Q. Electric cars have been around for over 100 years, yet many problems remain to be solved.
Cost: $40,000+ is out of range for most people and certainly too high for a small car. It would take years to pay for itself in terms of gasoline saved.
Batteries: charging can take several hours. Expense of replacing can be as high as half of the car cost.
It just seems that it will be a long time before technology can give the people an electric car that makes sense.
Cost: $40,000+ is out of range for most people and certainly too high for a small car. It would take years to pay for itself in terms of gasoline saved.
Batteries: charging can take several hours. Expense of replacing can be as high as half of the car cost.
It just seems that it will be a long time before technology can give the people an electric car that makes sense.
Answer
we have a long way to go to make electric cars as practical and affordable as gasoline cars. The biggest hurdle now is battery technology. Once batteries can be made which provide the same amount of energy as gasoline, meaning that a battery can take you as far as a tank of gas one a single charge, and are affordable, we will see electric cars on the roads.
Right now, batteries with a decent amount of Amp-hours are extremely expensive and bulky. Plus, there isn't much infrastructure in place to support electric cars. There is a gas station on every corner but can you think of a place to plug in your car even if it used a regular 120Vac outlet? Could you plug it in at work or in a parking garage without running 1000 feet of extension cords?
We may see them being affordable one day but until they become practical as well (solve these issues I listed above), it will be a long time before they replace gasoline cars.
we have a long way to go to make electric cars as practical and affordable as gasoline cars. The biggest hurdle now is battery technology. Once batteries can be made which provide the same amount of energy as gasoline, meaning that a battery can take you as far as a tank of gas one a single charge, and are affordable, we will see electric cars on the roads.
Right now, batteries with a decent amount of Amp-hours are extremely expensive and bulky. Plus, there isn't much infrastructure in place to support electric cars. There is a gas station on every corner but can you think of a place to plug in your car even if it used a regular 120Vac outlet? Could you plug it in at work or in a parking garage without running 1000 feet of extension cords?
We may see them being affordable one day but until they become practical as well (solve these issues I listed above), it will be a long time before they replace gasoline cars.
When will electric cars become affordable?
HotterThan
Answer
As long as an electric car works with your driving needs, it will be very affordable. Electric cars have been getting cheaper.
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Example: The Fortwo Smart electric. See link:
http://www.smartusa.com/models/electric-drive/overview.aspx
Electric cars qualify for tax credits, so the $25,000 price becomes $17,500 after rebate.
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All electric car models come with free 120 volt home chargers - you can upgrade to a more powerful charger if desired ($500 to $1000 usually), but it is not mandatory. All EVs also come with the same 100,000 mile / 8 year battery warranty that hybrids do (and hybrids have not had battery failure issues, so EVs probably won't either.)
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On top of the low purchase price, there's the fuel savings. Electricity is about 5 times cheaper than gasoline. Most people will save about $2,000 per year in fuel cost by burning electricity instead of gasoline.
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So after five years of ownership, you've saved $10,000 by not buying gasoline. You've also probably saved on maintenance - electric motors need no oil changes, fluids, filters, plugs, or anything else.
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A $17,500 car with $10,000 worth of savings is not just affordable, it's incredibly cheap.
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Other inexpensive electric cars: Mitsubishi MiEV, and Nissan Leaf.
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Don't feel guilty about taking the tax credit, many other businesses get large tax breaks - including every foreign car plant built in the USA.
As long as an electric car works with your driving needs, it will be very affordable. Electric cars have been getting cheaper.
*
Example: The Fortwo Smart electric. See link:
http://www.smartusa.com/models/electric-drive/overview.aspx
Electric cars qualify for tax credits, so the $25,000 price becomes $17,500 after rebate.
*
All electric car models come with free 120 volt home chargers - you can upgrade to a more powerful charger if desired ($500 to $1000 usually), but it is not mandatory. All EVs also come with the same 100,000 mile / 8 year battery warranty that hybrids do (and hybrids have not had battery failure issues, so EVs probably won't either.)
*
On top of the low purchase price, there's the fuel savings. Electricity is about 5 times cheaper than gasoline. Most people will save about $2,000 per year in fuel cost by burning electricity instead of gasoline.
*
So after five years of ownership, you've saved $10,000 by not buying gasoline. You've also probably saved on maintenance - electric motors need no oil changes, fluids, filters, plugs, or anything else.
*
A $17,500 car with $10,000 worth of savings is not just affordable, it's incredibly cheap.
*
Other inexpensive electric cars: Mitsubishi MiEV, and Nissan Leaf.
*
Don't feel guilty about taking the tax credit, many other businesses get large tax breaks - including every foreign car plant built in the USA.
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Title Post: Will electric cars ever be affordable and practical?
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Author: Unknown
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