Electric cars are becoming a new trend in recent times. By choosing anyone, you can forget about paying for gasoline and being at the heck of gas prices. More so, electricity is less expensive than gasoline and has a stable price compared to conventional vehicles.
Surprisingly, you can reduce your cost by installing a rooftop solar installation to charge your electric vehicles. Besides, they are fast, easy to use, flexible, and does make it possible to remove fuel cost from your life. Not only that, they don’t use fuel, but you can also fuel them by renewable sources.
Solar, hydropower, and wind are renewable sources that constitute one of the advantages of using electric cars. While we produce gasoline only through the extraction and transportation processes, electric vehicles have a different method. They are environmentally friendly, and the battery can be recycled.
However, owning a conventional vehicle implies being tied to the gas pump. This is because you can only fuel the car by buying gasoline. Electric vehicles are different in terms of fueling. They are driven by connecting to the electric grid and installation of renewable electricity generation.
We are going to talk more about the types of electric cars in this article. Moreover, you’ll understand the reasons for choosing electric vehicles in today’s digital age. In addition, you’ll be able to select preferable electric cars suitable for your environment, location, and convenience.
Types of Electric Cars
There are three main types of electric cars, and they are classified by their degree of electricity with the energy sources. They include battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hybrid electric cars. Below are the definitions and what the three electric vehicles entail.
1. Battery Electric Cars (BEV)
The battery-electric vehicle is one of the types of electric cars you can buy today. They are fully-electric vehicles with rechargeable batteries. Besides, they don’t have a gasoline engine as it stores electricity on board with a high capacity battery pack.
Classification of Battery Electric Vehicles
The battery-electric vehicles can be classified into three different levels according to the speed with which they recharge. Remember, they are charged by electricity from an external source and do not emit harmful emissions caused by traditional gasoline. Below are the classifications of BEVs.
- Level 1 Classification – Level 1 classification uses a standard household (120v) outlet to power the electric vehicle. More so, it takes more than eight hours to charge the electronic car for approximately seventy-five to eighty miles. Meanwhile, you can charge this vehicle at home.
- Level 2 Classification – Level 2 classifications require you to use a specific station that provides power up to 240v. Basically, you can see this type of car in big organizations, workplaces, or even public charging stations. Meanwhile, it takes up to 4 hours to charge a battery to 75 miles.
- Level 3 Classification – Level 3 classification is the current fast charging solution in the electronic vehicles market. They are found at a designated EV charging stations. Also, they can charge a battery up to 90 miles range in an estimated time of 30 minutes and beyond. Examples of battery electric vehicles that can charge on DC level 3 are Tesla Model 3, BMW i3, and others.
2. Plug-in Hybrid Electric Cars (PHEV)
The plug-in hybrid electric cars can work anywhere from 10 to 40 miles before the gas engine could assist. On the other hand, you can recharge the battery through regenerative braking and plug-in to an external source. Some of the examples of the PHEVs are Ford C-Max Energi, Chevy Volt, Mercedes C350e, Mini Cooper SE Countryman, Kia Optima, and many more.
Advantages of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles
Plug-in hybrid vehicles are different in their ways. Besides, not everyone knows what a plug-in hybrid can offer and how they work. This is why there is a need to understand the hybrid concept and all that it entails. Below are the advantages of using plug-in hybrid vehicles.
- Incredible Miles Per Gallon – This is one of the advantages of using a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Here, the miles per gallon are often impressive, and the battery capacity lasts enough than other cars. More so, you can drive on the electric battery without using a drop of gas.
- Lower Emissions – Lower emissions also constitutes another benefit of using the plug-in hybrid vehicle. This is because they use less gas and the emission that comes out is very small. Besides, the cost for this type of car is much cheaper than gas.
- Tax Advantages – Tax advantages also contributes to the benefits of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Moreover, taxes are fewer, and this makes it cheaper for people to use. Besides, it has a different selection of power settings varying from eco to power.
Additionally, there are three different types of plug-in hybrid cars. They include the parallel hybrid vehicles, the range-extended hybrid vehicles, and the plug-in hybrid vehicles. The parallel types function either directly with the electric engine or use the power together.
However, the range-extended hybrid cars use their fuel engine to produce power and prepare them to work. Here, you can drive just on electrical energy with more battery capacity. Also, they are healthy while the plug-in hybrid cars provide you the choice to charge batteries.
3. Hybrid Electric Cars
The third types of electric car you can buy are hybrid electric cars. They work through gasoline and electricity. Additionally, the electric energy in hybrid vehicles is generated by the car’s braking system to recharge the battery. Examples include the Toyota Prius Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, and more.
Advantages of Hybrid Electric Cars
If you decide to choose this type of electric car, you need to understand the pros and cons. Hybrid vehicles use more than one means of propulsion, thereby combining petrol with an electric motor. Let’s take a look at the advantages below.
- Consume Less Fuel – One of the advantages of hybrid electric cars is that it consumes less fuel and emit less CO2 than conventional petrol-engine vehicles. More so, owners or users of hybrid electric vehicles get extra benefits in the shape of lower first-year road tax.
- They Are Responsible To Drive – Hybrid cars are more responsible for driving as they deliver pulling power from the moment you start the vehicle. They are suitable for sport mode, and petrol, as well as the electric motors, makes a family car with responsiveness.
- Multiple Drive Modes – Hybrid cars are more versatile as they have multiple drive modes. Examples include the Honda CR-V hybrid that uses an electric motor and hybrid drive to exploits a defined fuel-efficient driving.
- Easy Control Options – With the help of the hybrid electric cars, you can control how you slow down. On the other hand, pulling back on a steering-wheel-mounted paddle, engage deceleration rates. This implies that the higher you decelerate, the more energy the battery harvest.
- Saves Drivers Money – The hybrid electric cars are cheaper to run, thereby saves drivers money. An excellent example of this car is the Honda Cr-V hybrid’s fixed-gear car that’s more preferable to traditional vehicles.
Why Should You Buy An Electric Car Today?
Following the types listed above, selecting your preferred electric car from varieties might require a daunting process. Nonetheless, you should be able to identify the reasons for choosing your favorite vehicles. Regarding this, below are the reasons for owning an electric car in this digital age.
- They Are Fun and Better – New technology like electric vehicles can’t just be overlooked. They reduce the stress of moving from stations to stations, and once you experience it, you’ll see the light. Also, you’ll experience the comfort and a better driving sense.
- They Are the Future of Transportation – If you’re planning to get an electric car, you must be preparing for the future. This is because electric vehicles are the future of transportation, and buying one will make a difference for the environment.
- Low Maintenance – Electric cars have fewer moving parts, and this makes it easy for proper maintenance. Also, it saves time, the money of servicing, and changing oil frequently. However, the battery can last up to fifteen years in a mild climate.
- Quiet inside And Outside – Electric cars are quiet inside, and beautiful outside. More so, it’s slightly offsetting the first time you press the accelerator. It makes no noise, and with electric vehicles, you can look forward to a bright future filled with peace.
- Quick Range Performance – Electric cars are a better technology that advances battery technology with an electric regenerative system. This makes it possible for a fast range performance and reduction of anxiety while driving.
Conclusions
Electric cars are becoming more common and receiving positive attention all over the world. In no doubt, they are the future of transportation. Although many myths have clouded, the segment of people buying the EVs but technology has improved drastically. So this is the right time to get yours and enjoy convenience at its peak.