Electric Vehicle Myths

Many people still believe that electric vehicles have too many problems to ever be practical. This page provides hard evidence to the contrary.

All EVs...
 * Myth 1: ... are golf carts.
 * Golf carts are EVs, yes. There are currently more than 15 companies that manufacture EVs that are classified as Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs). However, there are more than 5 companies in the US and internationally that manufacture EVs that are freeway-worthy.


 * Myth 2: ... cannot go very fast.
 * Golf Carts are speed limited to no more than 25MPH (or streets that have a Max Speed of 35). However, any EV not classified as an NEV has no limit. The  Tesla Roadster has a top speed of 118MPH.


 * Myth 3: ... accelerate poorly.
 * Electric motors, unlike internal combustion engines, enact 100% of their torque always. At 0 MPH, an EV has 100% torque. The AC Propulsion's TZero has yet have been beaten in any test track race.  The Tesla Roadster can go 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, the Wrightspeed X-1 can go 0-60 in 3.0 seconds.  Although these are high performance EVs, even the Toyota Rav4 EV can go 0-60 in 5.5 seconds


 * Myth 4: ... look strange.
 * Some EVs look a bit strange, but any internal combustion engine vehicle can be converted to an EV


 * Myth 5: ... are small, unsafe, or cannot seat more than 2 people.
 * See Myth 4. Many EVs are small, but this is usually because they are only needed to transport 1 or 2 people.  Mini-vans, SUVs, trucks, or even limousines can  all be converted to electric.  However, as in all vehicles, the more efficient the dimensions of the vehicle, the more efficient the travel distance to power ratio becomes.


 * Myth 6: ... have a poor driving range.
 * Electric powered vehicles, in similarity to Petroleum fueled vehicles have multiple fuel storage types (types of batteries). Some batteries have more charge per volume than others.  With the most recent technology, Lithium Ion batteries an EV can travel as far as 300 miles on a single full charge.


 * Myth 7: ... have to be recharged with a voltage that is unavailable at home.
 * Electric Vehicles can be charged on any voltage from 110, 220, 240, 350, etc... The difference in each is how long it takes to acquire a full charge. The higher the voltage, the shorter the charge time.  110 V might take 6 hours to charge to full from 25%, but 220 V would take less than half that time (2.5 hours).