The electric vehicle (EV) presents a promising future for the automotive industry. In Europe and China, there is rapid growth in the EV market. In the U.S., there is some growth, although relatively slower than the other two.
Many things make EVs appealing to the public. For one, they are advertised as a greener approach to transportation. EVs produce fewer carbon emissions than gas-powered cars.
Also, many modern EVs carry some cool technological features that make them even more appealing to the public. Tesla is probably the perfect example. A Tesla vehicle has a touchscreen dashboard that will let you control almost everything in your car. The vehicle also has a dog mode that will let your fur friend stay in the car safely while you buy your groceries or grab something to eat. Of course, there are many other amazing features apart from these.
But EVs also have a few disadvantages. And depending on your situation, these can be considered dealbreakers. Before buying an EV, you first need to know not just its positive aspects but also the negative ones to make a wise decision on whether to push through with the purchase.
It’s Not That Sustainable
As previously mentioned, EVs are popular because they are more environmentally friendly than gas-powered cars. But there is some inaccuracy to this statement. For one, the extraction of the rare earth metals used in EV batteries greatly contributes to carbon emissions. In addition, current EV batteries are not recyclable.
It can be argued that future technological developments may make the recycling of EV batteries possible and more cost-effective than mining raw materials. Since EVs are becoming more mainstream, the automotive industry is more likely to push for research and development of an efficient recycling process to make EVs more sustainable. But at least for now, EVs are not totally “green.”
Not to mention, the power supply used to charge EVs is still questionable. For example, in the U.S., fossil fuels are still the largest energy source. Only a small percentage comes from renewable sources. This power source isn’t as green as one would expect for an EV.
If sustainability matters to you, you need to know that EVs are not as eco-friendly as the media says they are, at least for now.
It’s Often More Expensive
EVs are quite expensive. The average annual cost of a gas-powered car is $3,356 while it’s $9,406 for an EV.
There are also other costs to consider when buying an EV. For example, you’ll have to install a charging station in your own home when you acquire an EV. A charging station for a residential setting usually costs around $1,000 up to $2,500 for a single dock. You can also expect an increase in your monthly electric bill as a result of owning an EV.
If you’re in immediate need of a vehicle, getting a new Honda auto for sale in a nearby car dealership wouldn’t be a bad choice right now. Perhaps you can reconsider getting an EV in the next few years instead, when the technology has become even more mainstream and, therefore, more affordable.
Charging Time Makes Traveling Feel Longer
Charging stations used to be a problem for EVs in the past. But since more people are using such a vehicle, more charging stations have surfaced. The problem now is the charging time.
If you’re going on a long road trip using a gas-powered car, you can drop by a gas station for a few minutes to refill your tank. But for EVs, charging will take more than an hour. Depending on the model, battery capacity, and power source, charging an EV can take around 2 hours up to 8 hours.
Sure, you don’t have to charge a vehicle fully each time, especially if you’re in a hurry. You can just recharge enough to get to your destination and then continue charging when you get there. Still, this can be an inconvenience for long-haul trips on the road. You’ll have to spend hours in a charging station. And hopefully, there are other things to do there, such as dine or shop, so that you can make the charging time more worthwhile.
These are only some of the drawbacks of EVs. When buying a vehicle, you need to be clear about the purpose of your purchase. For example, what will you use the car for, or what features do you need? Once you’ve noted your considerations, then you can see if an EV is the right choice for you, despite its disadvantages.
