Owning an electric car for the first time means taking a leap. If you've previously been used to a vehicle powered by either gasoline or diesel fuel, then the adjustment to an electric vehicle takes a minute. To get you seeing the many benefits of owning an electric car, here are 5 reasons you might wish to do so.
1. Lower Operating Costs Per Mile
With an electric car, the operating costs per mile are far lower than with fossil fuels. This is not only because a vehicle is far more energy efficient when powered by electricity, but also because of the costs involved within the oil and gas industry to deliver usable gasoline at the pumping station.
It only typically costs a few dollars to charge a vehicle for a 50- or 100-mile round trip. When you have a home energy tariff that's cheaper in the evening, overnight or during the weekends, then recharging an electric car can cost even less.
2. Time to Maximum Torque is Almost Instantaneous
To get from zero to 60mph in a car usually takes a good few seconds unless you own a pricey sports car. An electric car comes with the ability to reach the maximum torque very quickly. Compared to a gas-fueled vehicle, you can get moving and up to speed much faster. Going electric avoids needing to wait for the motor to spool up and run well, especially on cold winter mornings when some non-electric vehicles may struggle.
3. Skip Idling in Traffic
Sitting in traffic on the way to work and back is very frustrating. While the vehicle is idling, it's still consuming gasoline or diesel fuel. Therefore, even when you're not moving, it's costing money to just sit there.
Without the need for the engine to spool up, it's possible to completely turn off the electric car if you're stuck in traffic and it's going to be a while. Whether waiting at a red light or there are road works up ahead, just power down. The AC and radio can run off the battery, no problem. And when you need it, turn the car back on to crawl another few inches in traffic when you need to without any loss in performance.
4. Greater Distance on a Single Charge
It depends on the size of the vehicle, it's energy efficiency, and the battery packs, but most electric cars don't have much of a range anxiety issue these days. Commonly, modern electric cars can travel at least 200 miles on a single charge. Some may even get closer to 300 miles, depending on the model.
The charging time is usually between 2-8 hours, so your car can be charged up during stops before heading home if you're driving a greater distance in a single day. Fast charging ports reduce the charging time considerably too.
5. Improve Your Driving
To assist drivers, a good number of electric car manufacturers supply their vehicles with a driving training system. These systems run through the basics of how to use the car.
Manufacturers often also include advice on how best to drive an electric car to maximize the usage. Aspects of driving, like not revving the engine too much and avoiding braking hard, are emphasized.
There are many benefits of owning an electric car over the alternatives. What's the number one reason for you?
