What are the pros and cons of electric cars?
Ecology
7 January 2023
The pros and cons of electric cars have long been debated by proponents and opponents of zero-emission transport. Indeed, electromobility has for some years now no longer been the future, but the present of motoring. There have been many opinions around electric cars, only some of which are true. It is therefore worth knowing what the advantages and disadvantages of an electric car are.
Pros and cons of electric cars - what should you know about them before buying?
The production of cars that use batteries instead of internal combustion engines is becoming increasingly common. The good news for drivers is therefore that there is a choice between almost all well-known car brands. In addition to manufacturers of combustion vehicles, electrics are also being developed by Tesla, which specialises in this type of car.
The massive shift towards electromobility means that cars from different price segments can be bought. One of the cheaper ones is the Renault Zoe, which can be had for less than PLN 100,000. The French concern offers a vehicle even cheaper - the Twizy. Its price is PLN 34 thousand. Its small size makes it an ideal car for the city.
Electric cars are also higher-end products. These can include the Tesla Model 3, which costs more than PLN 200,000. Drivers who are even wealthier may be interested in cars such as the Mercedes EQS. Its price is half a million zloty.
Growing popularity means that electric cars are also appearing on the second-hand market. Buying an older car is much cheaper than a new one, so that even more people can afford a battery-equipped vehicle. Regardless of the price, however, certain advantages of electric cars (as well as their disadvantages) are common.
What are the advantages of electric cars?
Emission-free, while undoubtedly important, is not the only reason to buy an electric car. The advantages of this type of vehicle also include driving comfort, safety, service packages from manufacturers, additional driver privileges and reduced vehicle running costs.
Ecology
The reason behind the creation of this type of car is environmental concern. The lack of harmful exhaust emissions makes the electric car a great choice for those who care about their own green attitudes. Importantly, vehicles equipped with a battery and electric motor are also much quieter than traditional cars that burn fossil fuels.
Comfort and convenience
Driving an electric car is also rewarding. Many models feature amenities such as easy-to-use infotainment systems displaying maps on a large screen and lane and parking assist. There are also travel-enhancing extras on many models, such as seat heating.
Satisfaction
The advantages of an electric car will also be felt by those drivers who want to drive dynamically. There is no shortage of cars with a sporty flair. They are also extremely agile, as the engine torque is high right from the start.
Security
Those wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars are may question the safety of driving. In the event of an accident, isn't sitting on a battery a hazard?
Electric cars undergo rigorous testing. To make them safe, each battery is subjected to demanding tests of capability. Sample units are exposed to extreme temperatures to ensure they will not explode. Tightness and resistance to strong vibrations are also tested.
Service packages
Maintaining the efficiency of the vehicle, on the other hand, is an example showing how multidimensional the investment in electric cars is. The pros and cons in this case are intertwined.
The advantage is the less complicated construction of electric cars. This removes the need to repair many components such as the fuel injection, starter or turbocharger. There is also no need to change the oil. The number of parts in an electric car is six times less compared to a combustion vehicle.
However, it cannot be fully stated that repairing an electric car is cost-effective. Batteries for them are expensive. They cost up to several tens of thousands of zloty. Fortunately, vehicles can often be serviced at no cost. Manufacturers usually offer customers a replacement guarantee. This is generally for a period of 8 years, allowing the battery to be replaced twice. Other services, such as tyre changes and air conditioning cleaning, are available as part of the package.
Privileges
Owners of 'electrics' in many countries have entitlements not available to drivers of combustion cars. One of these is access to clean transport zones in the centres of large cities. Another example is the ability to drive on bus lanes to avoid traffic jams.
In addition, government subsidies are available for those interested in buying an electric car. Thanks to them, the price of a new car can be reduced by nearly PLN 18 thousand. People with a Large Family Card can get a discount of 27 thousand PLN. This discount applies to vehicles costing a maximum of 225 thousand PLN.
Operation
The advantages of electric cars can also be felt if you have the option of charging your vehicle at home. The price for 1 kWh of electricity is considerably lower than for 1 litre of petrol or diesel.
The cost of filling up with petrol to achieve a range of 500 km in a car burning 5 l per 100 km can be 150-200 PLN. Meanwhile, 1 kWh of electricity at home costs around PLN 0.50. An electric car with an 80 kWh battery and a range of 500 km can therefore be charged for around 40 PLN. The use of solar panels further reduces this expense.
What are the downsides of electric cars?
The disadvantages of electric cars are mainly related to the shortage of infrastructure for charging the cars. Another disadvantage is the operating costs and price of electric vehicles. There are also reservations about the methods of generating electricity. 
Infrastructurea
The propulsion of an electric vehicle requires regular charging. Unfortunately, it poses difficulties due to the small number of stations where energy can be replenished. In Poland, these are mainly located in the largest cities and along motorways.
Drivers are therefore forced to plan their routes meticulously, especially when travelling outside the country's major cities and roads. The more developed infrastructure in Western Europe and the USA makes it much easier to be an 'electric' owner in these places.
Purchase and operating costs
The widespread use of electric cars is also hampered by their prices. The cheapest of them are available for at least several dozen thousand PLN. The still poorly developed secondary market is also not conducive to the purchase of electric cars by a wider range of people. Moreover, it is expensive to replace batteries after the warranty, the price of which is often as high as that of a new cheap electric car.
Charging is unfortunately another example showing that electric cars are not good for everyone. The pros and cons in this case are discernible depending on where you live. The inability to charge the vehicle at home results in the need to use the few public stations.
Moreover, depending on the speed of the charger, the price per kWh of energy varies. Using the fastest of these is often not at all cheaper than refuelling. Slower chargers, on the other hand, take a very long time to charge. The time spent at the station is then several hours.
Non-environmental power plants
Emission-free cars are undoubtedly environmentally friendly. However, it should be added that the process of producing electricity itself is rarely environmentally friendly. Much of it is produced in coal or nuclear power plants. The former generate smoke that is harmful to health. Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, leaves radioactive waste stored in non-biodegradable tanks.
Who are electric cars for?
In theory, anyone can use electric cars. However, the advantages and disadvantages listed above indicate that they are currently more for wealthy individuals.
Higher electricity rates than at home at public charging stations additionally mean that electrics may be of interest primarily to those with a garage. Leaving the vehicle outside the house for the duration of the charging period is also not as problematic as stopping for hours at a station.
Is it worth buying an electric car?
The benefits that driving an 'electric' car can give are a good motivation to purchase this type of vehicle. The lower operating costs in many cases, the privileges and the comfort of driving in silence are reasons to buy an electric car. The pros and cons unfortunately do not balance each other out.
A significant problem is the difficulty of charging in many places. The need to check the route carefully makes such cars unsuitable for travel outside major cities in many countries. The process of topping up the energy itself is also long.
Despite the small number of parts, they are also not fault-free vehicles. The costly repair of a faulty battery or its replacement after the warranty is another problem of such cars. For these reasons, electric cars cannot be unequivocally recommended.
The pros and cons of electric cars show that a lot still needs to be done to make zero-emission vehicles an everyday reality on the streets. Nevertheless, they are already an interesting alternative for many people interested in green transport. It remains to be hoped that over the years the price of cars and their maintenance will become lower and lower and the number of charging stations will increase. The sooner this happens, the sooner harmful smog will disappear from cities and people's quality of life will improve.
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