Electric cars have been receiving lots of hype over the years as a car that is run using electricity, and not fuel. These cars help in reducing the consumption of fuel, and are thus growing in popularity and economy today.

These electric cars are also called electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles which are powered using an electric motor. This motor draws power from an on-board battery which you have to recharge periodically to use in the car.

It is possible to recharge this battery using a standard electrical outlet, with either an alternating current or direct current. Of the two, it is proven that alternating current is the better and more efficient choice for charging your electric car.

The electric car is not something new to the car industry as they have been around for some time. In fact, presently, they are the leaders in future cars. It is mainly because of its limited range that most of the BEVs that consumers can access are called NEVs, or neighborhood electric vehicles.

Now you know something about electric cars, the next question you think about is what the performance is for these cars. Basically, its performance differs from car to car however the average range it reaches is 100 miles, at top speeds ranging from 30 to 95 miles per hour.

Of course, the source of energy for the car is electricity which is provided with the help of an on-board battery that is basically Lithium-ion or Nickel metal-hydride. The refuel time for the battery is usually overnight for most cars. When you think of costs of the car, on an average, on an AC or DC motor, the car uses about 0.3 kilowatt-hours per mile.

So if you drive a mile using the car, you will only be spending about $0.03 for fuel. When comparing this to a standard car, the gasoline car that attains 25 miles per gallon, when fuel costs are $3 per gallon will cost you about $0.12 per mile. These statistics give you an idea of the efficiency of the electric car.

There is no need of repeated replacement of the battery of the car. You have to replace it only once in four years, where the cost of the battery lies between $1,000 to $2,000. These cars have to be charged periodically; this is why there are some electric charging stations in the US. However as only an electric outlet is required for recharging the car, there are some states that have public access electric outlets for your recharging purposes.

Advantages of the electric car

The greatest advantage of this car is that they are zero-emission vehicles where there is no emission from the tailpipe. However the electricity that is used to power these cars is produced from an energy plant by combustion of fossil fuels. Though fossil fuels are used here, it is argued that it is better for these fuels to be expelled at the plant than at the tailpipe.

Another advantage to buying an electric car in the US is that there are numerous financial incentives offered when buying an electric car. These incentives include cash rebates, tax credits, free re-charging and even free parking in some states.

Disadvantages of the electric car

At present the greatest disadvantage with an electric car is that it lacks a substantial driving range with each battery charge. The range is said to lie between 50 to 100 miles while the cars can’t reach very high speeds. The maximum speed it reaches now is about 50 mph; this is why this car is used more for local driving and to reach local destinations and not for long distance driving.

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