22 Oct 2019
Ever heard that electric cars cost a lot? Or that they’re unsafe and pollute as much as regular petrol or diesel powered cars? Fake news! It’s time to put these myths to rest and debunk them once and for all.
They’re not protecting the environment! Their production creates the same amount of CO2 as it does for petrol and diesel powered cars!
Does this ring a bell?
Actually, electric cars are a valuable player in climate protection. They produce far less carbon dioxide than diesel or petrol cars. This holds true even when you take into account the production of the car.
Let’s compare the differences between “regular” and electric cars. Electric motors convert 75 per cent of the chemical energy from the batteries to keep the wheels turning. When talking about petrol and diesel cars, internal combustion engines only convert 20 per cent of the energy stored in gasoline. And what’s more, electric cars don’t emit direct tailpipe pollutants.
Over the next few years, leaving a smaller footprint on our planet will become more and more important. This is why the amount of green electricity fed into the charging grid in all major markets is constantly on the rise. The result? The energy used for recharging will automatically be renewable, thus greener.
Electric cars are becoming increasingly attractive and affordable. That’s because the cost of a battery has fallen significantly and will continue to fall on a yearly basis. Adding up, some countries even have a support system figured out to boost sales of electric vehicles and to support people buying one for themselves.
When talking about the daily maintenance costs, there’s definitely a big gap between electric cars and petrol or diesel cars. First, electricity is a cheaper source of power. Secondly, if you have a complicated engine built inside of your vehicle, it will need regular maintenance and care. And as we all know, that is far (… like reaaaallly far) from being cheap.
This might also interest you: What’s the difference between electric and hybrid cars?
It’s becoming more and more common for supermarkets, hotels and car park operators to install charging points on their premises. Employers are also ensuring that there are places for battery charging in or near their offices. Plus, you can even charge the car at home, while you’re sleeping. There are plenty of spaces around to charge your car.
And all that “Electric cars don’t have enough driving range!” talk? Even the shortest-range electric vehicles can travel more than double the average daily mileage of a commuter before needing to be pumped up with power again.
What about the concerns over the batteries inside electric cars? Some have been known to catch fire or perhaps even explode in a collision. These claims have been exaggerated.
An in-depth investigation on the subject, conducted by NHTSA, concluded that the frequency and severity of fires and explosions from lithium-ion battery systems are comparable to or perhaps slightly less than those for gasoline or diesel-powered cars. So no, you don’t have to worry about escaping the car with your seat shuttled through the roof when the vehicle explodes.
But rain + electricity? We’ve all seen the movies of toasters getting thrown into bathtubs! The companies responsible for installing charging grids have thought of that. It’s safe to charge your car, no matter the weather. It would be kind of stupid otherwise, wouldn’t it?
Don’t go drag racing against an electric car.
An electric motor generates 100% of its available torque instantly. When the driver of an electric car pushes down on the accelerator pedal, the transition from stationary to speed is almost instantaneous. So, they’re far from being slow.
The claim that electric cars have a short life expectancy is rather far fetched. A glittering example of this is Wizzy, the 24 kWh Nissan LEAF taxi from Cornwall, which clocked up over 170,000 miles (273,588 km) on its original battery before being sold to its new owner. That’s more miles than most petrol or diesel engines do without encountering some serious problems.
Also, once worn out and tired, EV batteries, like 99% of the batteries found in conventional cars, can be recycled.
So, as you read from above, turning your daily driving more green by choosing an electrical car instead of a petrol or diesel one will make the planet thank you. But of course, it’s a big decision. We get it, if you don’t want to rush.
But, if you’ve been thinking about signing up as a Bolt driver, you can fill in the form here. And if you’re interested in Bolt driver’s salary numbers, you can find them here.
