Opinion Article:
By: Dawson Iasillo News Writer 8/31/22 Photos by Eliyah Lara
NO: Fitzke
Do you believe all cars should be electric? Why or why not? No, I do not think ALL cars should be electric. There are several factors to consider if all vehicles were to be forced to be electric, compared to gas or diesel. Would they be affordable to all people? What are the maintenance costs? How long do the batteries last? We know cold weather causes battery life to decrease faster, so how much is the replacement cost and how long would the battery last on a single charge? My other concern with all electric vehicles is about horsepower. In our area, farmers and ranchers depend on larger horsepower pickups and trucks to do everyday operations on their farms. Could an electric semi pull a trailer full of livestock across the country without having to recharge? Most trucks can make this trip without refueling until the livestock are unloaded. My final concern is our power grid able to handle something like this? If not, what would the cost be to update it, so it would not affect consumers? Electric vehicles serve a purpose, but I do not believe they should be made mandatory to use by all. In the city, they make sense as most are just means of transportation from home to work. In rural areas, they do not make sense as they are used in many different ways. If there were more proven options available, they may be better used in these areas. What would be the advantages of having all electric cars? Emission control and fuel cost. What would be the disadvantages of having all electric cars? Affordability Could the power grid handle the charging of all these vehicles? Power: Is an electric pickup as strong as a gas or diesel pickup? Maintenance Costs: Mainly the cost to replace the battery. Disposal of batteries. The products used to make the batteries. How much can they drive before having to be recharged? What happens to the millions of gas and diesel powered vehicles? Do farmers have to use electric tractors and combines? Are these machines powerful enough to do what the consumer buys it for? Would certain laws have to be put in place for having all electric cars? If so, what? If having all electric cars were mandated what happens to the millions of gas and diesel cars? Are they deemed obsolete and then disposed of in some manner? I think there would have to be some rule which applied to the gas and diesel cars, so they could be slowly phased out of existence. Would you like to drive an electric car? Why or why not? I would drive one for fun, but I would not like to have one as my main family vehicle. When my family travels, we go long distances, and my concern would be about charging the vehicle and also about durability during the winter. I also would be concerned about maintenance costs, mainly the cost to replace the battery, which costs anywhere from $3,000-$20,000. I could buy a new vehicle for that price. Why do you believe there is a push for more electric cars? Emission control and the use of cleaner energy. Would electric cars be more expensive for consumers? Right now, they are very expensive, but who knows in the next ten to twenty years? Right now, on average, electric cars are $20,000 more than gas cars. If they were made mandatory, electric cars would have to be affordable otherwise the market would fail miserably. |
YES: Rock
Do you believe all cars should be electric? Why or why not? I believe automobile manufacturers should phase out gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles and produce alternative fueled vehicles over the next 10-15 years. Electric vehicles are a great alternative to the gasoline powered vehicles we primarily drive now. There is a finite amount of petroleum on Earth, and our reliance on it causes economic and social instability. Plus the burning of fossil fuels is a leading cause of climate change; our vehicles are a major producer of greenhouse gasses. What would be the advantages of having all electric cars? Electric cars are more efficient and cleaner than gasoline powered cars. As technology continues to advance, so does the capability of these vehicles. What would be the disadvantages of having all electric cars? The infrastructure is not adequate for large numbers of citizens to have electric cars, they can be pricey as well. Their performance in terms of range and power are not as good as gasoline powered vehicles. Repairs to electric cars can be fairly expensive as well. Although theoretically, breakdowns and malfunctions would happen less. Would certain laws have to be put in place for having all electric cars? If so, what? I can't imagine traffic laws would have to change; although if we begin to phase out gasoline powered-vehicles, laws may need to be in place to ensure compliance. States and municipalities may need federal funding to provide the infrastructure needed to transition away from gasoline. Would you like to drive an electric car? Why or why not? I would certainly like to; I bought a hybrid over the summer. The demand for electric cars right now is really high. Manufacturers can't make them fast enough, and there are waiting lists all over the country. Why do you believe there is a push for more electric cars? Gas prices and the catastrophic weather events caused by climate change. We only have 1 Earth and if we don't make significant changes to keep our Earth habitable we might not be here very much longer. Transitioning away from gasoline-powered vehicles is one way to combat climate change. Would electric cars be more expensive for consumers? They certainly are right now, but as they become more common on the market and as more manufacturers get in the game, they will become less expensive. |