of energizing the battery. A case study from the University of California in 2015 found that 60% of power, used to charge the cars, originated from using non-renewable energy sources, while sun-based and wind-based energy sources together made up under 14%. Even though electric cars are more environmentally friendly than normal vehicles, the vast majority of the vehicle's battery capacity is still provided from coal-sustained power stations that provide the power to individuals' homes. To truly make the electric vehicle the greenest option in terms of not causing pollution, renewable energy sources must be used that do not emit pollutants into the atmosphere to provide the electrical energy like the current coal-fed power plants do. The final thing that needs to be addressed about the major disadvantages of electric vehicles is the limited range that these automobiles are able to drive on a single battery charge. For most electric car brands, the range is eighty to one hundred miles which would make it difficult when someone is driving across the country or even just through counties. Teslas can range from two hundred to three hundred miles but when the battery takes three to four hours to charge with a level two battery but it can make driving a hassle according to Graham. For a level three battery, it would only take thirty minutes for it to get to 80% charged but if there is inappropriate usage it could greatly impact the batteries level. This can be a very unpleasant aspect as a conventional car only takes upwards of five minutes to refuel, pay, and hit the road again.

Ingrid Malmgren wrote an article that describes the expense and advantages of an electric vehicle versus gas-fed cars that address factors that must be considered before the purchase of a car. While the article plainly discusses pricing, care of the vehicle, and the effects that it will have on the earth, it doesn't precisely detail how the area in which the car is driven will affect its performance. While urban areas are clearly the best spot for electric vehicles to operate, they will effectively affect the economy which depends heavily on fossil fuel cars. An example of this can be seen by looking at how many businesses run dependant on normal cars. Common cars use much more oil than electric and require much more maintenance to keep them up to date. With newer electric vehicles, less money would be spend in auto shops for common maintenance than regular cars would receive as electric cars are created much simpler. Secondary impacts of electric cars will pursue which can include emission and muffler shops closing (Barnard). Soon after fuel shops will close as more current vehicles will not require them, but will serve electricity instead.

While these electric vehicles wouldn't experience a lot of difficulty in the city with these new changes, rural areas out in the country will have a whole new set of problems to overcome. In most country regions, charging stations are not very common to see. Unpaved streets take significantly more energy from the battery to travel on than a smooth city street. Most importantly, many individuals who live and work in rural areas often have to drive longer distance and require larger vehicles than those who live in the city. For example, many farmers need high torque and the ability to carry heavy loads that pickup trucks can provide. These feats cannot often be accomplished by electric motor cars without paying significantly more money for the vehicle. I believe, to solve the issues for the rural population that wants to make the clean switch, more charging stations must be created, roads need to be better maintained and cared for, as well as redesigned vehicles that can deliver enough power without raising the cost too severely so that it is economically feasible for those who live outside the city to switch.

Taking everything into account, electric vehicles are turning into a more secure and cleaner option than conventional gas-powered vehicles for the air we breathe. Despite the fact that the green vehicles today are safe for the environment, the energy used to provide power and the vehicle itself can be improved upon to fulfill more individuals and their needs. Even though the solution to electric cars problems are very costly today, the future may hold more cost-effective solutions that will ultimately cut back on carbon emissions and stop polluting our air as frequently as it is done today from traditional vehicles.