Green Cars: Will We All Drive Electric Cars in Ten Years?
As gas prices skyrocket and concerns about the depletion of the world’s oil reserves become more pressing, the electric car becomes a more attractive idea than ever before. The first electric car was built in the 1830s by a man named Thomas Davenport, but the gas-powered automobile overtook the market in the late 19th and early 20th century when it was found that they could travel significantly farther than the electric model. Now, 100 years later, the electric car is back in the spotlight as many people wish to find a “greener” form of transportation. Will everyone be driving electric cars ten years from now? Read on to learn more about the potential for widespread use of the electric automobile.
The electric car is becoming more popular, but it’s doubtful that everyone–or even a majority–of people will be driving an electric car in ten years. President Barack Obama has expressed his desire that one million drivers will be using exclusively electric automobiles by 2015, but with over 215 million registered drivers in America today, that’s scarcely a majority. Some experts say that everyone will be driving electric cars by 2030, but more conservative numbers suggest that people will be more likely 
to drive hybrid cars by that date. The date most likely to see a majority of entirely electric automobiles is 2045; by this point the technology should be improved to the point that you will be able to drive farther on the available battery, and there will be public outlets available so that you can charge your car as needed.
These electric cars tend to cost more money than the traditional gasoline cars, primarily because of the very high cost of the batteries that these cars require. Unfortunately, this higher price tag is a major deterrent for many car buyers in the United States. A federal tax rebate of up to $7500 dollars (peanuts when you’re buying a cool electric car like this Tesla sports car) for purchasing these greener vehicles helps sweeten the deal, but the lack of locations that you can plug in your car publicly also frightens away potential buyers. These batteries have a typical travel capacity of anywhere from fifty to eighty miles on one charge, which is less than the average American travels daily. Most people can safely make it from their home to their workplace and back on one charge. There are advances being made on cheaper battery packs–particularly laptop battery technology. The batteries lifespan depend on the type of battery that you purchase; lead-acid batteries last about a year, but the lithium-iron-phosphate batteries can go on for as many as ten years.
Though the electric cars’ batteries are costly, they incur a lot less in maintenance costs than the standard gasoline based car. There are a lot fewer moving parts with an electric car, thus it has less potential for breakdown. Electric cars also have virtually no pollution from their tailpipe, ensuring that the air will be cleaner. These cars are as safe as gas powered cars–maybe even safer, as these cars don’t have gallons of dangerously combustible fuel in them. For further information on green cars you can visit carsblog.biz.
We just bought a Nissan LEAF – not because we could afford it, but because we don’t want to add any carbon emissions to the environment. If you pay attention to climate scientists, you will find that we are already at an unacceptable level of carbon concentration, and that we risk melting the polar caps if we continue down this path. If it hadn’t been for the government tax rebate, Washington State’s ‘no sales tax’, and the Ecotality program (free charger), we could not have bought this car. We felt it was important to be an ‘early adopter’ and to encourage others to buy and drive EV’s. And as a bonus, this is a fabulous, fun car to drive, and has very little in the way of maintenance.