The ongoing issues between Russia and Ukraine have impacted the gas supply all around the world. But we have mainly seen and heard the issue of the rising gas prices here in the United States, whether it has been in person when filling your tank, on the news in the morning or when you log onto the social media platforms you use.
For a long time, cars only ran on gas or diesel but, like everything else, as the years have passed and technology began to advance, cars can now be electric. You have to charge your car’s battery when it gets low for it to continue to run, just like you do with your phone or laptop.
But my question for you is which is better for today’s environment, gas cars or electric cars?
Let’s go over the pros and cons of both gas and electric cars courtesy of an Autoweek article from February 2022 that I found during research.
Pros of a gas car are they are easy to use, easy to fuel up and are practical for those long road trips you may want to take. They also generally have lower upfront costs when you go to buy one.
Cons of a gas car are the burning of the fuel used in the car creates emissions that get put out into our environment, which is only one of the ways humans are beating the environment down as we continue to evolve and take over more and more of the planet.
Pros of an electric car are the reduced maintenance needed on the car, higher performance and tax incentives.
Cons of an electric car are access to charging, time to charge and cost to buy.
Gas cars are easier to use than electric cars, as they have been around longer and are used more often than electric cars. They are easier to fuel up. You can pull up to any gas station nearby and spend barely 5 minutes filling your tank and paying for the fuel. Then be on your way to whatever you had planned for the day.
We knew that burning the fuel our cars use would have an impact on our environment, but I think this is becoming a bigger issue. Now, we know exactly how it’s impacting our environment and contributing to climate change.
With an electric car, there is less of a need for regular maintenance that a gas car needs, like oil changes and no breaking of mechanical components. Other parts get an extended life with an electric car, like the breaks.
The reason electric cars tend to perform better than gas cars is due to the immediate torque and acceleration that tend to make electric cars quicker.
Everyone likes receiving the money, no matter the form it’s in, the United States government offers up to $7,500 of a one-time tax credit if you buy an electric car that follows the guidelines to receive the tax credit.
If you live in an apartment or rent where you live, then it’s not possible to install your own home charging station for your electric car. This means you have to rely on public charging stations if you have any near you. If you do, it takes a while for you to get a decent charge that you can do errands and stuff without worrying if you have enough charge to get everywhere you need to.
The cost you have to pay to get an electric car is more than a gas one no matter the size, model or technology within the car. The cheapest brand-new gas car you can buy costs $13,400 and that is a 2021 Chevrolet Spark according to Carfax.com. The cheapest brand new fully electric car you can buy costs $28,425 and that is for a 2022 Nissan Leaf, according to Cars.com.
After looking at everything, even though it would cost more at the start but end up saving more in the long run, I think for today’s environment electric cars are better.
But we also have to be realistic, as it will take time for everyone to switch over, or at least give electric cars a try. Some people tend to stay with things that work.
But it is stated in the Autoweek article that electric cars would start to surpass gas cars by 2033, so we may be closer to electric cars being the new reality and gas cars being a thing of the past.
