Advantages and disadvantages of electric cars

Electric vehicles are gaining more and more popularity around the world as people become more concerned about climate change. Globally, at the end of 2020 there were 10 million electric cars on the world's roads, and electric vehicle registrations increased by 41% in 2020, according to the latest edition of the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook report.

Regarding Romania, in March of this year, 6,568 electric cars were registered, with an increase of 41% compared to the same period last year (according to Lektri.co estimates).

Against the background of the growing interest for this type of vehicle, we have compiled a list of the most important advantages and disadvantages of electric cars.

Many of those who opt for electric vehicles do so to reduce harmful air pollution due to exhaust emissions, helping to protect the environment.

Although they have zero exhaust emissions, they still create a certain level of greenhouse gas emissions when charged. However, studies show that electric cars produce less pollutant emissions in their lifetime than gas-fired cars.

An electric vehicle with batteries has fewer moving parts than a conventional gasoline / diesel car. For this reason, maintenance is relatively easy, less frequent and generally cheaper than a petrol / diesel vehicle. Therefore, long-term maintenance costs will also be lower than for other vehicles.

Because you don't pay for gasoline or diesel to keep the electric car running, you can save some of your money on fuel.

If we were to make a comparison between the costs of charging an electric car and those of refueling with petrol, diesel or LPG, the costs in the case of an electric vehicle are much lower.

In Romania, the prices for charging at various stations vary between 30 - 60 RON, there are also places where charging can be done for free under certain conditions.

Electric cars reduce noise pollution, being much quieter. Their engines are able to provide a smooth drive with greater acceleration over longer distances.

Electric cars have the simplest method of driving. They are equipped with a transmission that contains a single very long gear and also does not suffer from the problem of locking, as cars do on gasoline.

This effectively eliminates the need to add a clutch mechanism to prevent this. Therefore, you can operate an electric car only with the accelerator pedal, brake pedal and steering wheel.

A disadvantage of electric cars is that they are more expensive to buy than gas-fueled equivalents. However, if you decide to buy a new vehicle, you can do it through the Rabla Plus program and you will receive a discount of 45,000 RON from its price. In addition, you will be exempt from the annual car tax.

In the case of a petrol or diesel car, refueling is quite simple and takes a few minutes. Depending on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point, charging electric vehicles takes up to 12 hours. Although you have the option of fast charging, it also takes about 30 minutes.

In addition, more frequent loading will be required, and in case of trips outside the city, you will have to organize in advance to know exactly where the charging stations are.

In Romania, the power supply stations are around 400. Although it seems a promising number, they are not evenly distributed, some counties having more stations than others. Therefore, it would be good to check the map with the charging stations.

If you are going on a longer trip or you decide to visit a rural or suburban area, make sure you have your car loaded or check the nearest charging station, in case you need it.

Electric cars have both advantages and disadvantages, and the aspects presented in the article are just some of them. However, if we take into account the fact that the deficiencies that some may find in an electric vehicle tend to diminish over time (autonomy continues to improve, the number of charging stations increases, batteries last longer, cars become more attractive and accessible ), choosing an electric vehicle is becoming an increasingly viable option.

In the next period, we will activate the first electric car models from the Compexit Rent a Car fleet, so keep an eye on us to find out the latest news!