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Buying Regular vs Buying Electric

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Electric cars have emerged on the market in recent years and are trying to combat regular cars for supremacy. Many see electric cars as better than regular ones because they’re more eco-friendly. Others see them as clumsy and limited.

The battle is sure to rage on for years. People have become more environmentally conscious. But cars are a practical necessity. For this reason, there is competition between the two. One thing is for sure; electric cars are going to become more prominent in the future.

Let’s compare regular cars with electric models:

Regular

More Choice

The most obvious difference between regular cars and electric cars is that there is more choice with regular cars. Electric cars are still somewhat new to the marketplace, so they’re more difficult to get ahold of. Wherever you are, you’ll have no problem finding regular cars. You could be looking to find cars near Bristol, Manchester or Swansea, and you’d have a wealth of choices.

Easier Maintenance

Regular cars are also easier to maintain. They’ve been around for a lot longer, so mechanics and experts know them inside out. Whatever the problem is with your car someone will be able to identify and fix it without too much trouble. There also won’t be so many difficulties getting hold of parts to replace on regular models. Electric cars are still something of an unknown quantity. Because of this they’re more difficult to maintain, and parts are more difficult to get hold of if needed.

Don’t Have to Charge

One of the advantages of having a regular car is that you don’t need to charge it. Electric cars can run for around 100 miles before they need charging again. This process takes quite a long time. Regular cars can last hundreds of miles on one tank of fuel. And if you run low you can always pull into a petrol station and fill up with ease.

 

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Electric

Eco-Friendly

Electric cars are a lot more environmentally sound than their petrol-powered counterparts. These days it’s important to look after the environment. Electric cars are one of the next steps in this process. They don’t release the harmful CO2 emissions that regular cars do. Because they’re eco-friendly electric cars look set to become the future of automotive technology. We’re seeing this start now with many manufacturers introducing hybrid models.

No Fuel Costs

The major advantage of having an electric car is that you don’t have to spend money on fuel. The price is petrol is expensive and seems to be on the rise each year. With an electric car, you can save yourself heaps of cash by not needing to worry about filling up on petrol. You just need to charge your car, and you’re good to go. This is also more convenient as it benefits you in other ways such as not having to queue in the petrol station.

Less Maintenance

Though they can be more difficult to maintain, electric cars will need much less maintenance than regular cars. For a start, some regular cars only run on certain types of petrol and react badly to others. You don’t have to worry about this issue with electric cars. They also contain fewer parts and as such need a lot less maintenance. For instance, you’ll never have to worry about oil changes with an electric car.

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Pros and Cons of Buying an Electric Car

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Electric cars are quite new on the market and have not yet been taken to by the masses. But they represent the future of eco-friendly automotive travel. There may come a time in a few years when electric cars overtake regular cars as the vehicle of choice.

In the meanwhile, you’ll want to consider whether you should by one. Here are some pros and cons of buying electric cars. These points may not apply in years to come, but for now here are some valid pros and cons.

Pros

Quiet – One of the major plus points of buying an electric car is the noise. Or the lack of noise to be precise. Electric cars are so quiet and smooth. The muscle car fad of the 80’s and 90’s seems to be over. These days people prefer their engines to purr not roar. With an electric car, you have an almost silent engine that adds up to maybe the quietest car on the market at the moment.

Cheaper to run – Electric cars work out cheaper to run than regular cars. There is no need for fuel top ups and oil changes. You’ll never have to visit a petrol station again and recoil in horror at the latest price hikes. All you need to run an electric car is to charge it at a special port or at home, and you’re good to go. A charge overnight while you sleep can give your car enough charge to do up to 100 miles before needing another charge.

 

Eco-friendly – The primary reason you should consider an electric car is that it’s eco-friendly. Forget about the harmful emissions and carbon monoxide output harming the environment. An electric car is a great way to get around, live your life and protect the environment at the same time. These days it’s important to take steps to look after the planet and electric cars are a great way to do this.

Cons

Long Recharge Time – One of the major drawbacks to electric cars is the time it takes to recharge them. It takes much longer than it does to refuel. Most electric cars take at least four hours to recharge fully. But some can even take fifteen to twenty hours. This is okay if you’re putting the car on charge as soon as you get home from work and leaving it overnight. But it’s not practical in the short term.

Maintenance Problems – Maintenance problems can be an issue with electric cars. If you’re experiencing problems with your luxury sedan, you can just pop to Mercedes Inchcape and get it looked at. You can get a full service, and spare parts changed and you’re good to go again. But if you have problems with your electric car you have much fewer options available. You can’t just pop down to your local mechanics. You might need to consult specialist individuals or companies. This can be a pain and may result in a more expensive process.

Lack of Choice – The problem with electric cars is that they’re still a pretty new concept. As a result, there is a significant lack of consumer choice on the market. There are only around twenty models of electric car on the market, and many of them look similar. And their style and design is the ultimate Marmite look – you either love it or hate it. There is also an issue with costs because electric cars can be much more expensive than regular cars.

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What Would Convince You To Buy An Electric Car In The Future?

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Electric cars are something of a novelty to many people. They seem like a good idea but, in reality, they aren’t. There are many reasons why consumers aren’t falling over themselves to go and buy electric vehicles.

The main reasons are of cost and practicality. If you’re planning on getting a more eco-friendly car soon, what would it take to convince you to buy an electric car?

Today’s blog post highlights some of the things that need to improve or change in the electric car sector. It’s a wish list of sorts, shared by scores of people that want to drive cars without internal combustion engines.

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Lower prices

The biggest turnoff to do with electric vehicles is their costs. Demand for such cars is small. And so manufacturers cannot afford to negotiate better prices with their parts suppliers. That means things like batteries and electric motor costs are sky-high!

The motor industry needs to do more to encourage growth in the electric vehicle sector. For instance, doing more to negotiate better prices on parts so that they can sell more electric cars. And even making a lower profit to encourage sales.

Another problem that is cost-related is the price of replacement batteries. Like conventional batteries, those used by electric vehicles need replacement after a while. The cost to get new ones is ridiculous!

That’s why motorists prefer buying hybrids from places like Motorline Direct than all-electric vehicles.

Better infrastructure

We know that the government has pledged to build more public charging stations for electric cars. After all; range anxiety is a big issue for those that drive cars capable of just 100 miles on a full charge!

Public car parks, for example, all need to have a few charging points for electric vehicle drivers. The last thing people want to do is make more stops than they need to if they have to travel a long distance.

At present, public charging stations are few and far between. The infrastructure needs a bigger overhaul to make buying an electric car a more viable option for consumers.

Better choice

Let’s face it; the market isn’t exactly overrun with electric vehicles! All the major car manufacturers have at least one electric vehicle model. But why do consumers need to stick with a limited choice?

If the industry wants you to buy an electric car, it needs to give you more choice. It’s as simple as that!

For instance, they should consider offering electric versions of existing models. That way, we don’t have to stick with weird-looking models. Not everyone want “futuristic-looking” cars to drive. Some of us prefer to drive cars that are in keeping with today’s automotive styles!

More incentives

What I mean is, more cash incentives! Some of the world’s governments offer a grant towards the cost of buying a brand new electric car. But the grants are limited and small in value. To get people away from conventional petrol and diesel cars, those grants need to be higher value.

If both the world’s governments and the car industry adopts these ideas, there will be more folks driving electric vehicles!

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Why 2015 Is A Good Year To Buy An Electric Car

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Car drivers are always looking for ways to cut down on their motoring costs. Some might drive slower than usual to conserve fuel. While others will opt for public transport where possible to complete their journeys.

 

When buying a car, consumers have many choices. For example, they could buy petrol or diesel cars. They might even choose a hybrid vehicle. But did you know that electric vehicles are steadily rising in popularity?

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There is much debate over whether it’s a good idea to buy an electric vehicle or not. It turns out that 2015 is an excellent year to buy one. Want to know why? Check out the reasons below:

 

Road taxes are rising

 

In many countries, vehicles get taxed according to the carbon emissions their engines produce. That means if you drive around in a V8 gas guzzler, you can expect to pay a small fortune to drive it on public roads.

To curb high-emissions vehicles, many governments increase the price of road tax on an annual basis. So when you drive a car that has no tailpipe emissions, what happens then? Simple – you pay nothing!

 

It’s no secret that some countries tax cars by engine size rather than emissions. But since electric cars don’t have a conventional combustion engine, there’s no tax to pay.

 

The public charging point infrastructure is growing

 

I was chatting to a salesman from pentagon-group.co.uk the other day. He was telling me how many of the world’s major governments are pushing for more public charging stations. I agreed with him, as I have noticed how there are more public charging stations for electric cars.

 

For example, last week I took a trip down to my local Ikea store and noticed some new parking spaces got installed just for electric cars! Even in shopping mall car parks more dedicated electric car parking spaces are getting installed.

 

There are financial incentives

 

Did you know that you can often receive significant discounts by buying an electric vehicle? For a start, the price you pay to your local car dealer will be lower than the list price. That’s because you are usually eligible for a government grant towards the cost of new electric cars.

 

Some car manufacturers also offer deal-sweeteners too. For instance, let’s say that you want to spend less time charging your electric vehicle at home. You would usually use an ordinary power socket. Some car makers install fast-charging stations at the homes of customers for free!

 

Others might charge a small, nominal fee towards the cost of your home charging station. And they opt for cover the rest of the installation cost. If you decide to sell your home and move elsewhere, you will need to pay for the facility at your new property.


But having a fast charging station at your existing home can increase the value of your property. The extra money you make from your house sale would more than cover the installation cost at your new home!

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What technology do we expect to be introduced in cars in the next decade?

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self driving car

Cars are one of the most important pieces of technology that are part of our daily life. They’re used on a regular basis by people all over the world, which is why the technology we see today is so advanced. Unless you’re someone who uses public transport or walks everywhere then it’s likely that you spend a lot of time travelling in a car.

Although cars are an amazing invention, journeys aren’t always as pleasant as they could be. Being stuck bumper to bumper in traffic, spending what seems like hours looking for a parking space or simply being stuck behind a loud truck are all things that can anger even the most relaxed of drivers.

A new wave of technology is making its way onto the market. These innovations are being created by carmakers and tech companies to improve the driving experience for both the driver and passengers.

With the introduction of features such as hill start assistance and parking sensors, cars are already becoming smarter and safer. Future technologies will not only help to further improve the way a car works, but also how they affect the world around us.

Car to car communication

Over the years there’s been talk of how digital devices will communicate with each other. You go out to the shops and your fridge notices that you have no eggs left, resulting in a text to your phone alerting you of the situation.

Whilst this technology isn’t going to be implemented anytime soon, we may be seeing it introduced into cars a lot sooner. Cars are already becoming more computerised as new models come out, so it seems like the natural thing to do.

Driving down the road and being alerted to the car ahead’s speed, direction and if they start to drift into a lane can be lifesaving information. Imagine being able to know if a person is going to turn right before they even indicate, giving you plenty of time to slow down.

Driver monitoring

The majority of accidents that happen on the road are due to human error. It’s easy to see why. How many times do people get behind the wheel if they’re feeling tired, or get distracted easily by either an electronic device or something outside the window? In some cases, some people have a stroke when driving.

Because of all these reasons, researchers are investing their time and effort into tech that monitors both the flesh and blood of a driver, helping them to avoid any accidents. One of the most notable additions is a sensor that can be seen in the passenger cabin. It monitors the drivers essential vitals such as heart rate, movement of the eyes and even the brain activity.

Some car makers are even developing technology that works to detect if a person is drunk driving. A specially placed sensor found in the gear stick measures the alcohol level in a drivers sweat, and car navigation systems sounding an alarm if erratic driving is detected.

Laser headlights

For many a year, the majority of car headlights were simple. They pointed ahead, allowing the driver to pick higher beams which allows much better visibility on the darkest of roads. Recently more energy efficient lights were introduced, including halogen and xenon.

The technology is getting even more sophisticated, with smart headlights that detect how bright or what direction they need to be pointed so that the driver can see properly. Laser high beams are able to light up the road ahead at least double the distance LED high beam headlights can. This is all done without using anywhere near as much energy.

One of the biggest problems people have with other peoples highlights is getting dazzled. The newest generation in LED lights use sensors so that they can tell if there’s any oncoming traffic. It then automatically moves the beams so you can see the road ahead without blinding another driver.

Self parking cars

Without even a second thought, parking a car is one of the most stressful parts of driving. Even for some of the most veteran drivers with years of experience, parallel parking can be a real struggle. There isn’t anything fun about driving around in circles, competing with other drivers trying to find the last space.

All of these reasons are why car makers have been developing technologies that can help make this process less stressful. We already have parking sensors, but just wait till you read the next step in parking technology.

With just a push of a button, a car can park itself. As you drive along your car will search for a free parking space to pull into. It will then park itself into the spot, even without you being in the car. Being able to park a car without you being within it has it’s own benefits, especially if there’s a situation where you won’t be able to open your door.

In Japan a driverless valet car parking system that relies on WI-FI and a series of cameras that are placed in the corner of the parking area. A motorist simply drives to a specific drop off point, gets out the car and watches it steer itself into a space that’s open. Once they’re ready to leave, they use their phone to bring the car to the pickup section, which would be a great help at a busy shopping centre.

Car technology and the future

Nissan Leaf

With more money being put into car technology than ever before, there has truly never been a better time to excited for what the future may hold. The technology that have been focused on in this article will get perfected, and then who knows what will be developed.

Who knows, in the future we may not even have to be behind the wheel when on a car journey. Technology is allowing cars to become more efficient and safer, even if the addition doesn’t seem to be that much of a deal. Only time will tell.

This blog was written by Jennifer Smith on behalf of Stratstone, the UK’s leading premium automotive retailer.

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Tips for Driving an Electric Car

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Range and battery life are a real concern for a lot of people who drive electric cars.  A lot of them are usually very anxious about driving their electric vehicles for long distances. However, individuals who follow these tips and use their cars appropriately will enjoy a longer battery life, and they will not suffer any anxiety while driving an electric car.

1.      Use apps to scout available charging stations in your route.

A bit of planning will literally help you to go a long way in your electric car. Before driving the electric car, it is important to know all the charging stations within your route. There are a lot of applications that can help you to scout for all available charging stations. These applications can help you to pinpoint a charging station on a map so that you do not find yourself hysterically searching for a charging point as your battery life dwindles towards zero.

2.      Slow down

While driving fast may be desirable, it will also drain your battery and grind you to a halt. Slowing down will impact your battery life, and help you to drive for longer without the need to recharge.

3.      Maintain your electric car

Electric cars are much easier to maintain than their oil-fuelled counterparts. However, a lot of people neglect them, and this can be detrimental on the road. A well-maintained electric car can serve its owner better. It is therefore better to always ensure that the tyre pressure is right, and that the tyres are rotated properly. You should also check the battery frequently, and replace it when necessary. Furthermore, you should follow the manufacturer’s manual and use the maintenance tips outlined there. A lot of driving schools these days, such as, my driving school, advice their students on how to properly maintain an electric car so that it serves them well.

4.      Always use the easy route

If there are two ways to get to a destination, always choose the one that will be less stressful to your car, and ultimately, to you. Avoid roads that are hilly or rocky as the vehicle consumes more battery in order to go through such paths. Always choose lanes and routes that are smoother and easier to drive on. This will help the car to preserve energy so that the driver can use it for longer.

5.      Try not to get lost

This looks like a fool-proof tip, but it is very important. Anyone who is worried about the range that their vehicle can cover should try as much as possible to get to their destination on time. Electric car owners should use all the tools at their disposal, including travel applications, GPS and maps to ensure that they do not waste precious energy trying to find their way.

Electric cars have a lot of benefits as they help their owners to reduce their carbon footprint while saving them a lot of fuel money. It is therefore paramount for electric car owners to follow these tips and more that are outlined in mydrivingschool.com.au, so that their vehicles can serve them well wherever they go.

 

About the Author

Mark Long is an avid researcher and an experienced writer on a number of topics. He has a passion for car-related topics, and frequently advices his readers on driving tips as outlined by my driving school at mydrivingschool.com.au