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It's better for the environment. Containing air pollution from a single power plant's smokestack is far easier than controlling the tailpipe emissions from millions of cars. Engines are even more inefficient and pollute more heavily until they reach operating temperature. And pollution from the off-gassing of oil-soaked engines continues long after the car's hot engine is turned off. The difference is so great between internal combustion engines and electric motors that, in California, a singly occupied EV qualifies to use the car pool lane.

Silent operation. A blessing of electric propulsion is that there's no motor vibration. The lack of this constant vibration adds to the feeling of the smooth, elegant ride found only in luxury cars and most EVs.

Although an EV's motor or controller may sing a bit at high speeds, under heavy loads or when climbing steep grades, an EV is so quiet that its driver must exercise caution in parking lots. Unaware of the EV's presence, pedestrians may step out in front of the vehicle.

Performance. Most EVs are fully capable of quick acceleration, fast hill climbing and maintaining highway speeds. However, any of these practices will reduce the effective range of a fully charged battery pack.

Just as jackrabbit starts and high speeds waste electricity, they also waste fuel. Most cars with engines have no meters—except the singular path of the fuel gauge's needle from full to empty—to help the driver understand which habits are the most wasteful. An EV's monitoring system reveals the high cost of a lead-foot on the pedal, and helps the operator learn how to drive more efficiently.

Range. Current battery technology sets limits on the vehicle's maximum range. But the average commute in the United States is only 25 miles, and virtually every EV has twice this range in a standard driving cycle. Conservative driving can stretch the range to almost 75 miles. (See "Wise Driving Tips for EVs," .) Where a commute may stretch 50 to 70 miles one way, it is usually a simple matter to plug the vehicle into a charging outlet at work. At the end of the workday, a fully charged EV is ready to make the trek homeward.

Regenerative braking. In an engine-powered car, when the driver first accelerates to speed and then must brake hard to stop, all of the energy expended is wasted as heat in the vehicle's brakes. Regenerative braking, a feature found only in EVs and hybrid-electric cars, captures about 30 percent of this energy and recycles it to recharge the battery pack. Circuitry in the controller makes the electric motor act temporarily like a generator, producing electricity that is routed to the batteries.

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