Electric cars are considered the most eco-friendly vehicles around the world. Government bodies around the world persuade citizens to choose electric cars to reduce climate change. Yet, is it safe to use electric cars? There are incessant news stories about exploding car batteries and other accidents. Although electric cars are undoubtedly the future of transportation, there are loads of ordeals we ought to know about. This article will explain to you the benefits and drawbacks on electric cars.
In Taiwan, the government is indefatigable in encouraging its citizens to opt for electric bikes such as Gogoro. Yet, Taiwan is facing an electricity shortage. The other problem is that this source of electricity isn’t eco-friendly. 82% of the electricity comes from either burning coal or using nuclear plants to produce electricity; but burning coal contaminates the air, and nuclear waste pollutes the environment. Assuming all Taiwanese citizens switch to electric cars, the source of electricity hasn’t changed. As a result, more pollution will emerge. Thus, if the electricity shortage crisis isn’t improved, blackouts will happen more often, and people will not be able to bear this. To create a truly eco-friendly transportation system, clean and renewable energy must be used, such as using solar panels to produce electricity and then using it to charge electric cars. This is one of the cleanest and best choices for a system of truly eco-friendly electric cars. Alternatively, thermal energy (using the heat from a volcano), wind turbines, and water energy can be used and are all eco-friendly options.
The Risk
Another dangerous thing is that electric cars have a high percentage of blasting into flames and exploding after an accident due to the high voltage batteries powering them, they burn quicker and hotter. Batteries can catch fire after an accident due to the thermal runaway of a damaged battery. You should also be aware that fires caused by the battery cells of an electric car are harder to be extinguished. It requires far more water because the damaged cell causes the temperature to rise high. As a result, putting out the fire in an electric car is far more difficult and requires more water.
The Good
Electric cars aren’t full of drawbacks; they’re full of benefits too! For instance, electric cars in Norway can actually go on the lane primarily used for buses! In Taiwan, charging an electric car is free in public parking lots! The main benefit of electric cars is that they don’t pollute the environment since they do not have a combustion engine!
Some may worry about the range of electric cars due to the lack of charging stations. The charging speed of electric cars is way slower than those of combustion engine cars. A gas car fills up in about 3 minutes, whereas electric cars take about 45 minutes or more (depending on the type of charger your car is using). The lack of charging stations in metropolitan areas and rural areas is also a problem. People are frightened that the battery dies out and that there are no chargers nearby, whereas a gas station is widespread. A solution to the problem of the long charging time are by: drinking a cup of coffee, using fast charging stations, or charging at home while sleeping prior to using your car.
Electric cars are also more spacious because it lacks a gearbox. Some electric cars have exceeded the average horsepower of supercars and have more than 1000 horsepower! The fact that a gearbox is lacking results in electric cars going off-lane as fast as light after a full throttle!!! The epitome example is that the Tesla Model S Plaid has beaten the Dodge Challenger Hellcat (what car magazines considers as the beast of drag races). With more than 1000 hp, the Model S Plaid is one of the fastest electric cars on the market.
In closing, the ordeals people face nowadays with electric cars will be solved one at a time in the future. Thanks for reading!
