What are the Benefits of Driving Electric?

The biggest of all advantages of electric cars is the green aspect. There are four angles of this advantage from which mother earth and at large the human race will appreciate.

When it comes to how EVs use energy, they are way more efficient to internal combustion engine vehicles. The efficiency ranges between 85% to 90% against their counterparts that have a 17% to 21% energy efficiency. What this means is that EVs use less energy to get from one point to another, thus making maximum energy of what they receive.

When the energy used is less; consequently, the heat produced is less. It also means less carbon emission from non-renewable energy and a more extensive energy supply chain.

Some sceptics claim that energy efficiency is only a myth and that the pollution is only moving from fuel industries to the power station, the extended tailpipe theory. It might be valid to some extent, but what these sceptics will not tell you is that the pollution from power stations is far much less than petroleum processing.

To have a more unobstructed view, power generation is either from solar, water, or wind. All these are natural resources that are greener than mining petroleum. They have a significant percentage for less carbon, and much of it is renewable.

There is no doubt that transport and particularly road industry is a significant contributor to air pollution. This pollution comes from the emission of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases found in soot from combustions, mostly in diesel combustions. The same can happen from tyre, engine, and road brake wears. While the latter group is still found on EVs, it is comforting to know that a lot can be done to reduce the pollution from diesel combustion by using electric batteries.

EVs have zero exhaust emissions. This means, due to how they obtain their power, they have no soot nor production of gases that lead to exhaust emissions. Coal is also more environmentally friendly, meaning little to no air pollution. On the other hand, internal combustion engines have a high CO2 emission, which has led to global warming that is altering global climate change entirely.

Even with many manufacturers already using energy-friendly manufacturing processes for EVs, when the demand goes high, economies of scale will reduce the total carbon emission per car even farther. Companies such as Tesla and BMW already have incredible commitments to this, which the Volkswagen Group is also adopting. These commitments include the use of green electricity in manufacturing.

As of now, the lifetime emission of an electric car is up to three times less than combustion engine cars. This is likely to improve over the years as manufacturers discover ways to improve them and enjoy economies of scale.

Firstly, there is the aspect of the average operation cost of an EV. When you have a reasonable electric deal at home, you can drive from around 2 – 5p a mile. This can make about £1000 in fuel savings per year, just from having an EV. Of course this does require a home car charger, but government grants are available when you’re looking to buy one.

Secondly, there is the electric car tax advantage that the government put in place to encourage not only individuals but also businesses to shift to EVs. There is an enhanced capital allowances on electric cars of 100% on the cost of a new EV within the purchased time of up to one year. This is also available for new low-emission vehicles.

As of April 2020, the electric car tax policy got even better. Between the 2020/2021 period, the road tax on electric cars will be at £325 per year, which is significantly less than the £475 for diesel and petrol cars. You can look through the tax bands report, which changed in April 2020.

Generally, EVs are superior to combustion cars when it comes to acceleration, torque, and power. Thanks to their massive battery, they have a low centre of gravity that allows them to hold better. Though combustion engines may still seem to have an advantage over long-distance, this might change quite soon with energy batteries nudging upwards.

Since many people do not take their EVs to the track or buy them for a race, on average, they still provide a stable means of transport that you can trust.

The benefits of electric cars extend to even convenient ownership and a sense of luxury. Soon, once economies of scale kicks in and demand goes up, buying an EV will be cheaper. In general, the advantages of electric cars are luring in many angles. Anybody who wants to contribute to the environment’s health and still enjoy a comfortable car should consider replacing a combustion engine vehicle for an EV.