What do you think about Electric Cars ?

Electric vehicle manufacturers have significantly increased the range of their vehicles. The upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV will have a range of up to 310 miles between refueling and cars already on the road can go for 200 miles.

It’s also becoming easier to recharge. Cities and local governments are setting up fueling points, while specialist apps show you the nearest fueling point wherever you are. As recharging becomes quicker and easier to find, worries about range are vanishing.

Like all batteries, those in electric cars lose power over time. Those in smaller vehicles need replacing every 7-10 years, while buses and vans need new ones every 3-4 years. This is an important part of their environmental impact, as batteries take a lot of resources to produce and their chemicals can be toxic.

Fortunately, the rumor that these batteries can’t be reused or recycled is untrue. Most electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries, like those in smartphones and cameras. Only around 5% of lithium-ion batteries are currently recycled, but this isn’t because they can’t be.

It’s because this is relatively new technology and the infrastructure isn’t in place yet. Batteries for electric vehicles can be recycled through processes including smelting and direct recovery, letting the materials be reused to reduce the costs and environmental impact of mining.

Many batteries can even be reused for other purposes, as they still have about 70% of their original capacity. They’re currently providing backup power for everything from streetlights to elevators to data centers.

Electric cars have far fewer moving parts than gas-powered ones, significantly reducing the need for repair or replacement. Fan belts, head gaskets, and spark plugs are just a few of the parts that aren’t needed anymore and so don’t need replacing after wearing out. Even the wear and tear on brakes is reduced, as electric cars can slow down simply by slowing the motor.

There are still parts of the car that will get broken or worn down, as in any complex machine. But the time and money spent on maintenance is significantly reduced by going electric.

Electric vehicles combine well with one of the other big trends in motoring – self-driving cars.

The lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles provide better energy storage and voltage than those in most traditional vehicles, which use 12-volt lead-acid batteries. This means that electric vehicles are better for powering self-driving cars.

Cruise control, proximity sensors, and the other elements that go into automated driving can be more easily implemented using an electric car’s battery.

Electric power makes it easier for an automated vehicle to recharge. Recharging doesn’t need a human inserting a fueling hose, just a way for the car to connect to an electric socket. The development of wireless charging will let self-driving electric vehicles simply drive into a charging point and automatically refuel.

Many of the so-called problems with electric vehicles are myths. In reality, they’re more environmentally friendly, easier to maintain, and cheaper to run in the long term. As the infrastructure grows to support them, the benefits will increase

The electric car, which eschews only gasoline or diesel power to run partially on electricity, has become very popular in recent years. The electric car has a long and storied history, as initial experimentation into battery powered vehicles started way back in the 1800s.

According to the Department of Energy, the first successful electric car in the United States was unveiled around 1890. The car, an invention of William Morrison, had a top speed of 14 miles per hour and could hold up to six people.

The innovation by Henry Ford dealt a huge blow to any prospects of the electric vehicle, as the Model T was vastly cheaper than any electric vehicle. Cheap gasoline and the rapid construction of roads essentially saw the electric car all but disappear by 1935.

Ever-rising oil prices in the 1960s and 1970s reinvigorated research and development into electric cars, and the new millennium ushered in hopes that the electric vehicle industry could become viable and self-sustaining.

Vehicles that are all-electric are very easy to maintain and repair. Many electric vehicles use regenerative braking, which extends the life of the break pad. New technology is also making the cost of the battery less.

Some are known as plug in hybrids, which have a gas/diesel engine and an electric motor. Others, known as ‘battery electric’ just use electricity, while hydrogen fuel cell vehicles turn hydrogen gas into electricity.

There are over 5,000 public charging stations across the United States, and the Department of Energy even has an Alternative Fueling Station Locator on their website. Electricity is cheaper in the night, which means it is easy to recharge the vehicle while you sleep.

Since electric vehicles have no pollutants from the tailpipe, they would also improve air quality and help meet government fuel economy and emission regulations.