More and more electric cars will take to Hong Kong streets amid greater technology advances. Shifting to and investing in an electric car is well worth considering as concerns for the environment in Hong Kong and across the world continue to grow.
The following are pertinent facts about electric cars:
Pros of Electric Cars
Fuel Cost Savings
Initially, electric cars may cost more than those that run on fossil fuel. But over time, electric car owners can achieve substantial savings as these vehicles won’t need to refuel. Batteries can simply be charged in charging stations around Hong Kong or at home whichever is convenient.
Lower Maintenance Costs
Electric cars often entail maintenance costs significantly lower than those that run on fossil fuel as the former needs no engine parts replacements and repairs of spark plugs, valves and other parts.
Environment Friendly
The biggest and greatest benefit derived from electric cars are their contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions. Since electric cars run on charged batteries, they don’t release or emit carbon dioxide into the air, thereby helping reduce carbon emissions and easing air pollution. Electric cars are an environmentally-friendly option that is welcome everywhere.
Better Performance
Engines of electric cars start much faster than those in fossil fuel-driven cars. Changing gears and applying the break in electric cars are also much easier and smoother in electric cars. Engines of electric cars are also impressively much quieter than their fossil fuel counterparts.
Cons of Electric Cars
Charging
Electric cars have several drawbacks and one of them relates to charging of batteries. Although there are more than 350 charging stations in Hong Kong, each station varies by the type of charging ports ranging from normal to quick charge and they are not as convenient to find as petrol stations. It can also take up to to 30 minutes to charge about 80 percent of the battery of an electric time, and this is the fastest. Fully charging a battery under normal charging rates can take up to eight hours.
See the list of charging stations in Hong Kong here.
Battery
Another significant factor to consider is the cost of replacing an electric cars’ battery pack. The best EVs can travel up to 300km or more on a fully-charged battery pack, which is enough to drive from Hong Kong’s urban areas to the airport. But with the scarcity of charging stations and the time that it takes to charge fully, driving an electric car will likely deter a motorist from travelling outside Hong Kong on long distances without stopping for a recharge. Replacing the battery pack of an electric car can also cost as much as $10,000.
Despite battery drawbacks and lack of easy access to charging stations, these inconveniences can easily be addressed by setting up a charging station in the home garage or at the carpark building nearest to the motorist’s home. As more electric car models get introduced to the market, prices are likely to go down even as their technological features improve further.