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Electric Vehicles: Their Benefits and Drawbacks



Electric trains, trams, buses, and boats are commonplace, and most of us have used them at some point. One fact that gets less attention is that battery-powered cars were available in the early 1900s. These electric carriages could reach speeds of up to 14 mph and travel distances of up to 18 miles. These cars continued to sell well until the advent of the internal combustion engine, which made larger, faster, and longer-range vehicles possible.



Pollution-caused global warming is now a pressing concern. The cost of oil has been steadily rising. These elements, along with the understanding that the world's oil sources will be depleted within the next several decades, have sparked a resurgence in interest and investigation into electric vehicles. Compared to their gasoline-powered counterparts, these cars provide a number of significant benefits.


These automobiles are powered by engines that produce no harmful emissions. The environment will benefit greatly from this because it now takes in millions of tons of exhaust pollutants every day. While other exhaust gases continue to increase air pollution, it is widely believed that carbon dioxide emissions play a substantial role in this phenomenon.


Battery-powered vehicles are more cost-effective to operate because electricity is less expensive than gasoline. As the cost of crude oil rises, they will become more financially viable. It has been calculated that the amount of electricity needed to operate an electric vehicle is roughly one-fifth that of a gasoline-powered vehicle. As the price of oil keeps climbing, the disparity between the two will grow.


Vehicles fueled by batteries are easier to maintain. They are not as vulnerable to wear and tear as internal combustion engines, thus they can go longer between oil changes. Additionally, there are a lot less moving elements that can go wrong or need fixing.


The current state of battery technology is the biggest drawback because of its restricted range. The average charge time for a battery-powered vehicle is several hours, and its range is normally between one and two hundred miles. Car batteries, like other rechargeable batteries, have a limited lifespan and must be replaced after a certain number of charge/discharge cycles.


The high price of batteries is still the primary reason why electric automobiles are so expensive. Consumers in the United States and Great Britain, according to recent polls, are not interested in paying more for an electric vehicle with a shorter range, which slows down the widespread switch from conventional gasoline vehicles to those powered by batteries. More battery-powered cars, though, will hit the streets as battery technology advances. Because of the economy of scale, costs will go down.


There are benefits and drawbacks to both gasoline and electric vehicles. It is becoming increasingly apparent, however, that our current rate of oil use is not sustainable (in terms of cost, availability, or pollution), and that we will need to discover a viable substitute sooner rather than later. The only viable option is electric vehicles at the moment.






  • Sasa Randall
  • Apr 25 2023