Post by Lewis H. Goldstein
Historically electric vehicles (EVs) made their first appearance in the 1880s. As gasoline a major much less expensive and mass produced source of power for automobiles they were replaced by engines powered by gasoline. Since 2008 electric vehicles have advanced to the forefront when it comes to vehicles which are efficient, do not add to pollution and cut down on dependence on foreign oil. Presently there are around twenty-five EVs available in the United States. The pure electric cars range in price from around $27, 500 for the Chevrolet Spark to the Tesla Model S at $81,000 (Although Tesla is hard at work at building lower priced models, with the $30,000 Model E launching by 2017, and beyond). The pure electric cars run strictly on electricity and therefore need charging once the electricity is depleted. Mileage with the pure electric cars range from a low of 76 miles for the Ford Focus to a high of 265 miles for the Tesla Model S. Tesla has trumped part of the downside of needed to recharge once the battery is depleted by providing The Tesla Supercharge Network in the United States, Europe and Asia. The Superchargers are able to provide half a charge good for an additional 170 miles in as little as 20 minutes. In theory one can go coast to coast without needing the average of four hours to completely charge their vehicle. As the automobile industry continues to expand its research we can expect over the next several years many pure electric vehicles which will allow for limitless travel throughout this nation.
Many vehicles now utilize electric and gas. With these vehicles once the electrical charge is depleted the gasoline tank kicks in. Similar to the pure electric vehicles these vehicles do not use gas while the electric battery is in use. At times these vehicles are described as hybrids. In reality they are not since it is not the gas engine which runs the electric battery. These vehicles go from a low of $35,000 for the Chevrolet Volt to a high of $76,000 for the Cadillac ELR. Total electrical range in mileage is listed at 38 miles for the Chevrolet Volt and 35 miles for the Cadillac ELR. With my Volt I get between 46 and 50 miles on a charge. The actual range depends on many issues such as driving conditions, outside temperature and how the driver handles the car. With both of these models there is what has been termed tongue in cheek “gas anxiety”. I know that feeling. At times I want to avoid using a single drop of gas at all costs. It becomes sort of a game.
The third group of cars is the hybrids. These vehicles utilize electric and gasoline simultaneously. Essentially they use more than one form of energy to propel the vehicle. The gasoline engine is what drives the electric component. Those range from the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid at $30,800 to the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid at $100,000. Total range varies greatly.
From my experience I suggest the purchase of an electrical vehicle which runs strictly on electric and then when depleted is driven by gasoline. Cars such as the Tesla Model S are the cars of the not too distant future. The power, range and design make them pretty irresistible. The draw back is the price and even with the Supercharge stations range can still be an issue. I highly recommend that all possibilities be checked out. The major goal has to be to diminish the use of internal combustion engines.
If you have any questions or comments on what it’s like to drive an EV or about EV’s in general, just ask below. Let’s GO GREEN!
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