Before You Purchase an Electric Car Consider the Positive and Negative Factors Wisely

Thinking about getting a new electric car? Even more people are looking at the best way to convert a car to electric.

There is heightened interest in the electric car with today's unstable gas prices. There are certainly some advantages. However, there are also some disadvantages, too. Therefore, before you spend a great deal of money make sure you evaluate both the advantages and disadvantages in order to determine what is most vital to you.

Positive Factors of Electric Cars

1) No tailpipe pollutants. If you're someone who considers it important to breathe clean air and wants to cut back on air pollution, this can be an important advantage. Only about 15% of the gas in a normal car is used,in moving the car and the remainder of the gas generates heat and polluting exhaust fumes. An electric car uses approximately 80% of it's energy in moving the car.

Electric cars can be powered by renewable energy such as solar or wind power. Most likely they are going to be powered by electricity from local power companies. Power plants typically have well regulated emissions and can be found well away from high population areas.

2) Electric Power is Cheap. It may take a couple dollars worth of electricity to drive 100 miles. Most gas powered cars would need $15 or more for enough gas to drive 100 miles. Gasoline prices are market driven and change almost daily--too often rising. Electricity prices are stable--frequently controlled by state utility commissions.

3) Less Complicated Technology. The electric motor in an electric car has around 5 moving parts. A standard gas powered engine has hundreds of moving parts. Gasoline engines require systems to regulate fuel and air flow to the engine and manage exhaust gases. The electric car requires more batteries plus a control system to regulate charging and current to the motor.

4) Lower Maintenance Costs. Since the gas powered car has more moving components, it requires more extensive, thus more expensive, upkeep. After 7 years or so an electric car would require replacement batteries which can be costly. Until then, upkeep entails rotating the tires and filling up the windshield washer fluid.

Drawbacks of Electric Cars

1) More Expensive. Batteries are a major cost factor for electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries are employed instead of standard lead-acid batteries for their greater storage capacity which gives a greater driving range.

2) Range Restrictions. Our current battery technology can only store enough energy for a car to travel 50 to 100 miles before recharging. The range mostly depends on the battery type, car weight, and transmission (manual or automatic). Most electric vehicles are used for local driving and are recharged at home. Some people lengthen their driving range by means of an auxiliary gas powered generator.

3) Limited Availability of Recharging Stations. There are an increasing number of recharging stations available, typically in urban areas. They are certainly not as omnipresent as gas stations. Without a supplemental generator your driving range often restricts you to local errands.

4) Battery Replacement Costs. When it comes time change out your vehicle's batteries you can expect to spend from a few thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars or more.

5) Charging Duration. You can fill up a gas powered car in just a couple of minutes. An electric vehicle might take hours to recharge. Based on the type of batteries, voltage and current available, as well as the controller used, some cars can be recharged in as little as 20 minutes while the vast majority of vehicles require overnight charging.

Is an electric vehicle in your future? Evaluate your priorities together with the benefits and drawbacks and make a choice.