The Rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Image: An electric car charging itself up in Amsterdam

Source- Wiki

The concept of electric vehicles no longer seems a fairly distant dream. We already have them now as a part of our reality. Here’s a case in point:

Although the number of on-road EVs remain a rarity, experts predict that this is going to change shortly as more and more EVs stream into the mainstream market.

Today, in this article, we will take a closer peek at electric vehicles, in general. We will discuss their general advantages and disadvantages, and also take a quick peek at a few extraordinary EV facts in the form of an infographic below.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s begin.

Electric vehicles: A Brief Overview

Electric vehicles are automobiles propelled by one or more electric motors using energy stored in rechargeable batteries.

These rechargeable batteries are installed inside the vehicle and are used not only to power the entire vehicle but also for the functioning of the lights and the wipers.

Advantages of Electric vehicles

Electric vehicles come with a host of advantages such as:

1. Zero gas requirement

Electric vehicles work on electricity. Meaning, you don’t have to buy gas ever to keep these vehicles on the road.

No gas means no fuel cost which also implies to lower environmental impact. If this doesn’t count as a benefit, what does?

Note: Although electricity is not available for free, an electric vehicle is far cheaper to run in comparison to that of a fuel vehicle.

2. Eco-friendly

Electrical vehicles don’t produce emissions as they run solely on electrically powered engines. They don’t produce toxic gases or smoke as electricity is a clean energy source.

This eco-friendly nature of these vehicles is perhaps their greatest benefit to mankind.

3. Cost-effective

Electric vehicles prices and maintenance costs are expected to go down in the next few years with more and more technological advancements.

And we can say this with conviction that a day would come up when electric vehicles would not even cost half the price as that of a gas-powered vehicle.

A few key mentions

• EVs are comparatively safer to drive in comparison to a gas vehicle.
• They have low maintenance costs.
• They are quiet and create very low noise pollution.
• They are growing in popularity

Possible Disadvantages

1. Recharge point issues

This is perhaps the biggest downside of owning an electric vehicle.

Electric recharge points are still in a development stage and hence, you will not find them as often as that of a gas station. This means that if you on a long trip and you run out of charge, you are stuck on the spot for a very long time.

2. Limited speed and range

Electric vehicles are limited by speed and range.

Most of these vehicles have a low range of fifty to hundred miles after which they need to be recharged again. Their speed is also significantly lower in comparison to a gas vehicle.

A few key mentions

• Electricity doesn’t come for free. And that is the food these vehicles consume.
• EVs have a longer recharge time.
• EVs normally come as a 2-seater vehicle.
• These are not suitable in cities or towns facing acute shortage of power.

So that takes care of the pros and the cons. Let’s move over to the infographic now.

Infographic

Source- Visually [Made by Plates4Less]

A final word…

There’s simply no doubt about this fact that electric vehicles have a whole lot of potentials. But, at the same time, it’s also true that there’s still a long way to go. Whether they can live up to our expectation or not, only time will tell. Fingers crossed!