Analysts predict that the market for electric vehicles is going to increase to more than 10 percent by 2025. That means we’re going to be seeing a lot more electric cars on the road in the next few years. For drivers used to the sound of an engine purring to life, a silent electric car can seem disconcerting. But once you get used to it, driving an electric might entirely change the way you think about a good drive. Here’s a low down on electric vehicles, how they work, and what we can expect when there are more of them around.
The Experience of Driving an Electric:
Most electric vehicles are built to handle a lot of torque, which can be a lot of fun when you’re on the highway. However, on longer road trips you’ll have to account for half-hour stops to charge.
Busting Two Myths:
There are two prevalent myths about Electric Vehicles. The first is that our current utility infrastructure won’t be able to support too many electric vehicles. The second is that an excess of Electric Vehicles will bring down the electric grid. Let’s address the first myth. Electric companies maintain that supplying electricity EV owners with electricity shouldn’t be a problem. If most users charge their vehicles at night, the demand for extra generation capacity will be lowest at that time. As for the second myth, in the future, certain neighborhoods will have more EVs. Those neighborhoods will need to install a higher-capacity transformer to meet the demand. This is a reasonable ask as electric companies are used to adapting to demand. Down the line, many EVs may add stability to the grid and even save homeowners money on utilities.
The Impact of Temperatures on The Car:
If the temperature rises above 75, some of the car’s energy will be devoted to keeping the cabin and battery comfortable.
Is the Electric Car Environment Friendly?
This one is a nuanced issue. On the one hand, the batteries consume a lot of energy in manufacturing. Metals used in the car also have to be mined which isn’t good for humanitarian costs. Though the car itself doesn’t emit greenhouse gasses, the electricity it needs from the grid does. However, a small gas car will emit more emissions than that of a small electric car after 27,000 miles.
