There was a time when the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powered cars ruled the realm of automobiles. They are comfortable, stylish, modern and very fast vehicles. They are also very reliable.
There are few maintenance issues to take care of. To ensure continuous use of your car, you only have to drive to the petrol station whenever your fuel tank is getting empty.
And then upon topping up, your car is good for another 300 miles.
Then the Electric Vehicles (EV) came along. The EV is essentially a vehicle that contains a vast array of batteries mounted on the car. These batteries are used to drive powerful electric motor(s) whose rotary motion is transmitted to move the car.
An EV can accelerate smoothly up-to its top speed in mere seconds, making it one of the good reasons to buy an EV.
Quite often, the time to accelerate an EV from 0 to 60 mph is far superior to that of an equivalent ICE vehicle.
However, you need to charge up the EV batteries whenever the energy stored in the battery is consumed. Otherwise you will be stranded on the roadside just like all those drivers who have forgotten to top up their empty fuel tanks.
Why an EV is a compelling buy
Since its introduction, EVs are fast gaining ground at the expense of the ICE car. In USA today, there are already more than a million EVs on the road.
Two in every 100 cars sold in the country are EVs.
Their attractive advantages have convinced many buyers to buy EVs. Also many are concerned about the environment degradation from the effects of emissions of their ICE vehicles.
Government incentives also helped push up EV sales.
Car makers have ramped up their EV production. Those car makers which do not have EV model in their showrooms are fast barging into the EV arena.
The result is that a vast array of EVs is now available in the market. Like many prospective car buyers, you will be spoilt for choice when making a EV buy decision.
Here are reasons why car buyers will not hesitate to buy an EV instead of an ICE vehicle. You may readily identify with some of the reasons offered below.
1. Environmental Credentials And Bragging Rights Are Automatic
In a rapidly climate changing environment, many countries have awakened to the need for urgent global collective action to combat environmental degradation.
Whilst the conventional car emits toxic and polluting gases and particles, the EV emits nothing.
So the EV is the best vehicle for you to project an eco-friendly image and obtain huge bragging rights. What else can come so easily?
The adverse environmental impact of emission of conventional cars is so damning that governments everywhere are eager to adopt the EV.
State authorities have been so forthcoming in giving incentives and tax credits to encourage the EV to replace the conventional ICE car.
From China to Europe to USA, there is an inexorable move to EVs.
So playing your part in preserve the environment by going electric is the only good reason for you to purchase an EV.
Your environmental credentials are bolstered. Your bragging rights are automatically conferred. The higher initial cost of the car is justified.
2. Superior Technology and Performance
Electric cars come with the latest technology. Electric motors and batteries have been with us for decades.
Whether the motor is ac, dc, synchronous or induction type, they are capable of high torque. Battery technology also date many decades back.
The Lithium battery is a newer device which has seen tremendous improvement. The storage capacity of battery has increased multiple folds since then.
However, EV cleverly articulates the release of huge amounts of battery power with amazing electronics to deliver the sterling performance that you will appreciate in EVs.
An average EV can easily outperform an expensive petrol car when it comes to zooming from 0 to 60 mph. A Tesla Model 3 could accelerate to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
Such impressive performance and silence of the EV will astound most people who are used to the conventional ones. You may be astounded as well.
3. Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) is incomparable
You will appreciate the smoothness of an EV and find it comparable to that of the best conventional car. Besides emitting polluting gas and particles, the ICE engine also is an major source of noise, vibration and harshness in automobiles.
The ICE engine has many reciprocating mass and relies on fuel ignition and combustion to operate. Its intrinsic operational nature is noisy, vibrating and harsh.
On the other hand, the electric motor has only rotary motion which accounts for its super smooth ride.
When you drive an EV for the first time, you will be instantly attracted to this incomparable characteristic.
4. Fuel Operational Costs are Lower
It is much cheaper to drive the EV on electricity. In California, electricity costs 17 cents/ KWh although the national US average cost is about 11 cents/ KWh.
Therefore if you live in California, your EV fuel costs will be higher. If you drive a Tesla Model 3 with 55 KWH battery and a range of 240 miles, you should get an average electricity cost of 4 cents per mile.
Using a conventional car with 30 miles per gallon, and a pump price of USD 4 per gallon, this works out to a fuel cost of 13 cents per mile.
This simplistic calculation shows that it is 3 times cheaper to use an EV in cost per mile terms.
If a typical car owner runs 14000 miles per year, this should work out to be a savings of USD 1,400 per year. Quite a bit, you will agree.
So you are going to enjoy a hefty saving on your fuel bill. In some countries where gas prices are high, you will find that this savings can offset the effects of the higher initial cost of your EV.
5. Initial Costs are Getting More Affordable
Electric cars have a reputation of being expensive to buy i.e. you have to outlay a higher initial price compared to a conventional ICE car.
Cox Automotive found that young buyers are unlikely to be going for EV simply because of the prohibitive cost.
The Cox Automotive study also indicated that 70 % of EV buyers have income in excess of USD100,000. So Millennials and Gen Z youths are unlikely to be buyers.
The good news is that the gap between EV and ICE vehicles are rapidly narrowing. The study have found that average EV prices have dropped about 10% over the year 2018.
With conventional car prices going up yearly, this could mean that the EV may soon reach a price level attractive to the lesser earning millennials and Gen Z youths.
6. The EV’s Range Is Getting More Competitive
The EV’s range had been a major stumbling block why car buyers shun EVs. With the earlier EVs, you were usually restricted to daily trips to the market and fetching children to and from schools.
This is understandable since earlier EVs usually have range of less than 50 miles. You will find this bothersome as earlier charging facilities are limited and far apart.
Charging is also often very time consuming when done at home.
Now batteries technology has come a long way since then. Battery technology especially those using Lithium have improved by leaps and bounds.
Today, cars have ranges pushing the 300 miles envelope.
EVs’ limited ranges have been one of the top reasons why buyers balk at buying EVs.
However, the EV’s range is now bigger and has become more acceptable although it is still modest compared to conventional cars.
The acceptability in USA is further enhanced by a better network of chargers around the country.
7. Battery Replacement Costs Are Lowered
Early Batteries were bulky and heavy devices. They are now more manageable but still quite sizeable.
They deteriorate when put in service. This means they store less energy after each successive recharging. Therefore they need to be replaced after a period of service which is usually about 8-10 years.
You may be pleased to know that battery costs have also shrunk. The cost of an EV battery which was about $350/KWh in 2016 has reduced to $250/KWh in 2019.
This is sweet news for many EV owners. However, battery replacement still costs a bomb. For a Tesla model 3 with a 55 KWh battery, this works out to be about $13,750.
Their replacement cost can obliterate all your fuel savings accumulated over the life of the battery.
However battery prices are expected to decrease inevitably as more economy of scales continues in this expanding EV market.
8. Charging Infrastructure And Supercharging Facilities Are Getting Better.
An earlier stumbling block to the wider adoption of EV in many localities is the lack of availability of public and car maker’s charging facilities. Most EV buyers will have a basic charger at home so that the EV can be charged to handle the daily tasks easily.
Home chargers will normally recharge from 10% to 80 % within 10 hours.
The presence and accessibility to public charging stations in the locality will greatly ease the anxiety of many EV drivers.
Tesla with its first mover presence of selling EVs in the USA market have already established a relatively good network of charging stations countrywide.
EV used to need a longer time to charge the battery to a near full level. Nowadays, home chargers generally can recharge within 8-12 hours.
Superchargers have been developed which greatly shortened the charging time. Modern superchargers will take you shorter than 1 hour to charge to 80% level.
This will greatly ease long distance inter-city travel which you may require your EV to do from time to time.
The infrastructure of charging stations is becoming better as the more car makers enter into the EV market. Charging stations will continue to mushroom in many countries including USA, China and Europe.
The lack of charging stations which was once a major stumbling block will become a smaller concern for new EV buyers.
In a nutshell
In short, there are plenty of reasons for you to acquire an electric vehicle, as listed above.
While the price of buying an EV is still much higher than regular petrol / diesel cars, it may be reduced in the future as the tech develops.
Read also:
The Key Components Of An Electric Vehicle
FAQs About Electric Vehicles (EV) – Common Questions