Electric Vehicles: Leaving Traditional Cars in the Rearview
It has been well known for some time that the emissions produced from the use of fossil fuels have wreaked havoc on our atmosphere and the natural processes of our earth. According to the EPA a whopping 28% of these emissions are released from the transportation industry through the use of vehicles with internal combustion engines. There needs to be a concrete change in the way we travel if we want to curb these emissions and help to stop climate change. Electric vehicles are at the forefront of the automotive industry, quickly sweeping the space of zero emission transportation. There is a clear need for change in the automotive industry and the implementation of electric vehicles is necessary if the United States wants to meet its emission reduction goals quoted by the World Resources Institute of “26-28 percent by 2025”.
The price of electric vehicles has been steadily dropping over the recent years, making it even more economically sensible to kick combustion and join the electric future. Gas powered vehicles offer little to nothing in terms of benefits for your pocket or the environment. The purchase of an electric vehicle is typically accompanied with a federal tax credit that makes the switch even more worthwhile. You won’t only be helping to save the environment and the health of our air but you will be getting paid to do so. Federal tax incentives are only one of the many benefits of electric vehicles. Traditional internal combustion vehicles are only able to convert a small percentage of the gasoline they use into power, while electric vehicles are much more efficient at converting the electricity they use into acting power which in turn saves you money. Fossil fuels won’t be around forever, as the dwindling supply of fossil fuels are used up the cost of gasoline will skyrocket, making it even less economical and less practical to own one of these vehicles. Another economic benefit of owning an electric car is that they require much less maintenance because they have a lot less moving parts compared to a traditional engine.
Now that you can see how electric vehicles can save you money, let’s take a look at how they can save the planet. These vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions meaning that driving around a car like this will not put any harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. A common critique of this statement is that the electricity used to power the vehicles is still coming from a grid that uses fossil fuels to generate the electricity. This is a true statement, however renewable energy technology is advancing quickly and there is a serious demand for dirty power plants to be replaced with clean energy sources. Renewable energy has already started to be implemented into the power grid in the United States, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration, 11% of our power is coming from renewable sources. The United States already has goals outlined to continue the integration of renewable energy into our power grid, as this happens it will mean that driving an electric vehicle will truly be emission free from all aspects. While the continued use of driving traditional vehicles will emit pollutants when mining fuel, transporting it and consuming it. Without all of these polluting emissions being released it will create cleaner air meaning healthier people, less smog and a better environment.
The range of electric vehicles is now nearly the same as traditional vehicles and access to charging stations is growing everyday. Once the vehicles become more increasingly adopted car manufactures will have a plethora of models and styles to choose from. The few current downsides of owning an electric vehicle will be a thing of the past as the industry develops and the country transitions into a carbon free future.
The continued use of internal combustion vehicles doesn’t make sense financially, environmentally or practically. The automotive industry is in need of an overhaul if the United States wants to stick to their emission goals and electric vehicles are the answer. As the downsides of owning an internal combustion engine vehicle become more apparent with dwindling fuel supplies and rising prices it will only make the decision to switch that much easier. Are you going to be left in the dust or will you be the one looking in your rearview mirror smiling at all of the problems you left behind?
