Many argue that gas cars are outdated and inferior to electric vehicles, but the environmental issues are more complicated, and the roar of the gas-powered engine is irreplaceable.
Yes, EV owners save money because they don’t have to pump gas, but nobody wants to wait an hour to charge their car to 80 percent. It’s a waste of time and annoying. In winter, instead of standing outside for two minutes pumping gas, EV owners have to wait for one hour while their car slowly charges.
Gas cars are also easier to fix. Since they use widely available parts and don’t require specialized labor for high-voltage systems as EVs do, repairing a gas car typically costs less, even though it may have more moving parts.
They’re more reliable too. A survey revealed that the past three years’ EV models, on average, had 79 percent more problems reported than gas cars.
However, it must be noted that hybrids had fewer problems reported than gas cars.
Even though many EV supporters argue their vehicles are better for the environment, it is more complicated than most people think.
Electric cars require special batteries with various metals. Mining for 1 ton of lithium emits 15 tons of carbon dioxide. Lithium isn’t the only metal in batteries; cobalt and nickel mining is also bad for the environment.
However, recycling nickel and cobalt from old electric batteries could reduce the amount that needs to be newly mined. Some recyclers say that eventually more than 95 percent of these materials can be salvaged.
But recycling electric car batteries is not easy. EV batteries need to be dismantled for recycling, which is challenging due to the non-standardized sizing among manufacturers.
Mining for metals for electric car batteries isn’t the only environmental issue either. Extremely high heat is needed to synthesize the materials needed for the production of these batteries. Right now, generating that level of heat can only be practically achieved by burning fossil fuels, further increasing CO2 emissions.
It must be acknowledged, though, that a gas car starts to catch up in pollution within its first mile of driving.
Looking at a lifecycle analysis of a vehicle — the climate impact of building and using a car — studies have found an advantage to electric vehicles. It depends on the vehicle, the source of electricity it runs on, and other factors, but the overall trend is evident.
Finally, though, there is the feel of the car. Nobody wants to listen to the quiet zoom of an EV. Gas car engines satisfy the driver and provide a good ambient sound.
Overall, gas cars are far superior to electric ones right now. There are more benefits to driving gas, and people should wait to go electric until there are upgrades and improvements.
