An Inside Look at Electric Cars
From the outside, it is hard to spot an electric car since most of them have been converted from a gasoline-powered vehicle. One way to tell the difference is that electric cars are practically silent when you drive them. This is because an electric car is powered by an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine
The electric motor uses a controller located inside the electric car. The controller gets its power from an array of rechargeable batteries that last between three and four years. Instead of the usual hoses found in a gasoline-powered car, an electric car is full of wires that help drive the vehicle.
Advantages of Electric Cars
With gas prices at record highs, electric cars are back in the spotlight as a viable solution. Electric cars offer these advantages:
- The power needed for an electric car costs about two cents a mile.
- Electric cars create less pollution.
- An electric car is practically silent compared to a gas-powered vehicle.
On the Other Hand…
- Battery replacement is about $2,000.
- The batteries are large and bulky.
- Electric cars can only run for about 50 miles before they need to be recharged.
- Recharging takes about 12 hours.
- It is somewhat difficult to find a recharging station for electric cars.
Revolutionary Technology for Electric Cars
Because there are a number of disadvantages to electric cars, the popularity has dwindled and car manufacturers have stopped producing a number of models. Instead, manufacturers are looking to create new types of electric cars, such as the hybrid vehicle that uses gasoline and electricity. The latest technology to gain interest in the area of electric cars is the use of fuel cells, which are not heavy like batteries and do not cost a lot to replace.
