The question always arises when talking about hybrids and electric vehicles: why buy one? What makes them better than a simple gas car? Well rather than focusing on the environmental aspects of it, like reducing your carbon footprint, lets talk about benefits to your everyday life. I’ve compiled some benefits of owning an electric vehicle (EV) over a gas vehicle, and with the help of an open mind, it could make you think twice about your gas-guzzler.
For starters, how would you like to wake up to a full tank every morning? Well granted you remembered to plug in your EV before you went to sleep, she’ll be all charged up in the morning. Almost all EVs can easily fully charge while you rest your head at night. Being able to fill up your car in the luxury of your own home makes an EV hard to compete with in the fueling category, not to mention charging is cheaper than fueling.
So that’s it? You can charge your car at home and electricity is cheaper than gas; that’s all there is to it right? Not quite. What else do car owners love to hear about? Reliability! Electric motors are more reliable than gas engines because there are less moving parts. This also means that there is less to maintain. No more monthly oil changes or checking fluid levels. Electric cars can dramatically cut back on your maintenance costs and, even though EV’s can cost more than a gas car up front, they turn out to be considerably cheaper in the long run.
Not only are EVs cost effective and reliable, they are also comparable in power. Electric motors produce instantaneous torque unlike gasoline engines. Torque is what gets a car off the line and moving. Torque is what makes those dragsters do wheelies at the track (with the help of really sticky tires and no weight in the front, but you get the idea). Most cars don’t produce a considerable amount of torque until 2000 RPM, but an electric vehicle produces all of its torque right from the start. With all this instantaneous power and the right setup, EVs can do wheelies too. EVs also produce a smoother and continuous power range. You won’t feel when an EV shifts and essentially you control the speed of the engine with the placement of the accelerator pedal. So you have comparable power, what about comfort?
Don’t you hate when the heater takes forever to blow out hot air because the car isn’t warm yet? In an EV once you back out of the driveway you’ll already be basking in the warm and cozy air of the heater. The heater in an EV warms up just like one of those portable space heaters you have in your room, fast! That’s not the only benefit of the heating and cooling system of an EV either. EVs air conditioning systems can run when the car is off, so no more waiting for your friend to run a quick errand with the car still running. An EVs heating and cooling system doesn’t need an engine to make it work, it works anytime you want it to, just like the system in your house.
There are numerous other benefits to owning an EV, but I believe these to be the most significant. I hope this not only makes you think twice about a gasoline vehicle, but also sheds some light on the everyday life of an EV owner. Plug it in!
