Why not to switch to electric cars
Top 10 Reasons You Should Switch to An Electric Car
Did you know that the transportation sector is responsible for 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissionsmany of which come from passenger cars? If you currently drive a traditional gasoline-powered car, switching to an electric vehicle (or EV) is one of the best ways you could reduce your carbon footprint and help make a positive impact on the environment every day. Here are some of the top reasons you should consider swapping out your gas-powered car for a fully electric vehicle:
1. Electric cars are better for the environment.
One of the main advantages of electric vehicles might seem obvious, but its far too important to overlook: the environmental benefits. Electric cars produce significantly fewer emissions than gas-powered carsnot just while in use, but also throughout the entire lifecycle of the vehicle. This makes EVs a powerful tool in the fight against climate change, which is more important than ever. Plus, with no tailpipe emissions, electric cars can also help reduce air pollution, especially for the most vulnerable communities who are disproportionately harmed by transportation emissions and air pollutants.
2. Electric cars are just as safeif not safer.
Research has increasingly shown that electric vehicles are at least as safe as gasoline- and diesel-powered cars. In fact, the president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) stated that we can now say with confidence that making the U.S. fleet more environmentally friendly doesnt require any compromises in terms of safety. Several EVs were awarded the 2023 IIHS Top Safety Pick+, including the Audi Q4 e-tron, Subaru Solterra, and Volkswagen ID.4, so drivers who care about both safety and the environment have a variety of great options to choose from.
3. EVs are cheaper and easier to maintain than gas-powered cars.
With fewer parts, no internal combustion engine, no oil, less brake wear, and parts that require little to no regular maintenance, electric cars have lower repair and maintenance costs than their gas-powered counterpartsfor an average of $4,600 of savings over the lifetime of the car compared to gas-powered vehicles! Fewer maintenance costs and requirements can save EV drivers lots of time, money, and headaches.
4. Youll no longer have to pump gasor spend gas money.
How nice would it be to no longer have to stand outside at a dirty gas station in the hot summer air, freezing cold, or pouring rain every few weeks? With an electric car, you can charge it overnight at your home (the same way you plug in your phone every night), and youll only need to stop and charge on longer road trips. Plus, you can save an average of up to $1,000 each year on gas money! Over the lifetime of the car, those savings can really add up.
5. You can receive rebates and tax credits.
Electric vehicle purchases can qualify for federal tax credits of up to $7,500, and many cities and states offer additional financial incentives to choose an electric car. Check out this list from the Department of Energy of all the rebates, tax incentives, and other programs offered in each stateand see how much you could save by choosing an EV!
6. The total cost of ownership for EVs is lower than gas-powered cars.
Electric cars often have a higher sticker price than gas-powered cars. But between the lower fuel costs, the lower maintenance and repair costs, and the tax rebates available, the total cost of owning an electric car over the vehicles lifetime is less than the total ownership cost of a gas-powered car. Over the vehicles lifetime, EV owners can save up to $10,000! By switching to an electric car, you can save green while going green.
7. More EV charging stations are popping up.
The number of public charging ports in the U.S. has consistently grown in recent years to more than 140,000 across the country, and that number will only continue to rise as federal, state, and local governments invest more in charging infrastructure. In fact, a study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows that the U.S. is on track to install 1.2 million public chargers by 2030! There are also a number of smartphone apps that have become valuable resources to help EV owners find charging stations, even in the most remote parts of the country.
8. More EV options are becoming available.
Whether youre looking for a sedan, SUV, hatchback, or even a pickup truck, there are already several great electric car options on the marketand the number of options will only increase in the coming years, as nearly every major car manufacturer in the United States has announced plans to ramp up the production of electric vehicles. No matter what type of car youre looking for or what your budget is, youll be able to find your ideal EV.
9. You can enjoy special perks and other benefitslike reduced stress.
There are many benefits that exist to incentivize and reward electric car ownership. For instance, if you drive an EV, you can enjoy perks such as preferred parking spaces, access to some HOV highway lanes, free metered parking, and free and reduced tolls. Plus, many EV owners enjoy the smoother and quieter driving experience. One study even found that driving EVs can reduce stress and improve mental health, as drivers in EVs were more focused, calmer, and happier than drivers in gas-powered cars! If youve never driven an EV, try test driving one at a local auto dealer and experience it for yourself.
10. Youll support the electric vehicle industry.
By switching from a gas-powered to an electric car, you can support the growth of the EV industry and help increase demand for electric cars and EV infrastructurewhich will help make it easier for even more people to make the switch. Fewer gas cars and more EVs on the road will ultimately lead to cleaner air and a healthier environment for us all.
Swapping out your gas-powered car for an electric car is a great way you can reduce your transportation emissions and help fight climate change. Once you make the switch, make sure your EV is charged with 100% clean, pollution-free energy from wind and solar sourceswith zero dirty fossil fuelsby choosing Clean Electricity for your home. Its one of the easiest and most impactful ways you can help protect our planet every daywithout having to change your daily routine. Learn more about how you can sign up withCleanChoice Energy today to help create a better environment for future generations.
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Why This Could Be a Critical Year for Electric Cars
Sales of cars powered solely by batteries surged in the United States, Europe and China last year, while deliveries of fossil fuel vehicles were stagnant. Demand for electric cars is so strong that manufacturers are requiring buyers to put down deposits months in advance. And some models are effectively sold out for the next two years.
Battery-powered cars are having a breakthrough moment and will enter the mainstream this year as automakers begin selling electric versions of one of Americans favorite vehicle type: pickup trucks. Their arrival represents the biggest upheaval in the auto industry since Henry Ford introduced the Model T in 1908 and could have far-reaching consequences for factory workers, businesses and the environment. Tailpipe emissions are among the largest contributors to climate change.
While electric vehicles still account for a small slice of the market nearly 9 percent of the new cars sold last year worldwide were electric, up from 2.5 percent in 2019, according to the International Energy Agency their rapid growth could make 2022 the year when the march of battery-powered cars became unstoppable, erasing any doubt that the internal combustion engine is lurching toward obsolescence.
The proliferation of electric cars will improve air quality and help slow global warming. The air in Southern California is already a bit cleaner thanks to the popularity of electric vehicles there. And the boom is a rare piece of good news for President Biden, who has struggled to advance his climate agenda in Congress.
The auto industry is on track to invest half a trillion dollars in the next five years to make the transition to electric vehicles, Wedbush Securities, an investment firm, estimates. That money will be spent to refit and build factories, train workers, write software, upgrade dealerships and more. Companies are planning more than a dozen new electric car and battery factories just in the United States.
Its one of the biggest industrial transformations probably in the history of capitalism, Scott Keogh, chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America, said in an interview. The investments are massive, and the mission is massive.
But not everyone will benefit. Makers of mufflers, fuel injection systems and other parts could go out of business, leaving many workers jobless. Nearly three million Americans make, sell and service cars and auto parts, and industry experts say producing electric cars will require fewer workers because the cars have fewer components.
Over time, battery ingredients like lithium, nickel and cobalt could become more sought after than oil. Prices for these materials are already skyrocketing, which could limit sales in the short term by driving up the cost of electric cars.
[As big automakers ramp up electric vehicle production, some start-ups like Rivian are struggling to meet production targets.]
The transition could also be limited by the lack of places to plug in electric cars, which has made the vehicles less appealing to people who drive long distances or apartment residents who cant charge at home. There are fewer than 50,000 public charging stations in the United States. The infrastructure bill that Congress passed in November includes $7.5 billion for 500,000 new chargers, although experts say even that number is too small.
And it could take time to see the climate benefits of electric cars: Replacing the 250 million existing fossil-fuel cars and light trucks could take decades unless governments provide larger incentives to car buyers. Cleaning up heavy trucks, one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, could be even harder.
Still, the electric car boom is already reshaping the auto industry.
The biggest beneficiary and the biggest threat to the established order is Tesla. Led by Elon Musk, the company delivered nearly a million cars in 2021, a 90 percent increase from 2020.
Tesla is still small compared with auto giants, but it commands the segment with the fastest growth. Wall Street values the company at about $1 trillion, more than 10 times as much as General Motors. That means Tesla, which is building factories in Texas and Germany, can easily expand.
At the rate its growing now, it will be bigger than G.M. in five years, said John Casesa, a former Ford executive who is now a senior managing director at Guggenheim Securities, at a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago forum in January.
Most analysts figured that electric vehicles wouldnt take off until they became as inexpensive to buy as gasoline models a milestone that is still a few years away for moderately priced cars that most people can afford.
But as extreme weather makes the catastrophic effects of climate change more tangible, and word gets around that electric cars are easy to maintain, cheap to refuel and fun to drive, affluent buyers are increasingly going electric.
Porsches Taycan, an electric sedan that starts at about $83,000, outsold the companys signature 911 last year. Mercedes-Benz sold nearly 100,000 electric cars and vans in 2021, a 90 percent increase from the previous year.
Ford will soon start selling the Lightning, an electric version of the F-150 pickup truck, which has topped U.S. sales charts for decades. It initially planned to make 75,000 a year. But demand has been so strong that the company is racing to double production of the Lightning, which starts at $40,000 and runs up to more than $90,000. Ford stopped taking reservations after amassing 200,000.
Were going to be able to sell every one we can build, said Hau Thai-Tang, Fords chief product platform and operations officer.
A growing selection of electric pickups and sport utility vehicles is attracting buyers uninterested in Teslas minimalist cars, which are most popular in coastal cities and suburbs.
Take Eddie Berry, the owner of an auto-parts delivery business in Groveport, Ohio, near Columbus. He has long relied on pickup trucks for work and camping trips. He had little interest in electric vehicles until the Lightning. His roughly $75,000 truck will be delivered this spring.
Theres so much about this truck thats going to help me, Mr. Berry said. The locking front trunk, where an engine normally sits, will give him a secure space to carry parts. He wont spend $80 for fuel every few days.
And since the Lightning can be used as a power source, it will revolutionize his tailgate at Ohio State football games. Ill be able to set up my big-screen TV, Mr. Berry said. I can power the electric smoker I use for ribs and pork. Im superexcited. Im going to be the guy everybodys talking about.
Sales of electric cars might have been even higher in 2021 but for production bottlenecks. Volkswagen sold about 17,000 ID.4 S.U.V.s in the United States, but could have sold four times as many, Mr. Keogh said.
Mike Sullivan, owner of LAcarGUY, a dealership chain, sold out his ID.4s within weeks of their arrival. When we have them its the best-selling model, he said. Supply will increase this year when Volkswagen begins producing ID.4s in Chattanooga, Tenn., rather than importing them from Germany.
At the upper end, electric vehicles are already competitive on price and could save buyers thousands on maintenance and gasoline. (Electric cars do not need oil changes, and electricity is generally cheaper per mile than gasoline.)
The Tesla Model 3 and Jaguar XF P250 sedans retail for around $46,000. But owning the Tesla for five years costs $16,000 less, according to calculations by Kelley Blue Book, a vehicle valuation company.
If Europe and China are any measure, sales of electric vehicles in the United States will continue to explode. In December, battery-powered cars outsold diesel cars in Europe for the first time. In 18 countries, including Britain, more than 20 percent of new cars were electric, according to Matthias Schmidt, an independent analyst in Berlin.
In 2015, more than half of Europes new cars ran on diesel, the result of tax policies that make diesel cheaper than gasoline. But government incentives for electric cars, and penalties for carmakers that dont meet emissions targets, have changed the equation.
About 4 percent of new cars were electric last year in the United States, up from about 2 percent in 2020.
The point of electric cars is to cut tailpipe emissions, a leading source of carbon dioxide and the pollutants that cause of smog. In Southern California, electric cars have already had a small impact on air quality, leading to a 4 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions from passenger cars compared with what they would have been otherwise, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which includes Los Angeles.
Of course, battery-powered cars also have an environmental cost. But even taking into account the energy and raw materials they require, electric vehicles are much better for the climate than conventional cars, according to a Yale School of the Environment study.
Inevitably, a transition this momentous will cause dislocation. Most new battery and electric car factories planned by automakers are in Southern states like Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee. Their gains could come at the expense of the Midwest, which would lose internal combustion production jobs.
That hasnt happened yet, because gasoline vehicles still dominate sales. But as battery power takes market share, conventional models will benefit less from the cost savings that come from stamping out the same vehicle hundreds of thousands of times.
The next few years could be perilous for carmakers that have been slow to offer electric vehicles. Toyota, a pioneer in hybrid vehicles, will not offer a car powered solely by batteries until later this year. Ram does not plan to release a competitor to Fords Lightning until 2024.
Chinese companies like SAIC, which owns the British MG brand, are using the technological shift to enter Europe and other markets. Young companies like Lucid, Rivian and Nio aim to follow Teslas playbook.
Old-line carmakers face a stiff learning curve. G.M. recalled its Bolt electric hatchback last year because of the risk of battery fires.
The companies most endangered may be small machine shops in Michigan or Ontario that produce piston rings and other parts. At the moment, these businesses are busy because of pent-up demand for all vehicles, said Carla Bailo, chief executive of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.
A lot of them kind of have blinders on and are not looking that far down the road, Ms. Bailo said. Thats troubling.
