Should I Buy an Electric Car?

Back in 2010, the UK transport secretary Philip Hammond predicted that the following year would be the “year of the electric car”. Although 2011 failed to show the boom in the industry that Mr Hammond predicted, recently the popularity of electric vehicles has seen a dramatic upsurge.

This is in large due to the growing preoccupation with the damage that traditional fossil fuel-consuming vehicles wreak on our environment, along with the various government subsidies offered to homeowners choosing to go electric. Furthermore, the growing interest from manufacturers has led to more innovative and attractive models, not to mention more choice: in 2011 there were only six different cars to choose from, now there are 27 which are eligible for subsidy.

But are electric cars worth it, both from an economical and an ecological point of view? Well, there are two sides to every coin and below is a brief outline of the advantages and drawbacks that electric vehicles offer.

PROS

In 2012, the Union of Concerned Scientists released a report claiming that electric vehicles (EVs) were a “good choice” for the environmentally-conscious driver. Here’s why:

• Zero tailpipe emissions. In comparison to fossil fuel-burning cars, EVs are far more eco-friendly since they do not emit any harmful emissions at all.
• Government subsidies. The UK government pledges £5,000 towards the purchase of any of the first 50,000 EVs sold in the country. With that figure set to be met most likely sometime later this year – and plans about renewing the subsidy deal unclear – it might make sense to buy sooner rather than later.
• Widespread charge points. The UK now boasts more than 3,000 charge points, 500 of which offer “fast charges”. There are also subsidies of £700 available on home installation of charge points, too.
• Growing interest from manufacturers. The big boys of car building, Mitsubishi, BMW and Porsche, have revolutionised the way EVs look, making their designs ever more attractive.

CONS

It’s not all plain sailing for EVs, though, as this article clarifies in greater detail. Here are the basic drawbacks of the breed:

• Environmental cost of construction. Though they emit no fumes when in use, creating an EV produces twice as much harmful waste as producing a regular fossil fuel car.
• Necessity for electricity. Again, although they have zero emissions in terms of their output, they still require “charging” from an electrical grid, which generally harvests its power from fossil fuels… thus introducing a middle man, rather than eliminating emissions altogether.
• Range anxiety. There is always the fear that an EV will run out of juice in the middle of a journey, leaving the driver stranded. However, ranges have been increasing over the last few years, with the extortionately-expensive Tesla 6 capable of 310 miles without charge.
• Wear and tear. The need to replace the battery potentially multiple times during its life reduces the economic and ecological attraction of the EV.

 Every Little Helps

Even though EVs may not be the be-all and end-all when it comes to curbing our carbon emissions, they certainly do make a difference as evidenced by that Union of Concerned Scientists report cited above. However, it’s worth noting that a single Chinese power plant emits as much NOX as all the passenger cars in the world. Clearly, it’s not just private consumers who need to address their attitude toward the environment, but big industry (particularly in the Asian superpower) must take action, too.