Riding the EV wave

ELECTRIC vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular among people nowadays and for a good reason.As the name suggests, an EV is a vehicle powered by rechargeable batteries instead of an internal combustion or fuel engine. Depending on the EV type, battery power and motor, EVs can travel greater distances on a single charge. There are some EVs that are hybrid, which can also be powered by fuel. One of the common EVs are electric kick scooters. These are like old-school scooters used by children, but when equipped with electric motors, these can travel faster faster and farther. Some notable electric scooter brands are Dualtron, Kaabo, Ninebot, Xiaomi and a host of others.Related to electric scooters are electric bicycles. These are bicycles equipped with electric motors that can assist riders, especially when pedaling. Some popular brands are Brompton, Trek, Aventon, Canondale and Canyon.A step above these light vehicles are electric tricycles and motorcycles. The former can appear like mopeds, which is adequate to travel city streets while big bike versions can travel highways such as their gas-powered counterparts — minus the noise when revving the engine.Light cars are similar to golf carts but lighter. These can be three-wheeled or four-wheeled and are very convenient in traveling city streets and rural roads. Some versions can be configured to be small pickup vehicles to allow them to transport heavier materials. Then, there are the larger cars. Several automakers are jumping on the EV bandwagon and are manufacturing electric or hybrid vehicles. Such models that have rolled out are the Lexus ES 300, Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq 5, BMW i3, BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3 to name a few.Advantages of EVsEVs have their benefits or advantages. The first is they are energy efficient.Fossil fuels, where fuel comes from, are not a permanent resource. This means gas powered vehicles are dependent upon an inefficient fuel source that cannot be easily replaced.Many EVs also provide unique energy efficient features such as regenerative braking. This process utilizes an EV's motor as a generator, converting lost kinetic energy while decelerating into stored energy within the vehicle's battery.EVs require less maintenance. Compared to internal combustion engines, purely electric motors have fewer moving parts, which can mean less maintenance and lower routine maintenance costs. These motors do not require requisite parts for gas powered vehicles — starters, fuel pumps and exhaust systems, so drivers need not worry about these components wearing out over time.In addition, these can be charged anywhere, particularly light EVs. All these require are standard electric outlets. Charging will usually take about 5 hours or more. For cars, several establishments have put up charging stations.These are not as messy and smelly as filling up fuel for fuel powered vehicles. These are safer as well since no one is allowed to smoke or even use a mobile phone near a filling station.As more EVs hit the market and are used more broadly, new recharging solutions — including adding more public charging locations in shopping centers, parking garages and workplaces — will be required for people and businesses without the same access at home.Additionally, EV owners avoid the maintenance costs that come with using an internal combustion engine, which usually entails a trip to a service center for periodic checks or services such as oil change or tune-up.EVs are quieter than gas powered vehicles. Internal combustion engines are loud when revved up and require an entire exhaust system to reduce their high noise levels, which can be deafening to the point of damaging one's ears if unprotected.EV motors, however, produce very little sound while operating, usually a low hum or whine. This allows an EV driver to enjoy a quiet ride while reducing noise pollution.While EVs are much quieter than gas powered vehicles, they do not fall short on power or performance. With the ability to generate 100-percent torque from zero revolutions per minute due to the immediate transfer of electrical energy, EVs get up and go or can take off easily.EVs are eco-friendly Perhaps the greatest advantage of EVs is they are friendly to the environment. Emissions from fuel powered vehicles are not only bad for our planet, but also for one's health.Air pollutants from fuel and diesel powered vehicles cause various ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, cancer and to a certain extent, death from carbon monoxide poisoning and other related conditions. The beauty of EVs is they have a smaller carbon footprint than fuel powered cars, regardless of the source of electricity.The electricity that charges and fuels battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles comes from power grids, which rely on a range of sources — from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy.Because EVs are more efficient in converting energy to power cars and trucks, electricity across the board is cleaner and cheaper as a fuel for vehicles.Disadvantages of EVs As great as EVs are they have their limitations and disadvantages. For one, EVs can travel less distance.EVs, on average, have a shorter range than gas powered cars. Most models range between 60 and 120 miles per charge, and some luxury models reach 300 miles per charge.For comparison, gas powered vehicles will average around 300 miles on a full gas tank, and more fuel efficient cars get much higher driving ranges. This may be an issue when looking at EVs if frequently taking long trips. The availability of charging stations can make EVs less suitable for activities such as road trips.In addition, EVs take time to recharge as opposed to fuel powered vehicles, where the fueling process can take a minute or so depending on how much fuel is needed. Light EVs can take up to 5 hours to complete recharge while for cars, it would be 80 hours. The fastest an electric powered car can be charged is 30 minutes (at 80-percent capacity) at the fastest charging station.Finally, electric cars can be expensive. EVs are usually pricier with a higher price tag upfront. Also, while battery packs are costlier in EVs than conventional vehicles, they last much longer than the components of most combustion engines.Despite these disadvantages, advocates of EVs would still say the pros would outweigh the cons, most particularly on the environment; plus, EVs are not very noisy and are easy to maintain. All in all, advocates would say EVs are worth all the effort and are the wave of the future.