Electric cars have several advantages over cars with internal combustion engines, and electric cars can be part of the solution to global climate change. Here we go through some of the benefits of electric vehicles – in addition to being the best fuel, from an environmental point of view, for a car in Sweden of course.
1. They sound less.
The electric motor generally has a very low noise level. This reduces traffic noise. Some electric cars have a feature that allows you to activate a sound at low speeds – to alert pedestrians and cyclists.
2. There is electricity everywhere.
Electricity network in most parts of Europe is well developed. Electricity is everywhere – in every home, at every company, in engine heater posts and along streets and highways. Strengthening an existing electricity grid for the installation of charging infrastructure is much cheaper than building new gasoline or biogas gas.
3. They require less maintenance.
An electric car has 30 percent fewer moving parts, which means that the vehicle does not require as much maintenance as a car with an internal combustion engine. Thus, the service for an electric car is both simpler and cheaper.
4. They are cheap to drive.
Electricity is a cheap resource. Reasonably modern petrol or diesel car costs about ten times more to drive.
5. They are effective.
An electric motor has a much higher efficiency than an internal combustion engine. Of the energy fed into an internal combustion engine, about 62 percent is heat, 15 percent is lost in idle and 5 percent is drive-line losses. Only 18 percent of the energy supplied is used to propel the car forward. In an electric car, 83 percent of the energy is used to propel the car forward.
6. They last longer.
When car manufacturers build electric cars, in some cases they use as lightweight materials as possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle. These materials have less risk of corrosion and thus the car’s body has a longer service life compared to traditional cars.
7. They have an even torque.
An electric motor keeps the same torque from stationary up to high speed. This means that the driver uses all the horsepower of the vehicle right from the start. In a traditional car with an internal combustion engine, the engine must be turned up before it can access all the horsepower. The even torque allows an electric car to accelerate faster than many traditional vehicles.
8. They have better driving characteristics.
In most electric cars, the battery is mounted in the base plate and this results in a very low center of gravity. This, in turn, has a positive effect on the driving characteristics – the car is better on the road and the heels become easier to handle.
9. They are safer.
Tests have shown that a car with an internal combustion engine is five times more likely to start burning. In a car with an internal combustion engine, the fuel tank and fuel lines are usually unprotected, and the energy content of a gasoline tank is much higher than in a battery.
10. They do not require fuel transport.
One of the benefits of electricity is that the fuel does not need to be transported in the same way as gasoline, hydrogen or other types of fuel. Increased use of electric cars, therefore, means that the heavy transports that supply the petrol and gas stations with fuel are reduced.
The disadvantages of the electric car
There are, of course, disadvantages to electric cars. But they all have in common that technological development will make these disadvantages smaller or even out of nonexistent in the future.
1. Range
The range of electric cars has historically been limited. Today, the technology is available for significantly longer reach and there are several models that can run 50 miles or more. However, the cost of these models remains relatively high, but battery prices have fallen in recent years as technology has evolved.
2. Limited possibility of fast charging.
Most countries currently have a limited number of public fast-charging stations, which can be a problem for electric car owners who want to travel long distances with a vehicle that has a limited range. New stations are being established all the time.
3. The price.
The price of the car is a disadvantage for many. Rechargeable vehicles are still slightly more expensive than conventional cars, although we can expect prices to fall as electric cars become more common. Today’s higher purchase price is offset to some extent by the bonus-malus system as well as the low operating costs.
