The question that seems to be on the minds of car enthusiasts around the world is whether electric cars really are better for the environment than our current “gas guzzlers”. One way to look at it is that the vast majority of our electricity comes from coal, which as you’re probably already aware, isn’t the cleanest source of energy. Would we be better off upgrading our cars to more fuel-efficient vehicles?
The truth is, an electric car certainly isn’t a zero-emissions vehicle and driving one is still at a cost to the environment. Although as a nation, a high percentage of our electricity is generated by burning coal; electric cars still come out on top in terms of carbon dioxide emissions compared to vehicles that feature an external combustion engine1.
Consider the Price
The main thing you probably consider when you purchase a new vehicle is the price. We all have different budgets and it is therefore vital that we purchase a car that not only falls within our budget, but is economical to run and most importantly, reliable. The initial cost of purchasing an electric car is high and with a capacity to drive in the region of only 50 miles, you are very limited to what you can do and where you can go. It still seems that it is far more convenient to own an external combustion engine vehicle than an electric car.
Fantastic Cars on the Market
There are a number of fantastic eco-friendly cars available that are incredibly economical2. For example, the Seat Ibiza 1.4 TDI Ecomotive 3-door is capable of 76.3MPG and only produces 98g/km of CO2 emissions. Believe it or not, the SMART FORTWO COUPE CDI Passion 2-door Auto goes one step further offering 85.6MPG and costs only £765 for enough fuel to drive 12,000 miles.
Not only will you want to find a car that is economical, reliable and most importantly fun to drive, cheap car insurance will also be at the top of your list. Let’s face it, the car insurance market is extremely competitive and it is up to you, the consumer, to find the best deal on cheap car insurance.
Hannah Warder writes for MediaVest (Manchester) on a number of topics including cheap car insurance .
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