You may have heard about the many benefits of electric vehicles. For example, they are much cheaper to refuel than gas-guzzling equivalents, and they cost less to maintain than internal combustion engine-powered cars.
What's more, they produce zero tailpipe pollution when out on the road, meaning you release no planet-warming gases when behind the wheel and don't negatively affect local air quality.
But aside from all that, EVs can also make you fall in love with driving again, as one Redditor attested.
On the r/electricvehicles subreddit, they said "awareness of fossil fuels and climate change" was among the reasons their fondness for automobiles deteriorated, as well as new car technology becoming less interesting or exciting.
They then leased a Hyundai Ioniq 5, and their adoration came flooding back. "My first-time EV is making me love driving again," they captioned the post.
"[It's] our first ever electric vehicle of any sort," they continued. "We drove fully ICE vehicles until we hit 40. This year felt like the right time. The prices, tech, batteries, range, models and makes available — it all lined up.
"I have woken up every single morning since, all week, excited to drive. I love the trip. I come home happy. We're trickle charging at home, and can't imagine having it any other way—which is a big surprise! We were sure we'd need to convince our landlord to let us install a faster home charger. Nah."
EVs are growing in popularity. According to data from Bloomberg NEF, Jato Dynamics, and MarkLines, shared by EV Boosters, sales are expected to reach nearly 17 million worldwide by the end of 2024, a notable increase from the 13.9 million sold in 2023.
In the United States, sales have been encouraged by increased investment in charging infrastructure and by the tax breaks and rebates available via the Inflation Reduction Act — as well as state-specific initiatives to cut EV costs. The 390,000 EVs sold in quarter three of 2024 marked a new high for the U.S. market.
🗣️ If you were going to purchase an EV which of these factors would be most important to you?
🔘 Good driving range 🔋
🔘 Affordable sticker price 💰
🔘 High-tech safety features 😌
🔘 Cheap maintenance costs 🛠️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
It also helps that certain myths about EVs are being dispelled. For example, some argue the need to mine precious metals for battery technology makes EVs just as damaging to the planet as ICE vehicles. However, even when taking that into account, electric cars are still far better for the environment over their lifespan than standard gas-guzzlers.
Commenters on the Reddit post also shared their experiences when driving an EV.
"I drove an EV for the first time last summer and I hadn't realized I'd never really enjoyed driving prior, or that I'd always felt weighed down by the consequences of burning gas and making pollution and sending money to the parts of the world where petroleum comes out of the ground," one person said.
"I've always loved taking road trips before with my ICE cars," another added. "My R1T has elevated that passion into obsession. It's all I want to do now!"
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