An electric car is a type of electric vehicle. Since electric cars are the most prevalent type electric vehicle, however, these two terms are often used interchangeably. Some other types of electric vehicles include golf carts, fork lifts, and subways. This site concentrates mainly on electric cars, but will also refer to them as electric vehicles or "EVs".

Yes! Although a majority of the EVs in use today are used in the fleets of delivery companies, more and more consumers are buying electric cars in addition to or in place of gas cars. As more states adopt mandates like California has, the number of EVs in use will increase.

As of now, electric car use is concentrated in the states of California, Arizona, and New York. California and New York have been plagued by pollution and both adopted a mandate forcing auto makers to sell electric cars. Unfortunately, auto makers were successful in appealing the New York mandate, but the California mandate still stands. As a result, auto makers have restricted the sales of the electric vehicles to these states, so unless you live in California, Arizona, or New York, you probably haven't seen an EV. This will soon change, however, as many states are planning to promote the use of electric vehicles.

Not for any time in the near future. Since most EV owners charge their vehicles during the night, when the demand for electricity is low, there is no need for more power plants. In fact, California has determined that they will not need to build another power plant until the year 2010, assuming the rate of EV growth remains constant.

Because of the high cost of batteries and the low popularity of EVs,their prices can seem a bit extreme. However, to promote the sales of EVs,the state and federal government offer incentives for those who take action in helping the environment. Many of the incentives are of financial jestures, such as offering loans, grants, or even benefits to those who decide to buy or lease an EV. In some states, EV ovners are even entitled to a one year, 10 percent write off on their taxes or even free upgrades for people who do decide to lease. These advantages are also available for people who have their vehicles convertedto electric powered vehicles.

Absolutely not! Although the air conditioning and heater can decrease the range of the vehicle, moderate use of these features will only consume about 10-15% of the vehicles range. Other features such as the CD player, daytime running lamps, and other accessories consume a negligible amount of energy. In fact, to make up for the EVs' limited energy, car makers have research hundreds of ways to make EVs more efficient and consume less energy than gas-powered cars.

© 1998 Thinkquest Team 20463 All rights reserved