Every year it seems we are getting closer and closer to living like The Jetsons. While we may not have our own flying cars yet, our transportation is getting more and more advanced. In the first six months of 2013, Americans purchased more than 40,000 plug-in electric vehicles, which is more than twice the amount of the first six months in 2012. Electric vehicles, also known as EVs, are driven by an electric motor (or motors), which is powered by rechargeable battery packs. 

Electric vehicles have significantly reduced environmental impact and also have several economic advantages over vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICEs). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, electric vehicles convert about 59-62% of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels. Gasoline vehicles only convert about 17-21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels, making EVs significantly more energy efficient.

Electric motors offer quiet, smooth and stronger acceleration and need less maintenance than ICEs. EVs release no tailpipe pollutants, making the air we breathe cleaner and safer. Aside from the environment, the rise of the EV industry will create more jobs and EV drivers will save a tremendous amount of money on fueling their EV rather than a conventional gasoline vehicle. eGallon allows people to compare the costs of fueling a vehicle with electricity compared to a similar vehicle that runs on gasoline. According to Green Car Reports, in 2013 the top five cars (available in dealers) that make the most efficient use of energy are four battery-electric vehicles and one plug-in hybrid.

On average, it costs about 3 times less to drive an electric vehicle. For example, in Massachusetts regular gasoline costs $3.69 per gallon, while electric eGallon costs only $1.55, which saves drivers a substantial amount of money.

Unlike gasoline vehicles, EVs can only go about 100-200 miles before they need to be recharged. Fully recharging the battery pack generally takes 4 to 8 hours, which may seem long; however, researchers are working day in and day out on improving the battery technologies to increase driving range and decrease the time it takes to recharge the battery pack, weight, and cost. In fact, many new models use an advanced lithium-ion battery which allows the car to drive the first (approximately) 38 miles gas free, after  the onboard gas-powered generator provides electricity to drive a total of up to 380 miles on a full charge and full tank of gas. Although EVs can only travel a certain distance before needing to be recharged, their positive impact on the environment and low costs of driving with electricity are great incentives when considering long term use. Many cities, like Boston and Cambridge are making it much easier to own an EV by offering incentives like Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations.  

So, since we can’t have our own flying cars or a robotic maid named Rosie, we think the benefits of EVs are a pretty futuristic trend that we hope is here to stay! 

Maybe some day life can be like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjy-fnsmWR4