Monday 3 November 2014

5 Reasons You Should Buy an Electric Car


5 Reasons You Should Buy an Electric Car
I was at a friend’s 33rd birthday party a few months ago, when I noticed something in his garage. It looked something like a spaceship on wheels. So I asked him, “What’s that?” He said, “It’s an electric car!”
In a moment, I was in love. I really believe, for the first time, I experienced love at first sight. Granted, I already had two cars, but I knew in that instant that I would be adding one more vehicle to the mix.

Now…this was not a “nice looking” car, but it so appealed to the “nerd” in me. I had seen this same type of car on the road on multiple occasions, and never thought twice about it, but there was something about seeing that car plugged-up in that garage on that Sunday afternoon, and then when I saw the car “light up,” when he started the engine, I was done. For crying out loud, it’s a car that runs on electricity, so I purchased one that week.
So here are some of the benefits that I’ve experienced from having an electric car.
5 Benefits of Having an Electric Car:
#1 No Fuel Required
It may or may not have occurred to you, but you don’t have to put gas in an electric car. I will sometimes drive by a fuel station and think, “When is the last time I put gas in this car?” and then I remember “Oh, this car doesn’t take any gas, cool!”
I love that you can plug up this car in a standard outlet, and drive around for pennies on the dollar. (Additionally, where I live, there are lots of free charging stations; some of these charging stations will charge the vehicle to 80% capacity from empty in about 15 minutes).
#2 Cool Factor
There is just something cool about having an electric car. Now, I may not look cool to other drivers on the road in this “nerd mobile,” but hey, I feel cool as I’m driving this “spaceship” down the road. When I get home, I plug it in, and it begins to flash like I’ve just plugged in my cell phone. Pretty sweet!
#3 Quick and Quiet (Pure Torque)
When my friend started up his electric car on that Sunday afternoon, I said “Is it on?” He said “Yep!” …I couldn’t believe it, it almost sounded the same on as off, it was very quiet.
In addition to the car being quiet, electric cars are also quick, as they have no gears to go through, so you get the full power of the car almost immediately. Now it’s no Lamborghini, but it’s impressively fast.
#4 Tax Credit
I’m not certain of the current tax credits internationally, but here in the U.S. you receive a $7,500 rebate off the price of the car when you purchase or lease it. Additionally, where I live in the state of Georgia, as of this writing, you receive an additional $5,000 tax credit when you purchase or lease an electric car. When you combine this with the money you save from fuel, they are practically giving you the car.
#5 Zero Emissions and Low Maintenance
Last, but certainly not least, most experts would agree that electric cars significantly reduce your carbon footprint. When we first got the vehicle, my wife and I had it in the garage, and the engine was running, and the garage doors were all closed, and we were standing on the outside of the car. For a brief moment we thought, are we okay to be “locked” in a garage with a running car, then of course we remembered the car has no emissions.
Another perk is the maintenance. Since there is no exhaust system or combustible engine under the hood, there’s no need for oil changes, and standard maintenance, most of the initial maintenance is related to the tires being rotated, battery checked, etc.
In Closing
Now electric vehicles aren’t for everyone, because they have a limited range (80 – 200 miles on a standard charge), they usually require several (8-15 hours) of charging for a “typical” day’s use; plus there aren’t a lot of different electric vehicles to choose from, additionally they can be expensive without the tax credits. But, if you can work around these issues, as we have, then an electric vehicle is usually a great second or third car.
In summary, electric cars are pretty cool…so which one did we choose? We purchased the Nissan Leaf (Black Exterior and Tan Interior).

by mrselfdevelopment.com!

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