As pressure on petrol and diesel rises thanks to governments and a worsening environmental crisis, increasing emphasis is being put on alternative fuels and vehicles to somewhat slow down climate change.
This is where electric vehicles (or also called EVs) come in. These types of cars have minimal running costs since they consume little to no fossil fuels, be that petrol or diesel. This means they are technically better for the environment, but there are some debatable components.
Depending on the electric vehicle, some use acid or nickel-metal hydride batteries, but most of these types of cars use a lithium-ion battery. One thing to keep in mind is though lithium-ion batteries last longer, it is an extremely finite source that is also non-reusable.
You also have to charge these vehicles more often, since you are able to go a shorter distance in kilometers compared to vehicles running on fossil fuel. Though you can charge most of them faster now and charge them at home if you can afford to.
The charging sites also use electricity, which isn’t always generated from “clean” resources, making electric vehicles eco-friendlier depending on your location. No matter what, these cars are still technically better for the environment than anything running on fossil fuels.
This means manufacturers have a long road ahead of them to manufacture the perfect clean car, but our current electric vehicles already showcase a massive step forward in environmental and employment sustainability, since they have paved the base for this new, better part of the transport industry.
The electric vehicle market is constantly evolving, and there is now a massive selection of these vehicles to fulfill all your vehicular needs, from tiny city-sized vehicles to SUVs or trucks, to even luxury sedans or sports cars.
In a lot of countries, it is even beneficial to own an electric car now. Apart from its more positive environmental effects, there are also many laws that for example exclude EV owners from paying road tax.
We will be looking at electric vehicles from three different price ranges to determine which one might be the best for you. Those ranges will be low, middle, and high, so let’s start with the absolute cheapest EV you could buy (from a known and reputable company).
Volkswagen e-Up (2019)
This car is designed for the city and is sold for around 20,000 British pounds after a governmental grant. The car from this year and on has a much higher capacity battery and a longer range than before.
Some countries will have the option of a style pack for contrasting roofs and door mirrors, bigger alloy wheels, and some patterns on the seats making the car look more sporty.
The range of this car has risen from 99 miles to 162 miles thanks to the better battery. The car comes with a top speed of 81mph and hits 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds.
It also has two operating modes you can choose from, Eco and Eco+.
As for drivability and handling, this little car is brisk at lower speeds, perfect for the city. It isn’t the most precise car but it isn’t made to be either. The steering wheel is said to be well-weighted and it can also survive highways, though it won’t zoom past every other existing car on it.
Audi e-Tron
This fully electric Audi holds the beauty many mid-high ranged Audi cars showcase. The car costs around 82,000 British pounds, and though costly, is quite luxurious and very practical.
The car hits 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, with a top speed of sadly only 124mph. The downside to this car is that it is quite heavy, weighing in at 2.5 tons, which can also be felt when driving it, ruining that speedy experience some might be yearning for.
The interior is similar to the A8 and Q7, with lots of luxury and modern technology to create comfort in your driving experience both as a passenger and as the driver.
The car itself also has excellent refinement and comes with either a 71kWh or a 95kWh battery, depending on the model.
There are also five trim styles available, which are Technik, Sport, S line, Black edition, and Vorsprung.
The last thing to know about this car is that it uses a two-motor setup, one for each axel. As this is in fact an EV, it comes with a single-speed automatic and some of Audi’s high-tech self-driving capabilities.
Porsche Taycan Turbo S
This gorgeous fully electric sports car will cost you the convenient price of 139,000 British pounds, which isn’t cheap. Fret not though, the entry model will cost “only” 73,000, so take your pick on what kind of performance and perks you wish to have.
This car is built to drive, even though it is a four-door coupe weighing 2.2 tons. Its low center of gravity allows you to feel agile while driving, similar to the feeling of a Porsche 911.
This car runs 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds and then ends up reaching a top speed of 161mph, which is simply a thrill.
The ride and handling of this electric vehicle make this car even better than it already is. This car, similar to the e-Tron, has a separate electric motor for each axle, allowing it to be as speedy as it is.
The car overall is very balanced, striking that line between playfulness and comfort to not inconvenience anyone. The driving experience with the Taycan Turbo S is great, with swift responsiveness and the car being communicative to you as a driver.
The battery on this puppy is a 93.4kWh battery that offers a range between 242 and 258 miles.
Overall, all these amazing fully electric cars make you question if oil and gas production is a good career path for anyone, and the answer to that is both yes and no since we still are running cars and many other forms of transport on those energy sources.
The use of fossil fuels is stopping extremely slowly, but every step we take in the right direction counts, especially when it is convenient, practical, and as beautiful as these cars are.