Electric vehicles became popular among the media only a few years ago when climate activists started pushing for awareness on the subject. Indeed, as the number of cars increased worldwide due to affordable costs and city infrastructures, the effects on nature became evident, especially on the air quality. Vehicle burning fuels emit excessive carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and other harmful substances, triggering greenhouse gases.
The greenhouse effect is dangerous for our planet as it traps the sun’s heat, meaning the temperature rises, and the effects are difficult to stop. We’re already seeing how the weather changes patterns and becomes more extreme, and nature’s balance is disrupted, having to adapt to a scorching climate.
Of course, many other industries contribute to climate change, but the automotive sector is constant. That’s why the appearance of electric vehicles can help mitigate this issue in time, but are they truly the solution?
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How do electric vehicles operate?
Electric vehicles work based on an electric motor, so they lack a combustion engine. With the help of a large traction battery, the electric motor is the driving force, running without any type of liquid and doesn’t emit exhaust.
Drivers can charge their electric vehicles similarly to an electronic device, which makes them a good alternative to regular cars. Considering their growing popularity, charging stations are also spread across cities for superior access and can offer faster or slower charging speeds, depending on the supplier.
There are more than 70,000 charging stations in the UK as of December 2024, and their number is rising as well. What’s best is some of these products are powered by renewable energy, so you may be able to find stations working through solar panels in Cornwall.
What are the benefits of electric vehicles?
Electric cars have a massive positive impact on nature, as they can lower the amount of toxins we breathe. Considering they’re not producing any tailpipe emissions and have superior life cycle emissions compared to conventional vehicles, we can say EVs are pretty sustainable.
However, many other aspects benefit the driver, such as the low fuel and maintenance costs, as well as federal tax credits and state incentives. Indeed, the purchase prices tend to be higher than for regular vehicles, but this can be alleviated through tax credits and other incentives.
Luckily, drivers also benefit from infrastructure availability, as there are multiple public charging stations across countries. With the right charging ports, EVs can be charged even at a residence or one’s workplace.
What are the downsides of electric vehicles?
While their technology is revolutionary, electric vehicles require some more research and testing to make them entirely safe and functional. For example, most EVs have long charging times, which is why it’s common to leave your vehicle charged overnight to benefit from its full range.
At the same time, the charging time depends on the station, as some have a higher energy potential than others. Moreover, most EVs are limited to low top speeds, sometimes barely reaching 90 mph.
One of the most concerning aspects of EV machines is that despite being silent and not contributing to noise pollution in cities, the lack of engine buzz has led to numerous accidents. That’s because pedestrians are more likely to be hit by these vehicles because they’re not aware of their presence nearby. That’s why EV companies are now testing various sound options for cars traveling at less than 19 mph to alert people when they’re coming.
What about other types of green vehicles?
Beyond battery electric cars, there are many other types of vehicles that use renewable energy or other types of power instead of fuel that contribute to stopping the industry’s effects on nature. For example, hydrogen fuel-cell cars are powered by hydrogen. They emit water vapor and warm air and are considerably efficient, but they’re not that popular, so the infrastructure is currently growing. Usually, these cars come with unique technologies like regenerative braking systems and resiliency, but a limited number of products are on the market.
There are also hybrid cars that leverage both a gasoline engine and a battery to drive electric power, traveling shorter distances. Hybrid cars reduce fuel consumption, making them a better alternative to conventional vehicles.
Manufacturing leaders are continuously working on exploring new technologies and settling current ones on their vehicles. For example, Toyota, one of the best brands for hybrid cars, is building hydrogen combustion engines to be adapted to every type of car.
However, there are two sides of the same coin with EVs
Although EVs do not directly burn fossil fuels and leverage energy to operate, their electricity requirements still come from burning fossil fuel sources. Of course, this aspect also depends on various regions, as some countries or cities rely more or less on renewable sources for electricity,
such as wind, solar, and nuclear.
In the UK, the use of renewable energy sources has increased in the past years, with solid biomass, offshore wind, and waste leading the market for powering up electricity, heat, and transport. The UK has several wind farms across the country, for example, with plants of various
sizes depending on the wind capacity.
The increasing demand for these energy resources can also power up EVs in the future to be fully sustainable and not rely on fossil fuels when it comes to the creation of energy required for charging. Regardless, using electric cars is still a considerable step ahead for mitigating sustainability.
What do you think about electric vehicles?
Electric vehicles are trending among societies that prioritise sustainability and are concerned about climate change. Considering how much fossil fuels regular cars emit and contribute to the greenhouse effect, electric vehicles are the best solution to slow down these effects on nature. EVs have many benefits, from saving costs through numerous tax benefits and less maintenance expenses to accessing a growing infrastructure to facilitate use. However, the energy used for charging up EVs can also come from burning fossil fuels, so this is one of the problems manufacturers must press on.