If you\u2019re thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle, it\u2019s important to weigh the pros and cons of electric cars as you make your decision. Here are a few common pros and cons to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Better for the environment<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Obviously, one of the major reasons why consumers buy or consider buying electric or hybrid vehicles is because they\u2019re better for the environment. Because they don\u2019t have a combustion engine or exhaust system, electric vehicles don\u2019t emit the harmful pollutants and gases that conventional vehicles do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And electric vehicles aren\u2019t just responsible for less air pollution. They\u2019re also significantly quieter than conventional vehicles, meaning they don\u2019t contribute to noise pollution either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Less expensive <\/em>fuel<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no question: electricity is cheaper to procure than gasoline. Depending on the price of gasoline and the vehicle\u2019s fuel economy, consumers who drive conventional vehicles can pay an average of 15 cents per mile. While this might not seem like a lot of money, it\u2019s a huge spike when compared to the cost of electric vehicles, which can average 5 cents or fewer per mile. Depending on a variety of factors, that difference can mean hundreds, and possibly even thousands, of dollars in savings per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cheaper to maintain<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because electric vehicles don\u2019t require oil to run, they don\u2019t require oil changes or other kinds of regular maintenance related to combustion engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deductible on your taxes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of the positive environmental benefits associated with owning an electric vehicle, if you purchase one, you may be eligible for tax credits. The purchase of a new electric vehicle is eligible for a federal tax credit ranging from $2,500 to $7,500, and you may be eligible for additional credits as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Save time on your commute<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many cities have special lanes for hybrid and\/or high occupancy vehicles, and these lanes are typically less crowded than other lanes, especially at rush traffic times. In your electric vehicle, however, you\u2019ll be speeding past those conventional vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Safer<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of the heavy battery pack, which sits below the passenger area, electric vehicles have a significantly lower center of mass and are much less likely than conventional vehicles to rollover. It\u2019s also unlikely for an electric vehicle to explode on impact. Due to the absence of a combustion engine, the frontal crumple zone of an electric vehicle can absorb and direct more kinetic energy than conventional vehicles, which can help keep passengers safe in collisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not completely emission free<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As we\u2019ve discussed before on the Schaefer Autobody blog, the environmental consequences of driving an electric car are influenced by how the electricity you use to charge the car is produced. If the source of your vehicle\u2019s power comes from cleaner energy sources, like wind or solar power, the emissions that are produced to generate the energy required to power your electric vehicle will be slim to none. However, if your electricity comes from more conventional energy sources, emissions are still being produced in order to power your vehicle. (One way to ensure your car runs on clean energy, regardless of the energy mix where you live, is to install solar panels on your garage and use that power to charge your vehicle. Not only is it a clean energy source, it\u2019ll save you money on your electric bill, too!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Limited range<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n While electric vehicles continue to improve with every new model, their driving range is still limited. Most vehicles can only travel distances shorter than 100 miles on each full charge, though there are a select few models that can reach distances up to 200 or 300 miles. While 100 miles on a full charge might be more than enough for your typical daily driving, it\u2019s obviously an area of concern for electric vehicle owners when considering a longer trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recharging is time consuming<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Refueling is definitely one area in which conventional vehicles win out over electric. While conventional vehicles can take only a few minutes to refuel, most electric car engines require several hours to reach a full charge, and some can take upwards of 15 hours to charge completely. If you\u2019re charging your car every night and\/or while you\u2019re at work, this might not be an issue, but it can definitely be an issue while you\u2019re on a longer trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Limited charging stations<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of where you live, there\u2019s no question that gas stations are more plentiful than electric charging stations. However, it\u2019s possible that you live in an area where charging stations are plentiful. Still, the question of whether or not a charging station will be available can be a concern for electric vehicle owners when driving out of town or to a new area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More expensive<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As with most nascent technology, the novelty of electric vehicle technology means it\u2019s more expensive to produce, at least for the time being. As such, electric vehicles are typically more expensive to purchase than conventional vehicles. More affordable models can start at $30,000 and range up to $80,000 or more for luxury models. However, with the potential savings outlined above, many electric vehicles to begin to make up for this price disparity over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fewer choices<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, the novelty of electric vehicles means that there are fewer makes and models available. While most makes offer at least one electric vehicle option, the range of available vehicles is undoubtedly smaller than that of conventional vehicles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle, it\u2019s important to weigh the pros and cons of electric cars as you make your decision. Here are a few common pros and cons to consider. Pros Better for the environment Obviously, one of the major reasons why consumers buy or consider buying electric or hybrid vehicles […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6335,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",1000,562,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",1000,562,false],"thumblist":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",300,169,false],"meccarouselthumb":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",474,266,false],"gridsquare":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",391,220,false],"tileview":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",300,169,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",1000,562,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",1000,562,false],"gg_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",445,250,false],"gform-image-choice-sm":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",300,169,false],"gform-image-choice-md":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",400,225,false],"gform-image-choice-lg":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",600,337,false],"img-480x285":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",480,270,false],"img-340x132":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",235,132,false],"img-140x130":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",140,79,false],"img-90x128":["https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/pros-and-cons-of-electric-cars.jpg",90,51,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Bryan Wieczorek","author_link":"https:\/\/www.schaeferautobody.com\/author\/bryan\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"If you\u2019re thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle, it\u2019s important to weigh the pros and cons of electric cars as you make your decision. Here are a few common pros and cons to consider. Pros Better for the environment Obviously, one of the major reasons why consumers buy or consider buying electric or hybrid vehicles…","aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t