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Maybe you’re frustrated with the rising price of gasoline. Or you’re concerned about emitting pollutants that contribute to our environment’s poor air quality. An electric car may be in your future. But first let’s review what an electric car is and the pros and cons of operating one.

 

Types of Electric Cars

 

• All-electric car
• Hybrid-electric car — combines an internal combustion engine with the fuel efficiency of an electric motor

 

In choosing between the two types of electric cars, consider your average daily mileage and the road conditions on which you travel. Here we’ll cover the basics of the all-electric vehicles.

 

Pros to operating an Electric Car

 

• Never fill up a gas tank again — we can only dream! Never again will you be subjected to pay the steep prices set at the local gas station

 

• Keep the environment clean — electric cars do not emit any pollutants from their tailpipes.

 

• Save on maintenance costs — electric cars have no costs associated with oil changes, transmission fluids, and fuel exhaust system maintenance

 

• Tax incentives — Did you know you may be eligible for a federal income tax credit as the owner of an electric car? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you’ll enjoy these tax incentives.

 

Cons to operating an Electric Car

 

• Does it save money? True, you no longer have to buy gas. But now you have to charge your battery, which requires electricity. How this affects your home electric bill is the question.

 

• Charging requires time (four to eight hours) — Before you bid those handy, convenient gas stations on every corner goodbye, consider the inconvenience of needing to charge your electric vehicle more often than you pump gas and for a longer period of time. Instead of minutes of your time at the gas pump, you’ll now need to plan ahead and dedicate a working day’s worth of time to getting your electric car back to full capacity.

 

• Where is the nearest charging station to your home? Do you know? You may have to plan ahead and be careful how far your drive and where since charging can be tricky.

 

• You’re not keeping the environment as clean as you think — Although yes, an electric vehicle will not emit pollutants from their tailpipes, the power plants needed to produce the electricity to make your car operate will still affect the environment.