Is There an Electric Car in Your Future?

Reader Contribution by Staff
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My students at Colorado College are always a bit skeptical when I tell them that they’ll very likely be driving an electric car to and from work and simply to run errands after they graduate. In fact, it is my contention that the electric car may be one of the best solutions to single car transportation. There are many reasons for this bold assertion.

First, electric vehicles (EVs) are much more efficient than gasoline-powered cars. Much more raw energy makes it to the wheels to move you forward.

Second, because EVs are more efficient, they’re also cheaper to operate, much cheaper. Expect to pay about one fourth as much per vehicle mile traveled, and that doesn’t even take into account the much lower cost of maintenance.

Third, because they’re more efficient, they’re also much cleaner than gasoline-powered vehicles, even when powered by coal from coal-fired power plants, which are the dirtiest source of electricity. If powered by clean renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, EVs would be infinitely cleaner than the best gasoline-powered vehicles, even my beloved Toyota Gen II Prius.

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