Can We Convert All Gasoline Stations to Battery Shops When Electric Cars Dominate the Market?

Electric cars are better for the environment and they are more energy-efficient than the gasoline-fueled vehicles. These cars produce lesser noise than gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles and their overall emissions in the environment are highly acceptable. However, the complexities involved in manufacturing them hinder automakers to make a mass production of these vehicles.

The electric-powered carmakers are assuming that drivers will recharge their cars in their home where it would be easy to find an electrical outlet. The problem is that many of the car owners reside in apartment type of homes where they have no garage to park their cars, so, they park them on the street. Therefore, recharging may pose as a great hindrance for their massive production.

If the owners recharge their cars from a coal plant, it would be harmful to the environment and it would add up to the existing pollution in the greenhouse, ozone and acid rain. Natural gas, nuclear and wind are best alternatives for the gasoline-propelled vehicles but their cost is higher and some of them are harmful to the environment. Electric cars are better for the environment than any kind of combustion engine and the cost of consumption per mile is lower.

The electric cars are cleaner even when they are charged in dirty electricity outlets, because of their high efficiency electric power trains. They don’t consume idle energy at stoplights and they are made up of regenerative braking which is not so difficult to make. Their mechanical parts are also limited which make them more economical to manufacture.

Electricity is available anywhere and its cost is practically lower than fuels, but we have to take into consideration the possible means that owners would prefer to use electricity for their cars. Electric cars use small amount of electrical power, but in general, the average car recharging could overwhelm the whole electrical system. Even if plug-ins suddenly becomes available in recharging stations, it could still result in a power problem.

Let us say 10 drivers in 1 area decide to recharge their cars at the same time, that would extremely affect the power grid in that particular area. In this case, the best solution is to improve first the electrical system in all areas. On the other hand, there have been many critics regarding the use of lead-acid and NiMH batteries in electric cars, ‘though the latest model electric cars are now using Li-Ion which is being abundantly used in laptops and cellphones. Battery recycling programs are now being considered and users are encouraged to use a companion house-top solar panel for recharging during the daytime.

The most significant benefit from the use of electric cars will be the reduced dependence on foreign oil, but the current economic situation is not conducive to buy an electric car because of its prohibitive price for an ordinary citizen.

If the price of electric cars is reduced to a level that can be reached by all people, and the power system is improved in all areas, then, the gasoline stations can be replaced by battery and recharging stations all over the country.