Tag Archives: electric vehicle safety

5 Reasons You Should Rock Down To Electric Avenue

plug in ev

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There is no denying the EV revolution has begun to gain momentum, but there still aren’t enough people sat in the driving seats of these vehicles. Of course, it is only a matter of time before this changes, namely because they are becoming more alluring and sexy. At one point it was a market dominated by Nissan Leaf’s and the G-Wiz, but now we have the likes of Porsche set to enter the market and Tesla already doing their thing, which will inherently make going electric more appealing.

However, to wait would be criminal, so what can we do to urge more driver’s to go electric now? Well, the obvious answer – at least in our eyes – is to educate them. After all, the benefits are already available, it is just a matter of getting them into the frontal lobes of people in the market for a new car.

So, without further ado, here are the biggest positives to add to your EV argument:

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  1. Fuel Savings

We don’t want to overload you with math because these arguments rarely hold sway over the Average Joe, so we’ll keep it sweet. The average electric car uses $3.74 worth of electricity to complete 100 miles. A conventional car costs $13.36. That is a saving of $9.62 every 100 miles, or a saving of $1,154 every 12,000 miles (which is the annual average).

  1. Safety Matters

For anyone stepping into a car, the matter of safety is right the way up there. That is where electric cars snatch another point from the gas-using counterparts. Not only do EVs have less moving parts, meaning there is less likely to go wrong, and thus less chance of a collision ending with you hiring the experts at https://www.davidchristensenlaw.com/, they also don’t use gasoline; a highly flammable – and explosive – liquid. The other thing worth pointing out on this front is there is no fire required. Unlike in gasoline cars.They require a spark in order for them to run hot. Do the math.

  1. Purchase Price

Since these cars were first introduced to the market, their prices have tumbled dramatically. The Nissan Leaf has slashed over $6000 from its cost, Honda has reduced the price of its Fit EV by a third, and the Mitsubishi I-MiEV is now under $15,000 when you factor in the federal tax credits that are offered. That is hard for anyone to ignore.

  1. Tax Incentives

We mentioned the federal tax credit thing briefly, but it really demands its own section. In short, the federal government offers up to $7500 in tax credits when you purchase an EV, while some states and local governments offer other incentives too. If the former part of that statement interests you then you can read about it in depth at https://energy.gov. This drastically reduces the cost of a new car, whether you paying upfront or looking to pay it off in finance. We can’t say exactly how much of an incentive you will get in your area, but it is worth looking up when shopping around.

  1. Less Maintenance

If we point you back to number 2, you will notice we touched on the less moving parts thing. To expand on this in the briefest way possible, less moving parts means less maintenance. No engine, no spark plugs, no valves, transmission, catalytic converter, distributor or anything like that. You know what we’re saying.

Electric Vehicles: Playing With Fire?

Naturally, any new type of technology is going to spark concerns about safety. Electric cars have been evolving for a while now, and they’re also a new take on something that has already existed for a long time too. So concerns over their safety aren’t exactly rife, and most people are probably more concerned about the safety of autonomous cars. But there are still some concerns that people have with the safety of electric vehicles on the road, as well as in other situations. Read on to find out some of the issues people have with electric vehicles and whether they’re right to be concerned.

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Electric Car Fires

One of the problems that have arisen in relation to electric cars is the risk of fire. A few fires involving electric vehicles have occurred, which have made some people question their safety. Some politicians have even used these instances to put down electric cars. However, these accidents are very rare, which is why they often appear in the news. Most of them are connected to the use of lithium-ion batteries, which are no longer used in mass-produced electric cars. In fact, the rate of fires involving gasoline cars is much higher. However, it’s important to remember that this could be because there are still fewer electric cars on the road.

Safety in Accidents

Safety on the road and how electric cars perform in accidents is also important. Like any other car, electric vehicles need to go through vigorous safety tests and receive a safety rating. In addition, EVs need to conform to specific standards just for electric vehicles. These include things such as chemical spillage from batteries and ensuring batteries are secure in a crash. One benefit electric cars can offer is that their lower center of gravity often means they’re less likely to roll over. Still, if you drive an electric vehicle, you still need to be prepared for accidents by following guidance like the advice at https://www.caraccidentlawyer-ny.com/brooklyn-car-accident-lawyer/. It’s always better to assume that you could get into a crash caused by you or someone else.

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Electric Vehicles and Pedestrians

One safety concern specific to electric vehicles relates to their quiet operation. While this is a benefit in some ways, it can also pose a danger to pedestrians. When pedestrians cross the road, it’s helpful if they can both watch and listen for traffic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking at ways this issue could be addressed. They have suggested it could be helpful to require EVs to emit sounds at low speeds – something that some vehicles already have. Drivers should be extra careful to watch out for pedestrians when driving an electric vehicle.

Maintenance for Electric Vehicles

To keep electric vehicles safe, it’s important to conduct regular maintenance. Different vehicles have different maintenance requirements, but all should have their electrical systems checked often. This helps to prevent accidents and other issues. Find out more at http://knowhow.napaonline.com/electric-car-maintenance-need-know/.

Electric vehicles have some of their own safety concerns, but they largely share the same issues as other vehicles. They can even be safer in some respects.