No technology is perfect and critics of electric cars gleefully point out the disadvantages electric car drivers will likely encounter on the open road. The biggest knock is that an electric car’s range is more limited than a conventional gas-powered vehicle. That’s an undisputed fact. And many observers still question the life of the battery.
At this point, the electric car simply won’t work for all drivers. While we don’t expect to convert electric car critics into fans, we do believe that electric cars offer real, tangible advantages worth considering—particularly for urban drivers who drive less than 50 miles each day.
Here then is our list of electric car advantages. We’re also looking at the issue objectively and have explored the “Disadvantages of Electric Cars” as a counterpoint. And if you're brand new to the electric car scene, you'll want to read "Electric Cars: A Brief Overview."
1. No tailpipe emissions
No internal combustion means no exhaust. A car doesn't get much greener than that. Of course, the juice in the electrical outlets you plug your electric car into is most likely created, at least in part, by burning coal, which creates a whole lot of pollution. But in theory, as alternative power sources like wind, solar and even nuclear become more plentiful, the more green electric vehicles will become and the more realistic a “true” zero emissions vehicle will become.
2. No more refueling
Pull your electric vehicle into your garage or charging station-equipped parking spot, plug 'er in and walk away. No pumps, no cashiers, no mess. Return three to eight hours later to a fully charged vehicle, or wait as little as 15 minutes for an 80 percent charge using a “quick charger.”
By some estimates, a daily commuter can expect to see as little as a $13 increase in their monthly electric bill. Figured another way, driving an average sedan will cost up to four times as much in fuel costs as you'd pay for the electricity to charge a Tesla Roadster every night (read: 2010 Tesla Roadster Review).
An upgraded electrical grid and developing technologies like using new ultra-capacitors in place of conventional batteries could allow for a future generation of vehicles that can be fully re-charged in as little as 5 minutes. That’s the future calling; for now, we’ll settle for no longer adding gas to a vehicle.