The electric vehicle market seems to be heating up so far this year.
Monday, General Motors announced it'll launch new models this year and Toyota did the same a couple weeks ago.
At the government level, California’s order to switch to zero emissions vehicles by 2035 could encourage other states to do the same.
As electric vehicles get more popular, we wanted to know the pros and cons of going electric, and why more people are making the switch this year.
“As more people drive them, they realize that it works well. It's easy to drive, it's low cost to maintain. The charging isn't really an issue,” said David Shapiro, CEO of Cartelligent, an online car sales company.
Shapiro says the electric vehicle market has been growing for years, and that people are warming up to them.
“They price them well. They make them look good. The range is longer and the other part, which is I think of huge importance, is not just the product that's available, but the charging infrastructure and how easy it is to charge,” said Shapiro.
Shapiro says one of the biggest points of public resistance has been the charge – where and when drivers plug in and how long the charge lasts.
Shapiro says batteries are improving and charging stations are becoming more popular, but to still remember that gas cars also have ranges.
“So, think about it though, how in your lifestyle, how many times a day a week a year are you driving hundreds and hundreds of miles in a day? And if you do that a lot, then yes, it's not convenient for you at this time,” said Shapiro.
Shapiro says other pros to switching are the environmental benefits, low maintenance costs, and tax incentives for buying one.
He says there's another luxury most people don't realize exists.
“It's very quiet and smooth and zen, like you don't feel the vibration of the motor. And so, when you get to your destination, you might be a little less fatigued,” said Shapiro.
Electric vehicles still only make up about 1%of all vehicles, so Shapiro says there’s plenty of room for growth.
