Electric cars are not simply electrified versions of their gas-powered equivalents.
More than likely, none of these differences are deal-breakers.
Hopefully not, considering how gas-powered vehicles are on their way out in the long term.
Most of these differences are positive.
So let’s get to it.
Where gas stations are located matters a great deal when you drive a car with a combustion engine.
Image Credit:Electrify America
Isn’t the same true of electric cars?
For many EV owners, the location of charging stations isn’t something they think about often.
However, if you have a single-family home, you might install a charging station where you live.
This is where many do the vast majority of their refueling.
A few hours is generally all you should probably top up from your previous trip.
If your car is completely empty, it can still fill up overnight.
Of course, this only applies to EV owners who have the option to charge at home.
Setting a limit of around 80% is healthier for the battery.
Lithium-ion batteries degrade faster when kept at a high state of charge for an extended period.
Image Credit:Electrify America
They don’t particularly like being left at an extremely low state of charge, either.
In most newer EVs, 80% still provides hundreds of miles of range.
This is more than enough for all but the most brutal of commutes.
you could swipe a card.
Or you’re able to head inside the station and pay cash.
you’re able to probably write a see if you want.
At electric charging stations, you may not be able to use a credit card.
You definitely can’t use cash.
Most charging networks prefer you use a smartphone app if they don’t outright require it.
Some give you the option of an RFID card tied to your account.
But there are many charging stations where you might charge for free.
Some networks are experimenting with other business models, such as providing free electricity while showing you ads.
These don’t even require an account for you to activate.
Just plug in your car and walk away.
With the right investments, you’re able to produce your own fuel at home indefinitely.
With enough solar panels, you could entirely offset the cost of charging your car.
With batteries and patience, you might charge your car entirely using solar power.
The options aren’t limited to solar.
Your car does this by using kinetic energy to charge the battery.
It’s not a lot, mind, but there are some circumstances where it really helps.
That’s a scenario that simply doesn’t happen with a gas-powered car.
This functionality also enables your car to charge while being towed.
You Get Better Range in the City
Stop-and-go traffic is a pain.
In gas-powered cars, it’s also wasteful.
Your engine is pumping away, but you aren’t actually going anywhere.
You’re expending much of your energy accelerating and braking, resulting in terrible mileage.
Cars with an internal combustion engine prefer to be on the highway.
Electric cars prefer to travel at slower speaks.
As a result, the situation is flipped.
Your car is more fuel efficient when driving around local roads than speeding along on the freeway.
Your max range will drop significantly when driving at 70 miles per hour compared to 45.
And thanks to regenerative braking, stop-and-go traffic comes with an upside.
Goodbye Oil Changes and Engine Maintenance
Most cars on the road today require routine oil changes.
Unfortunately, this involves spending money and having to fit a trip to the mechanic into your schedule.
Electric cars don’t have internal combustion engines and, as a result, don’t require oil changes.
They also do without all other engine-related maintenance and the myriad of related parts.
Consider catalytic converterssomething EVs don’t even have.
Your electric car isn’t maintenance-free.
Even though your wheels aren’t turning, your engine is still running, releasing smog into the air.
Electric vehicles don’t release pollution.
You also need to factor in charge times.
They’re different, but not that different.
When you gotta pump air into your tires, you already know what to do.
