When searching for your next car, there’s a lot you’ll need to consider. From your budget to the insurance deals you might find, and the impact you could be having on the environment – there’s an awful lot to take in. Not to mention what you’re actually hoping to use your car for.
Either way, there’s one question that needs answering first and foremost: should you purchase an electric or gas vehicle?
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Electric vs Gas Powered Cars
As we explore the debate on electric vs gas powered cars, we discover the benefits of both cars. This guide will help you make an informed decision on which is best for you.
Electric Cars
Electric vehicles (EVs) use electricity channelled through a large battery to power a motor, instead of the more traditional gasoline. There are different types of EVs – fully electric vehicles or hybrid cars. A plug-in hybrid vehicle runs on a battery and an electric motor, as well as a gas engine.
EVs also come with different levels of charging, so like gas vehicles, they can only travel a certain distance before needing to be refuelled. This brings us to our first positive of owning an EV:
1. Save money on gas and reduce carbon emissions
Due to their unique battery that stores electricity to power the motor, EVs simply need to be plugged into recharge. This means there’s no need for gas, so the use of fossil fuels is reduced and less carbon and air pollutants are emitted.
Also, because EVs don’t need an internal combustion engine, they’re much quieter than traditional gas-powered vehicles.
2. Maintenance costs reduced
Another perk of owning an EV is that it can reduce your maintenance costs should you need new components or be involved in an accident, since they simply require maintenance less often.
3. Maybe tax credits are available
Depending on the electric car you opt for and the state you live in, you might be eligible for tax credits, or a one-off payment as an incentive to purchase an EV and, in turn, reduce your carbon footprint.
Despite this, car insurance for EVs tends to cost more, which is why it’s important to find the best electric car insurance for your vehicle. Finding a policy that recognizes the benefits your chosen car has on the environment, and rewards you for this, is almost as important as finding the right car itself.
Gas Powered Cars
Gas-powered vehicles are more commonly found on our roads, helping to boost the nation’s fuel economy and lower tailpipe emissions. Despite not being as eco-friendly, or having as many Government incentives, there are many positives to owning a gas vehicle.
1. Cheaper initial costs
The initial cost of purchasing a gas vehicle is cheaper than EVs, and therefore more within reach of many citizens. Due to this, the demand for gasoline vehicles remains high.
2. Quick to refuel
With EVs, there’s always the fear of running out of charge before reaching your destination. However, planning ahead and knowing how far you can go can easily combat this. But gas stations are dotted all over the country for easy and quick refuelling. You don’t have to wait for your vehicle to charge, you can simply fill it up and continue with your journey.
3. Doesn’t use batteries
It might not seem like a perk if you’re swaying towards the eco-friendlier batteries of an EV, but it’s important to bear in mind that the lithium-ion cells used in EVs to power their batteries, which can only be mined using smelting, emit harmful air pollutants.
Whilst this is not as detrimental as the fossil fuels produced by gas-powered vehicles, the impact humans have on our planet is still significant, no matter what choice we make.
Finding your next car
When it comes to finding the car that’s right for you, it all comes down to your budget and what you’re going to need the car for. For long, frequent trips within a short space of time, it might be more convenient to purchase a gas vehicle. However, if you’re wanting to lower your carbon footprint and drive a more efficient vehicle with lots of incentives, then EVs, or even plug-in hybrids, are definitely worth considering.
Despite this, remember that gas vehicles’ days are somewhat numbered. With the negative impact humans have on the earth, and lots of incentives making EVs a more attractive investment, car companies are developing them faster than ever, because ultimately, they know the value of our climate far outweighs the pros of gas-powered vehicles.
Do you think it’s worth investing in an EV for the future of our wallets and our planet? Or will you be sticking to the short-term convenience of the more initially affordable gasoline car?
