Innovations in technology can lead to impressive achievements, much like the advancement of electric cars. However, it’s good to compare the benefits and disadvantages of all your options. With all the controversy surrounding electric and gas-powered vehicles, let’s compare the two.
One of the biggest concerns with gas cars is their large carbon footprint and pollution, especially when compared to an electric car. The exhaust on a gas car releases about 15.5 ounces of carbon dioxide per mile, which can add up with a lot of driving. Fully electric cars release zero emissions when driving. Carbon dioxide isn’t the only thing released from the exhaust of a car, as smog also contributes. However, gas cars aren’t the only ones that present environmental concerns. Electric cars run on lithium-ion batteries, much like other electronics. Most Lithium is extracted from places like Chile, where it is extracted from brine pools and deposits. The water is pumped to the surface of the desert, where the excess water can evaporate, and the lithium can be refined. However, this extraction method raises concerns about the remaining water supply for those who live in the Chilean desert. Likewise, lithium is also mined in Australia, and people are concerned about water usage and pollution there as well.
Electric cars are also more energy efficient, meaning they put more energy from the ‘fuel’ into the movement of the car. Gas cars are only able to convert around 17-21 percent of their energy into the movement of the car. That can be a staggering amount when compared to an electric car’s 59-62 percent. This leads to an argument that there is less money spent on things like gas, which is a good point. However, electric cars are often unable to travel as far between ‘fill-ups’ and often take longer to charge than simply stopping at a gas station would. Most electric cars have a range of 60-120 miles per charge, with a few luxury models reaching 300 miles per charge. On average, most gas cars can travel 300 miles before needing to be refilled, though this figure does change depending on the car’s gas mileage and the size of the gas tank. Fast-charging an electric car takes half an hour to get an 80 percent charge, and people have even reported charging slowing down after that mark is hit. This rules long-distance driving out for most electric cars and makes a gas car a better option. Otherwise, if you only drive short distances, such as from work to home, electric cars could be a better alternative because less money is spent on energy. On the topic of costs, an electric car would cost you less in the long run, though a gas car would cost less to buy upfront, on average.
Electric cars typically have lower maintenance because there is no oil, fuel filters, or spark plugs that need to be changed regularly. However, most people are more familiar with dealing with a gas car’s combustion engine than with an electric car’s rechargeable battery. Electric cars normally have better handling, stability, and balance than most gas cars. This is because the battery in an electric car is typically placed in the center of the car, lowering the car’s center of gravity, meaning the car is less likely to roll.
There are benefits to both electric and gas cars. The choice of which car suits your needs better is up to you. Whether you decide long road trips or short work commutes are for you, there are plenty of options to pick from. Whether the car is electric or gas, the make, model, year, and color. No matter what car you get, or what your using it for, make sure you’re driving responsibly.
The Snapper 