The Green Promise of Electric Vehicles by the Automotive Industry: Myth or Reality? A Comprehensive Comparison with Combustion Cars

Some of the Unique Selling Points for Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicle companies target their potential customers by educating them on the need to switch from gas, petrol, and diesel to electric, how it may reduce carbon emissions, and how it will accelerate their contribution to climatic change. Running cost comparisons or assessing total ownership costs over a long period is another strategy that companies follow. 

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Major EV companies offer impressive acceleration, better handling experiences, and technology presence like autonomous driving which are usually not popular in conventional vehicles. The possibility of changing the driving mode to user-required torque and speed, which equips the users to run the vehicle at the desired performance level, is highly recommended. The Go Green campaign introduced by the UN resulted in several countries offering rebates and tax savings, encouraging buyers to purchase electric vehicles.

Comparison with Combustion Cars

The price range of EVs is higher than that of conventional vehicles. EVs are offered at a 30 - 60% price increment due to the expensive batteries used in it. The higher price will beat the initial price difference thanks to the low maintenance and the running cost. However, the battery replacement cost will be a challenge. So the total ownership cost may vary from user to user based on their usage, driving habits, electricity, and the price of fuel in a country. A straight verdict will not be possible for an average-priced EV, so the buyers are recommended to calculate the ownership cost using any available model within the country. 

Similar price differences are observable even in high-end vehicles like Tesla and Toyota Camry.  The lowest price badged Model 3 Standard Range Plus of Tesla, the premium EV manufacturer, is almost double priced to its comparable gas vehicle Toyota Camry. The highest priced Model X long-range costs almost 30-40% compared to its rival gas Mercedes-Benz GLE. However, interestingly, the Cyber truck offers almost the same or lower price presenting a price advantage. 

Traditional Auto veterans have dominated the sector for several decades, but they are literally shaking after the emergence of the new entrants. The traditional car manufacturers have brand loyalty, quality, extensive worldwide dealer network and expertise. However, the slow adoption of the newer technology, especially the battery development and connected technologies, hindered their EV expansion and where the new entrants found their space and disrupted the existing traditional car supply chain, the limited dealership and service network created challenges in service and repairs.

Comparison of the Carbon Footprint:

The carbon emission to the atmosphere of the EVs is much lesser when compared to the ICE car. The Production of electric cars creates more carbon dioxide emissions compared to combustion cars, a combustion car production generates 10 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, EV generates 15 Metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.  

In conclusion, considering the current battery technologies and cost considerations, Electric Vehicles are not as clean and profitable as the EV market suggests. They come with higher initial costs and a very high carbon footprint initially. However, long-term cost savings and an overall low carbon footprint over a longer timespan make EVs an attractive option.