During the past few years since hitting the market, electric vehicles have continued to make headlines, which has led to the UK Government wanting to see our roads free of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. Sometimes referred to as EVs, electric vehicles are working towards being the norm, so it’s only right that we start to learn more about them. As most of us don’t own electric vehicles, it’s time that we start thinking about the benefits of owning an EV.
- No emissions
One of the main talking points that attract people to EVs is that they don’t leave a negative impact on the environment, no fuel means no emissions. The electric engine operates on a closed circuit, so no gases that are associated with global warming will be emitted from the vehicle. When you start driving a fully electric vehicle, there’s no need for petrol or diesel, which is great for your carbon footprint.
- Energy Efficiency
Compared to internal combustion engine cars (17-21% efficient), electric cars are far more energy-efficient (85-90%), which means they are using less energy to get you from A to B. If you are using less energy then you are producing less, which in turn means less CO2 emissions produced by non-renewable energy sources.
- Performance
Contrary to the cliche, electric cars are fundamentally superior to combustion vehicles in terms of power, torque and acceleration. Due to their low centre of gravity, EVs tend to handle better with their heavy batteries mounted in the chassis. When you purchase a new car, most of the fun you get is from taking it out on the roads and putting it to work.
In the past, many have had low expectations of electric vehicles and how they perform compared to a traditional engine. However, as more manufacturers are piling into the market with their own take on the EV, the performance levels have seen a dramatic increase. Electric cars are lighter and all their power is generated from a standing start, so people are often surprised by their acceleration. Certain brands, such as Tesla, have done a lot to improve people’s perceptions of electric vehicles – the Tesla Model S is one of the fastest-accelerating cars on the market, doing 0 – 60mph in just 2.5 seconds.
- Convenient
If you own a petrol or diesel car, it’s well known that it won’t be refuelling itself while you read this, however, if you own an electric car, it may well be. Our cars spend a considerable amount of time being parked up, so why not make use of that time to put energy into them at their destination. It’s a lot easier and more convenient to charge your car at home rather than detouring to a petrol station to wait and pay a fortune.
Now that some electric cars have been designed with ranges of 200-300 miles, if you are able to charge at home or work, each time you return to your car you will likely find it full. The convenience EVs offer is quite outstanding.
If you’re looking for tyres for your electric car, you can find them all online at ASDA Tyres.