Electric cars first appeared in the 1880’s and were popular for the 19th and early 20th century. Due to better designed engines and other factors, there was a decline in the use of electric cars. In 2008 production of electric cars boomed because of improvements made to the battery and power technologies, oil price increases and the worry of greenhouse gas emissions. Electrical cars are a fantastic investment and will save you lots of money in the long run, but like all technology there are pro’s and con’s, check out what GoMotorTrade believe to be the positives and negatives of electric vehicles.
Pro’s of the Electric Car
Electric cars are very quick due to the high torque, so as soon as you put your foot on the accelerator, power is present immediately. The cars are also extremely quiet. This is due to the fact there are minimal moving parts that would create the mechanical noises.
Another plus side to an electric car is that you will never have to buy petrol again. All you do is take your car home or to a charge point, plug it in and leave it to charge. Your car will then be ready to drive around 80-100 miles again, if not more! Probably the most appealing feature of the electric car is the money you save. Electricity is a lot cheaper than petrol and you will also save on maintenance costs i.e. oil changes.
Con’s of the Electric Car
One problem with the electric car is the limited driving range that the car can go for. Most affordable electric cars can go around 80 to 100 miles until they lose charge. Therefore, when traveling a long distance you will need to plan your journey to make certain that you will not end up with a flat battery. Relating to this problem is that the cars take hours to recharge. An hour of charging would give the car about 20-25 miles of driving meaning road trips (unless planned well) would not be advisable with an electric car.
Currently, the electric car has a very high upfront cost. An electric car that can travel between 80 – 100 miles could cost anything from £18,000 to £30,000. You could be paying up to £70,000 for a car that goes 100 miles or more. Most of the conventional car makers are selling the high end electric cars but ensure that if you are an electric car seller that you have motor trade insurance to cover you in case of any damage or incidents. The last downfall of an electric car is the lack of choice. Most electric car designers are designing similar looking cars, making them smaller, lighter and are a box shape.
Elon Musk, an inspirational entrepreneur who founded the electric carmaker Tesla Motors said “I’ve actually made a prediction that within 30 years a majority of new cars made in the United States will be electric. And I don’t mean hybrid, I mean fully electric.” Elon Musk is 100% behind electric cars and even revealed all his secrets behind the making and technologies of the cars so that the industry can develop. ‘If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal,’ Musk wrote.
When buying an electric car there is a lot to think about. So make sure you do your research before you jump into anything!