words Al Woods
With more and more people becoming conscious of their impact on the planet, we’re always looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly in everyday life.
One of the best ways to do this – electric cars.
Aside from various other benefits of electric vehicles (EVs) – such as insurance perks – advancements in EV technology now means we can have a much better relationship with the Earth in the way we use our cars.
Read on to learn how.
Plus, if you want to discover more about the insurance perks of EVs, check out how you can insure your electric car with Lemonade Car.
How do electric cars operate?
To understand fully how EVs benefit the environment, you first need to know the mechanics behind how they run.
There are different types of EVs on today’s market, but the main feature of an EV is that they include a battery which powers electric motors, and these are used to propel the car.
With standard gas engines, the car is moved by gasoline being ignited in the engine.
EVs can also be powered by a gas engine as well as an electric battery. This type of EV is known as either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid EV.
With hybrids, they rely mainly on the gas engine and the small battery provides only a few extra miles of propulsion. With plug-in hybrids, the much larger battery can increase the range to around 30 miles on average of pure electric power.
When it comes to pure EVs, there’s no gas engine included in the car, and it runs on pure electric power from the battery into the motors. The range on these cars average around 230 miles, but some higher end models can give you over 400 miles of electric range.
How are electric cars more beneficial for the environment?
EVs are significantly more beneficial for the environment than gas powered vehicles for a number for reasons, including:
Less CO2 emissions produced
Driving an EV produces a substantially lower amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than standard gas-powered cars.
When gasoline is burned in a normal gas engine, it gives off CO2 emissions which are very harmful to the earth’s ozone layer. This greenhouse gas can contribute heavily towards global warming, and can have multiple negative impacts on the planet as a whole.
Therefore, by driving a car that incorporates an electric battery for power, you’ll be using much less fuel – sometimes none if you drive a pure EV – in turn producing fewer damaging CO2 emissions.
A reduction in harmful substances
Another way EVs are more friendly for the planet is through their reduction in many harmful substances.
There are various components of standard gas cars that involve the use of harmful fluids, which are not present in some EVs – particularly fully electric ones.
For example, motor oil is used in gas powered cars, and when not disposed properly, it can be toxic to both humans and animals. Since pure EVs don’t require this substance, there’s no threat of it harming the planet.
Research towards recycling and reusing materials
EVs are also highly beneficial for the planet, since research is constantly being conducted to find out how they can be even more environmentally friendly.
Since EVs run on battery power, and the production of lithium-ion batteries can be damaging to the planet, there’s research being carried out to see if batteries can be recycled and reused for EVs.
Whilst this may not be an immediate benefit, it shows action towards a more environmentally friendly way of operating EVs, and is also reflective of the overall attitude of EV researchers regarding the planet as a priority.
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Electric cars are truly the earth’s best friend, so why not look for your next EV now? Whilst doing so, be sure to look into all the benefits you can gain from taking out an EV insurance policy, as you may find additional rewards for simply making the eco-friendlier choice.
