The Next Generation of Cars is Electric

Only a few years ago, the electric car was just a dream for environmentally friendly individuals but the electric car has begun to take charge (pun intended) of the automobile industry.

Electric cars have long been motoring’s false dawn: great promise but a reality that was either unaffordable or impractical. In 1997, the Toyota Prius began to change that.

Benefits of electric cars over conventional internal combustion engine automobiles include a significant reduction of local air pollution, as they do not emit tailpipe pollutants, in many cases, a large reduction in total greenhouse gas and other emissions (dependent on the fuel and technology used for electricity generation, and less dependence on foreign oil, which in several countries is cause for concern about vulnerability to oil price volatility and supply disruption. Widespread adoption of electric cars faces several hurdles and limitations, however, including the higher cost of electric vehicles, the lack of recharging infrastructure (other than home charging) and the driver's fear of the batteries running out of energy before reaching their destination (range anxiety) due to the limited range of most existing electric cars.

The unpromising-looking Japanese saloon was a soft introduction to electric motoring. By allying battery power to a regular petrol engine, this hybrid proved electric’s feasibility to drivers and encouraged car makers to invest in developing the technology.

Today, almost all major car companies are pushing their electric cars to the forefront of the market.

Nissan recently released its “Leaf” which runs entirely on electricity. A lithium-ion 24 kWh battery is the power source for the motor. On a single charge, this car has a range of 73 miles on average. Thanks to a regenerative brake system, the Nissan Leaf collects back some of the energy the motor expends. A dashboard indicator lets you know whether you're using energy or gaining some part of it back.

Honda has joined the party with its Honda Fit running entirely on electricity as well. With a driving range rating from the Environmental Protection Agency of 82 miles, and achieving a fully-charged battery in just three hours using a 240-volt outlet. Enjoy the benefits of having a remote control for initiating or pausing a charge. A 20 kWh lithium-ion battery harnesses electrical power to make this emission-less car go. Honda touts the benefits of this particular battery, saying it functions in a broad range of climates, charges faster, and offers double the charge cycles of other batteries.

These environmentally friendly cars are even finding their way into the world’s most prestigious and competitive racetracks. While advances in technology have yet to allow fully electric vehicles to successfully compete alongside gas- powered ones, EVs are making strides towards outpacing their traditional counterparts.

Does this mean all cars in the future are going to be electric? Doubtful, at least in the short-term, but with technology growing rapidly and the market growing, don’t be surprised if the car zooming passed you on the highway pulls over at a charging station.

Billy Sornivo is a car enthusiast from California, he has been working in an automotive junk yard for over 30 years and is a huge fan of Green Auto Recyclinga name="_GoBack".

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