Electric Cars: The Better Choice
By: Makeda Dereje
Climate change has been a center issue in the world for years with countless scientific evidence of the irreversible damage we have done to our planet. Companies and people need to make conscious changes in the way they operate in order to prevent further damage and ensure a prosperous world for future generations. For eco-conscious consumers, this can be done easily by switching to sustainable everyday products and not using single-use plastic and paper. Another choice that has become increasingly popular is driving electric cars instead of the standard gas cars. Cars are a big polluter with 28% of all US greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 coming from the transportation sector. The simple choice to drive an electric car can have significant impact on the environment.
Electric cars have advanced significantly in the past 10 years and the choices have increased drastically as well. In 2010, total sales of hybrid, plug-in, and full electric vehicles was 274,900 vehicles. That number has increased to 726,500 vehicles in 2019.
There are a lot of options for electric cars and it is important each consumer choose one right for them. There are many review sites where consumers can compare brands and models.
Two important features to look at is the range and the efficiency.
The vertical and horizontal lines in the graph above represent the average efficiency and range which are 189 Wh/km and 339 km, respectively. Potential electric car consumers should consider cars in the upper left quadrant for the best efficiency and range. Cars that stand out on these two features are: the Lightyear One with a efficiency of 104 Wh/km and a 575 km range, the Lucid Air with a efficiency of 180 Wh/km and a 610 km range, and the Tesla Model 3 Long Range Duel Motor with a efficiency of 161 Wh/km and a 450 range.
Price and charging ability are also two important considerations in electric car options.
The horizontal line in the graph represent the average price of an electric car which is $66,415.76. From the graph we can see most of the cars with fast charging capabilities are very expensive. Affordability is key for many consumers but there may be a tradeoff with fast charging. Cars that stand out in affordability and charging ability are: the Tesla Model 3 Long Range Duel Motor and Polestar 2.
In conclusion, there are many electric car options to fit the needs of any person. It is important that we make better lifestyle choices for the sake of the planet and one of the best ways to do that is by driving an electric car.