Intro
Pollution is a big issue in NYC and it’s known that transportation makes up approximately one-third of New York’s overall emissions. Although we have an efficient public transportation system which consequently leads to a low car ownership rate our traffic pattern proves that car culture is still alive. Every year motor vehicles contribute approximately 11% of the local fine particulate matter and 28% of the nitrogen oxide emissions. The city has been actively finding ways to reduce emissions, but it has not been enough to reduce the rate to a drastic change. The use of electric cars and solar cars though could lead to a much more pronounced change in the pollution rates. Now if the state in agreement with electric automobile companies were to ensure a smooth cheap transition from fueled based cars to a combination of solar and electrical based ones in the near future, we could manage to improve the health of the city. This plan could be adopted worldwide to reduce energy consumption and emissions. As a matter of fact, governments and manufacturers continue to make new commitments for electric vehicle sales, and the cost of manufacturing these cars keeps on dropping, consequently making them more competitive with gas vehicles.
Body
“An electric car, also known as battery electric vehicles, have an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine.” It uses a large traction battery to create energy for the motor and has to be plugged in to a charging equipment or a wall outlet to. It is not equipped with the typical liquid fuel components, such as a fuel line, fuel pump, or fuel tank thanks to it running on electricity and therefore emitting no exhaust from a tailpipe.
The key components of an electric are the following: Transmission which transfers mechanical power to drive the wheels; Traction battery pack which stores electricity; the charge port that allows the vehicle to connect to external source to supply energy to the traction battery pack; the battery which is fundamental because it is the heart of the car; the electric traction motor which uses the power generated by the traction battery pack to drive the car’s wheels; the onboard charger instead converts AC electricity into DC power for charging the traction battery; the thermal system which functions as a cooler and maintains a proper operating temperature range of the engine.
All these components are what allow these vehicles to be so environmentally friendly and quieter than gas vehicles. There are several notable advantages of owning an electric car including:
1) They are better for the environment: They do not use exhaust systems so therefore there is no emissions of fumes being pumped out into the air like conventional vehicles do.
2) Electricity can be a renewable resource: These cars can be powered by renewables resources like wind, waterpower, and solar. On the other hand, gasoline, also a natural resource, is not renewable essentially meaning it has an endless supply.
3) They require less expensive and frequent maintenance: there would be no need for oil changes in such cars because of the use of electricity. Electric cars are also easier on brakes leading to fewer brake replacements. Another cost benefit is that electricity is also cheaper than gas which is known to cost one-third the cost of gas vehicles.
4) Electric cars are also known to be quieter than gas vehicles because they mostly run on battery power unlike their stepbrothers. Some states require the need electric car companies to include noise makers built with their cars to alert pedestrians.
5) Original owners of these cars can receive credit on their tax return simply for owning a car that helps the environment by reducing emission of harmful gases in our ecosystem. It’s possible to get up to $7500 in credit in some state for specific electric car models.
These are just some of the advantages of these cars but there are many more to keep note of. An issue with these vehicles is that the are usually more expensive than gas-powered cars.
For example, basic electric will come to cost you around $30,000 and could reach highs of $80,000 if not more. A person interested in these cars should keep in mind that they will pay at least $10,000 more for an electric car than they would for conventional cars. These costs gaps will definitely close as technology continues to evolve but also the state as I said earlier could stipulate an agreement with electric car companies and offer them incentives to reduce the cost of these cars and make them more affordable for the average consumer. Another disadvantage they come with is the recharging time of these cars. Filling up a gas tank does not take more than 5 minutes, but an electric car can take up almost a day to full charge. Newer models have reduced the recharge time with intricate maneuvers consequently boosting up the cost of the cars. As companies improve their technological efficiency, we will see pronounced drop-in recharge time and hopefully tighten up the gap between gas and electric vehicles.
From this graph we can see the massive difference between gasoline and electric cars. The difference is drastic as it is shown, and the use of these cars could really help with the pollution crisis that NYC is facing. We need to start acting now to get a positive reaction not just for us but also for future generations. Over a year, just one electric car on the roads can save an average 1.5 million grams of CO2 which is the equivalent of four return flights from Barcelona to London. Now just imagine how much CO2 and other gases are being emitted by the millions of vehicles in this city. If approximately 1.5 million grams of CO2 is produced by one car a year and that number is multiplied by just a million cars, which is a lot less than the actual number of cars owned by people in NY, we would be looking at an astronomical number to say the least. In addition to carbon dioxide, conventional automobiles produce nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from the tailpipe. Although these gasses are emitted in small quantities compared to carbon dioxide, their impact could be much more damaging to the environment because they have a higher global warming potential (GWP) than CO2. A lot of the gas emissions will be struck down with the use of EVs (electric vehicles).
Conclusion
It may seem like an unreasonable change but if the state were to complete an agreement with electric car companies this could very much be a reality. EVs will reduce emissions that impact our climate by changing it and improve public health and reduce ecological damage. It would benefit the health of our environment in ways we have never imagined and consequently we would also be healthier. 
The sooner we act the better we will all live.The state needs to act in accordance with these companies to ensure a smooth transition to this brighter future not just for the sake of those living in present times but also our children, grandchildren and so forth. We could be pioneers in this remodeling of our society which could also lead other states, countries, and nations to adopt and follow our lead. If a future like this was to be birthed, we would be looking at lower health issues and a balanced climate by reducing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The future will be forged by what we do in the present, so it is important to take the necessary steps to initiate a plan that could change lives forever. Let us be prolife and not abort the future of this beautiful city and the world.
Citations
“Transportation Emissions.” Transportation Emissions – DEP, www1.nyc.gov/site/dep/environment/transportation-emissions.page.
Research, Hearst Autos. “Electric Cars: Pros and Cons.” Car and Driver, Car and Driver, 10 Nov. 2020, www.caranddriver.com/research/a32758614/electric-cars-pros-and-cons/.
“Emissions from Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles.” Alternative Fuels Data Center: Emissions from Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles, afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.html.
“How Do All-Electric Cars Work?” Alternative Fuels Data Center: How Do All-Electric Cars Work?, afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work.
15, Marta Moses | February, et al. “Benefits of Electric Cars on the Environment.” EDF, www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energywise/electric-cars-and-environment.
Citations
“Transportation Emissions.” Transportation Emissions – DEP, www1.nyc.gov/site/dep/environment/transportation-emissions.page.
Research, Hearst Autos. “Electric Cars: Pros and Cons.” Car and Driver, Car and Driver, 10 Nov. 2020, www.caranddriver.com/research/a32758614/electric-cars-pros-and-cons/.
“Emissions from Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles.” Alternative Fuels Data Center: Emissions from Hybrid and Plug-In Electric Vehicles, afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/electric_emissions.html.
“How Do All-Electric Cars Work?” Alternative Fuels Data Center: How Do All-Electric Cars Work?, afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work.
15, Marta Moses | February, et al. “Benefits of Electric Cars on the Environment.” EDF, www.edfenergy.com/for-home/energywise/electric-cars-and-environment.
