5 Practical Points of Electric Cars -- A Contribution from Liz Nelson

5 Practical Points of Electric Cars

Electric cars are becoming more and more commonplace now that the world is pushing for an energy crisis situation. In the early 2000s, GM dismantled the EV1s giving a variety of excuses such as there would be no interest in this type of automobile. A decade later, there are a hot commodity and many are joining waiting lists for vehicles such as those offered by Tesla Motors. Aside from the ability to function without a single drop of gasoline, what else makes these vehicles practical for daily use?

1. Battery Life - Currently, some of the best batteries for electric cars can allow a person to travel for 300 miles. To some, this simply doesn't sound like enough driving time. To put it into perspective, the state of Colorado is only 280 miles across. Unless you are planning a cross-country trip, 300 miles is quite a bit of in-town driving per day. This is aside from the fact that solar conversion kits can be adapted to constantly provide power to electric cars as they are on the road as well.

2. Grid-Less - Solar panels can be used to charge your electric cars while they are sitting at home. Instead of plugging them into the grid and spinning your meter, you can adapt solar energy and deep cycle batteries to keep your car energy-sufficient and charging throughout most of the day. With renewable energy sources available, the possibilities are near endless.

3. Gas Prices vs. Power Prices - Unless you are using a self-sustaining system such as solar arrays to power your vehicle, there will be a cost of charging it up. However, the cost for power is far less than it would be for the cost of ever-increasing gas prices. In fact, it would be beneficial for more people to drive electric cars for those who don't. When the demand for an item decreases, so does the price. If even 10-percent of people in your neighborhood owned electric cars, the price of gas could steadily drop.

4. Clean Maintenance - Most mechanics who have worked on electric cars commented on how it is a clean experience. As electric cars use very little in the form of petroleum-based products for continued usage, the undercarriage and engine compartment are virtually oil and grease free. No more pouring Coca Cola on your drive way to remove the evidence of an oil leak.

5. Speed - Electric cars can handle to road as well as gasoline powered ones can. In fact, the first generation of Tesla Roadsters can do 0 to 60 in just under four seconds. Unlike electric scooters that may have a top speed of 60, electric cars can hit the road with as much speed as their predecessors can. Using the same aerodynamics to promote gas mileage, these same principles can save on power usage.

There are many who argue about the battery life of an electric car forcing the issue of how impractical it may be. Could these merely be rants from those who are afraid of change or those who have vested stock in oil companies? Or is there any truth to electric cars being impractical? Currently, consumers have the option of purchasing a wide range of vehicles consuming various amounts of fuel. Will there come a day when the government steps in and puts an end to carbon monoxide-emitting engines?

This is a guest post by Liz Nelson from WhiteFence.com. She is a freelance writer and blogger from Houston. Questions and comments can be sent to: liznelson17 @ gmail.com.