Time to Plug in your Car?
Electric cars are one of the latest inventions that are taking the world by storm. There are many interesting facts about these cars that are growing in popularity.
On average, people drive less than thirty miles per day. This makes electric cars perfectly suited for these short trips. Most electric cars can travel up to seventy miles before requiring a charge. There are also options for people needing to travel longer distances.
Currently, there are more than 7,000 plug-in cars and all-electricity cars on the road. There are almost twenty different electric vehicle models. This number continues to increase. Some of the newest electric vehicles include the Chevrolet Spark EV and the Fiat 500e. People are becoming more interested in electric cars because it is an efficient way to travel. Electric cars take about eighty percent of their energy directly from the battery. Gasoline powered cars take about twenty percent of their energy from the battery.
There are many ways electric cars are helping the environment. Unlike gasoline powered cars, electric cars release no air pollution. Cars that run off electricity release a lot of pollution through tailpipes. This is why many companies are working with the Energy Department to create electric cars.
Because the battery in an electric car is so important, it is very expensive. Normally, a car battery costs about $150. Batteries for electric cars are decreasing, but they are still very pricey. In 2009, a 100-mile range electric battery cost $33,000. Today, those batteries cost around $10,000.
In addition to helping the environment, electric cars are also money savers. They require very little maintenance. The brake pads even have to be replaced less often!
Many people use the evening hours to charge their cars. This is another way to save because electricity costs less at night. There are also 5,000 public charging stations across the country.
