You might be wondering why there’s so much hype around electric vehicles (EVs) and why so many drivers are opting to go electric with their new cars. There are many reasons for this, ranging from the advanced mechanics behind EVs to the type of insurance you can get for them – check out Lemonade Car coverage for electric cars, for example.
To give you a better idea, this article will take you through what an electric vehicle is and what advantages it can bring to you as a driver.
What is an Electric Vehicle?
An EV is any car that uses electric motors powered by an electric battery to help with the propulsion of the car. With standard gasoline cars, the car is moved by an engine that uses a gasoline ignition to keep it running. However, with electric vehicles, there are motors that turn the wheels and drive the car, and these are powered by a battery.
Depending on the type of electric car you have, you may have slightly different mechanics for the car. Hybrid vehicles combine a gasoline engine with a small electric battery, giving you propulsion through both standard fuels and a few extra miles of electric power.
Plug-in hybrid vehicles have a similar design, except the battery used is much larger than in hybrid vehicles.
This gives the car an average of around 30 miles of electric power, where it can run even without any gas in the car. EVs are pure electric cars that only operate on electric motors and a battery, without any form of gas engine or fuel needed. The average range on these cars is around 230 miles, with more advanced models being able to give over 400 miles of electric propulsion.
What are the Advantages of Driving Electric Vehicles?
There are lots of benefits that come with EVs, which can include:
A Cleaner Carbon Footprint
One of the biggest benefits of driving an EV is that you have a much cleaner carbon footprint than the gas-powered alternatives.
When gas is burned in standard gasoline engines, they produce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions which can significantly damage the earth’s ozone layer. In simple terms, CO2 is bad for the planet.
Therefore, cars that use battery power as a means of propulsion instead of gas emit less CO2 emissions that can damage the environment. With hybrids and plug-in hybrids, this is lowered significantly, and with pure EVs, there’s no fuel being burned at all.
Unique EV Car Insurance
Another benefit to driving an EV is that you can get individual car insurance specifically for EVs, which has a range of perks not offered by standard car insurance.
On the one hand, it’s likely that you’ll find your EV insurance premiums are more expensive than standard premiums initially, simply because the cost of repairs and replacements are higher for EVs.
However, there are many aspects of EV insurance that can greatly benefit you, such as the fact that EV drivers are statistically less likely to be involved in an accident and can therefore have this reflected in their premiums.
Also, some insurers can cover you for your home charging station, portable chargers for your car, and also the cost of towing your vehicle to a charging station, should you run out.
Improved Car Economy
EVs are also known to be much more economical than standard gas cars, despite the heftier upfront cost. EVs are much more fuel-efficient than standard gas cars, as the battery power can substitute for burning fuel – and even completely replaces it in pure EVs. This means the less regular cost for fuel.
Also, EVs have lower running costs than standard gas cars, as there’s less involvement from the gas engine, which can mean less frequent visits to the garage for maintenance. Overall, spending more upfront on an EV can reward you in the long run with a more economical way of driving.
Now that you know the advantages of EVs, are you going to make one your next car choice? Also, have you found the right insurer to offer you everything you need for EV insurance at the best premium rates?
