How to Choose an Electric Car

You will learn what options you have when it comes to purchasing an electric car

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• funds
• patience

1. We all see it. Driving is becoming more and more expensive every week now. I'm writing this article on June 8 th of 2008 and I have been paying more for my gas each week for the past six months. Probably like you I've heard about electric cars but have never seen one. I've also wondered why I have never seen one. Perhaps you do to. Its a rather complicated issue to research as you have to wade through the really out there conspiracy theories, and then the not so out there conspiracy theories as well. Simply put there are two main reasons we all don't have electric cars at the moment. One of these is scientific and the other is political and/or economical.

2. On the scientific side there are technical issues that need to be worked out so electric cars will perform the same in any environment whether it be hot or cold, damp or dry. Battery technology needs to be worked on that will increase the amount of storage capacity per battery. Materials need to be researched that are as strong as current building materials yet lighter in overall weight. These issues will be overcome incrementally with each year of research and its just a matter of time before all of these problems are worked out. We are already at the ninety percent mark as it is. The remaining problems are more about improving already understood technologies more so than researching new technologies. Some minor technological innovation will also have to be done to provide a grid that is accessible from parking docks to recharge vehicles while drivers are engaged in other activities. This innovation will be easily accomplished but the cost of deploying it will be huge.

3. On the economic and/or political side things are probably not going to go so smoothly. The oil industry is one of the most powerful industries on planet Earth. They have been fighting the switch to electrical vehicles for many years now and they are not planning on stopping anytime soon. Politicians need to be convinced anyway necessary to stop the oil industry from interfering in the natural development of electrical vehicle technology.

4. Probably the best option I can guide you to for buying an electric car would be the Tesla Corporation. According to their website I would have to say this is the best electric car purchase option in the entire world at the moment. And even then you will have to wait. According to the Tesla Corporation's spec sheet for the 2009 Tesla Roadster model, the car has a range of 227 miles with a 248 peek horse power engine that will go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 125 mph. The spec sheet also claims that the car can be recharged in as little as 3.5 hours from a completely drained state. At the current price of gas if you take into consideration the average price of electricity this car gets about 175 mpg. Sounds amazing doesn't it? There are some issues though. The car is rather expensive, the production runs are small and the waits are long. With all that in mind I strongly suggest you visit the Tesla Corporation's website and take a look for yourself at the amazing technologies they have available.

5. Another option is the Universal Electric Vehicle Corporation's Electrum Spyder model. According to UEV's specs the 2008 Electrum Spyder has a range of 150-250 miles ( depending on battery option ), will go from 0 to 60 mph in seven seconds and has a top speed of over 100 mph. UEV goes on to claim that the Spyder's battery pack can be recharged from a completely dead state to full capacity in six hours. While not as good as the Tesla Roadster, UEV's Electrum Spyder is a bit cheaper and seems to be available now. I expect like with the roadster there is a waiting list although I did not verify this with the company.

6. Other options are out there but these are the best two I could find that were well documented and seem to have a plan for immediate production. The market is huge so as time goes by you will see more options come online. General Motors claims to plan a production run of 100,000 of its 2010 Chevy Volt model however at the moment I'm adopting a wait and see attitude with General Motors.

Resources

• Electric Cars

[Intelmit]

on 6/9/2008 Good information ! thanks !