Electric vs. Gasoline Essay

Nowadays, people all over the world do their best to live greener and not contribute to global warming. An invention that is meant to help reduce the amount of toxic waste that is polluting the environment nowadays is that of the electric car. But is electric really so much better than gas? Electric cars are emission free, compact and lightweight, and three times as efficient as gas engines. Compared to gasoline cars, electric car motors are very efficient, converting over 90% of electrical power supplied into motion. Still, there is about a 50% chance in the United States that burning coal, which, in turn, severely harms the environment, generates the electricity that is used to charge the batteries of a plug-in electric vehicle. Another advantage of an electric vehicle, is its durability: except for the fact that it has lower emissions, the electric car is in no need for oil changes or tune-ups, and with regenerative braking, brakes last longer. The gasoline car, on the other hand, has to deal with part failures associated with belts, hoses and cooling systems. The gas-powered car has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine. The engine then turns a transmission, which turns the wheels. An electric car functions just a little differently than the gas-powered one: in comparison, it has a set of batteries that provides electricity to an electric motor. The motor then turns a transmission, and the transmission turns the wheels. When it comes to safety, although the weight and the bulk of the batteries make the electric vehicle heavier compared to gasoline vehicles and takes up more interior space, it is proven that the occupants of a heavy vehicle will, on average, suffer fewer and less injuries than the occupants of a lighter vehicle. Yet, although having an electric car has so many advantages, there are, as associated with all things, a few disadvantages that could make the ownership of an electric car somewhat challenging. Electric cars tend to require long recharge times. This means that the car cannot be used while the battery is charging. Also, the electric car has been known to be extremely expensive to purchase – the costs should break down outside the warranty coverage. The battery, too, has to be charged for at least 12 hours (a time which can only be done overnight, if one travels a lot by car), and there are few stations that make it possible to charge, other than your own house. In the end, it is all up to the individual to make the decision: if one is determined to help save and protect the environment, and is willing to take up the costs and time and effort it takes to charge the vehicle . Bibliography: http://truecostblog. com/2009/01/04/electric-vs-gasoline/ http://www. weatherimagery. com/blog/electric-vs-gasoline-vehicle/ http://www. ehow. com/about_5456046_electric-vs-gas-cars. html http://auto. howstuffworks. com/hybrid-car1. htm http://www. articleinspector. com/articles/452/1/Learn-Pros-And-Cons-About-The-All-Electric-Car/Page1. html.