Is the electric vehicles better or worse?
In: Other
I think the biggest thing with EVs (and hybrids, too) is regenerative braking.
Imagine if that worked with ICE vehicles. Somehow, whenever you braked, the gas tank would slowly start to refill.
Maintenance: no oil changes, no spark plugs, no radiator, no fuel filters, the list goes on and on. If you get a good reliable ev, it should be nearly maintenance free and last a very long time.
Electric motors are far more efficient and less mechanically complex than internal combustion engines, or ICEs.
EVs accelerate much faster because electric motors have all of their torque available to them from the start, rather than the curve you see with combustion.
Unless you’re making a very long road trip, EV charging isn’t going to be an issue as long as you charge overnight at home. If you do take a long trip, it’s probably a good idea to take a half-hour break after 3-5 hours of driving anyway.
Lithium-ion batteries *do* degrade over time. They’re expensive to replace and the older they get, the greater the risk of fire. Thus, especially with electrics, it makes sense to sign a 3 – or 4-year lease instead of purchasing.
Something non-EV owners likely wouldn’t likely know, is that they burn through tires at a 2-3x rate. Instant torque and extra weight of the batteries. Just something to keep in mind, since most people think there are low/no maintenance costs with EVs.
I don’t think I really understand the question. One is powered by a gas engine and the other is powered by electric motors. Aside from that they’re generally the same. EVs have some design language that’s unique to them, such as light bars and no front grille.
as a dyed in the wool car guy, this is how I feel after three years of electric car ownership:
1. Everyday: I used to drive a manual. My electric car feels more direct, and connected to my inputs than any gasoline car I’ve driven.
1. Range: I’ve gone on four longer road trips in my electric car, including having to stop for charging. Yes, it adds time. But it was relatively easy to sync up with bathroom or food breaks, and fast enough that you weren’t just staring at the power level waiting. Often the place we’re traveling to has cheap or free chargers with excellent parking spots so recharging is totally seamless with our trip.
1. Ease of Ownership: No oil changes to worry about. Brakes, Tires, and suspension. And with one pedal driving/regenerative braking, I use my physical brakes maybe once during a normal drive around town, so they last a lot longer than a gas car.
1. But What About…: Yes. There are some scenarios that a gas car is by and far away the best choice.
Having a diesel generator charging an EV is more efficient than using a diesel car.
Electric motors are highly efficient with over 90%.
Combustion engines are only in the ballpark of 30% efficient, but only when they’re running at ther optimal speed and load. A generator does that while a combustion engin in a car has to ramp up and down during operation.
That’s why using a generator which runs at peak efficiency charging an EV is more efficient even considering losses in energy conversion.
Better or worse in what way?
For driving performance, electric cars have more torque and a lower center of gravity, but are also heavier and tend to have worse high end speed than traditional cars. They are quieter and able to run climate control systems with the engine off. Electric cars are generally more expensive to buy but cheaper to operate than gas cars. Some apartment buildings or workplaces include charging as a perk.
Latest Answers