5 Myths About Electric Vehicle Conversions: Convert Your Gas Vehicle to Electric

Gas prices appear to be rising once more, and with summer demand for fuel just around the corner, I believe we may begin to see oil prices well above $100 per barrel. If you're reading this, you may have already considered switching from a gas-powered vehicle to an all-electric one. If you've ever discussed the benefits and drawbacks of an all-electric vehicle with anyone, you've probably heard one or more of the following myths. Let me dispel five common misconceptions about electric vehicle conversion.

They have a limited range: Before they need to be refueled, all vehicles have a limited range. The reality is that the majority of Americans only drive 40 miles (64 kilometers) per day. In contrast to gas engines, electric conversion vehicles don't use any energy at a stoplight and can easily exceed that range between charges.

They are too expensive; electric vehicles have lower long-term costs than gas-powered ones. Oil, coolant, filters, mufflers, gaskets, belts, tune-ups, and all other parts that go into burning combustible fuels will all be eliminated once the vehicle is converted, eliminating gas as an ongoing expense. I was amazed at how much gas-burning junk was removed from my Mazda MX3 during the conversion. We must not overlook the negative effects that gas vehicle emissions have on the environment.

Despite the fact that more than half of the electricity in the United States is generated by coal-fired plants, there are alternative methods for charging batteries using solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. This means that they pollute. Attempting to make a comparison is almost laughable when you consider the amount of pollution generated by drilling, refining, transporting, and ultimately burning gasoline.

Batteries from EVs end up in landfills. Batteries can be almost entirely recycled because they contain valuable materials. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), even conventional gas-burning vehicle batteries are recycled 99 percent of the time. They are slow. Even an average EV conversion can easily reach highway speeds, and if a high-performance EV is desired, parts and equipment are available to outperform many gas cars. The major automakers' reluctance to release production models into the marketplace is the only thing holding back electric vehicles.

An electric vehicle (EV) can be a great second vehicle and, in many instances, a viable primary mode of transportation. 

2011 Could Be the Year of the Electric Vehicle

During the period of time between 2010 and 2011, a number of articles in the media described how commercial models of electric vehicles, or simply EVs, experienced a significant breakthrough in 2010. These models included the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus, and Chevrolet Volt. As of January 1, 2011, the government in the United Kingdom began providing grants to motorists who purchased electric vehicles.

EVs' success can be attributed to a number of factors. To begin, an improved and broader charging infrastructure is being constructed to assist in reducing what is now referred to as "range anxiety" in the EV industry. Home chargers are also a fantastic incentive for EV adoption. Additionally, better performance from more efficient battery technology is making electric vehicles more appealing.

John Gartner, an analyst at Pike Research, says that the United States will have another 50,000 electric vehicles by the end of 2011. There will be new models from makers like Think, Coda, Mitsubishi, Smaller than usual, Toyota and Chevrolet. This shows that significant auto players are currently remembering EVs for the focal point of their improvement methodologies.

General Electric (GE) is one company that makes significant investments to make electric vehicles commonplace. The tech giant said in the second semester of 2010 that by 2015, it would buy 25,000 electric vehicles and convert its fleet to electricity. A dual battery system for hybrid transit buses that could cut battery costs by 20% was also announced in 2010 by GE researchers. It combines the acceleration capabilities of passenger electric vehicles with the power storage capacity of large industrial batteries by combining sodium and lithium batteries.

Negative aspects include claims that EVs are as environmentally friendly as the electricity they use; They are not really green if they use coal or fuel to generate electricity. That is a legitimate concern, but some would argue that electric cars still outperform average vehicles and match the cleanest hybrids when charged with power from dirty sources. The use of electric vehicles has a net positive emissions trade-off, even in the worst-case scenarios. The Electrification Coalition conducted a study that took into account the entire life cycle of several car models and various gases, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury, to arrive at this conclusion.

Aggravate not relieve it, as allies guarantee. According to the study, electric vehicles would increase CO2 emissions in nations like China and India.

The verdict on this is still out, but it appears that an EV's environmental friendliness depends on the region's energy mix. However, it is a fact that 2010 was a turning point for EVs, with public and industry interest growing and official support strengthening. The number of electric vehicles is likely to rise in 2011 at a rapid rate.