Electric cars are important, they are the future! They are going to transform our world, from a polluted mess to a clean and better system. Or that is what the manufacturer would have you believe anyway. But do you know enough about electric cars to make a decision on whether to get one and if so which one? Keep reading to learn more.
Electric is cleaner than petrol
Electric cars are such a big deal because they run on electrical current and not by burning petrol or diesel. Petrol and diesel are combustible fuels that release out fume into the atmosphere.
Specifically, they produce CO2 gas, which is not great for the environment or us humans. In fact, in some places, the abundance of C02 gas causes unmoving smog which chokes people in the streets and is also a contributor to greenhouses gases that are responsible for global warming.
Obviously, for now, much electricity is still produced by burning fossil fuel, but in the future it has the possibility to be even cleaner when our main fuel sources come from the wind, hydroelectric and solar energy. Meaning we can run our transport networks with much less harm to the environment.
Other benefits
Apart from being more environmentally sound, the electric car is also quiet and cheaper to run. Something that makes them a much more attractive option for consumers.
This means we can definitely expect an electric car to become a commonplace part of the automobile landscape shortly.
First electric cars
Rather than being a new phenomenon, in fact, the electric car has been around for over 100 years in some form or another. However, it hasn’t been until recently that they have been seen as a serious contender in the car market.
In 1997 the Prius Made by Toyota was the first hybrid car. That is a car that works on electricity and fossil fuel. But now the market seems to be going towards the plug-in electric vehicle. These are one that gets all of their power from being plugged into recharging points.
Models you need to be aware of
Now you understand a little more about electric cars, the next thing that you need to know is which ones are currently on the market. As well as whether they are any good or not.
1 Hyundai Ioniq Electric
The all-electric version of this car is one to watch. It looks a little different from the hybrid because they have made a few tweaks to improve its aerodynamics. Something that helps the car to travel longer on a smaller charge.
Talking of travelling on a charge the Ioniq has an impressive 174 range. One that is higher than many others on the market at the moment, including the Nissan Leaf below.
It’s also as quiet as a mouse and handles well on the motorway. Although not quite so well on smaller roads.
2 Nissan Leaf
This large booted family hatchback is a great option among the electric cars currently on offer.
It is again, of course, very quite and smooth. Although the Leaf has slightly less of a range than the Ioniq at 124-155 miles depending on the battery pack that you purchase.
As with all electric cars, the government grants makes it a reasonable purchase. However, the fact that it has an insurance rating of 24 makes it quite pricey to run. Although it’s always worth looking around for affordable car insurance from Insurance Doctor, and other companies like them to bring the cost down on these sorts of cars.
3 Kia Soul EV
Now, wardrobe on the wheels might be a bit of an unkind description for this vehicle, but it is a little boxy, and it doesn’t even have a big boot! However, don’t let its looks stop you because this Kia is a great investment.
Not only does this motor have a lot of added extras as standard, yes, even a DBA radio! But it also has some great safety features like airbags and warning sounds as well.
The only place it falls down really, apart from its looks, it’s that its top speeds, are not as fast as other leading competitors on the market. But Kia claims that it has 0-60 acceleration of 10.8 seconds. Not too bad, for an electric vehicle.
The distance range is 132 miles, meaning it’s in the mid-range for its class, and you can expect to pay category 19 insurance for this motor.
Lastly, it was worth noting that the Kia servicing packages are stellar, giving you years of cover for very little money. This is a strength, and perhaps it can be used to offset some of the original cost of the car, as it’s pretty steep, even when the government grant is included.
