There has been a lot of talk about legislation getting passed across the United States that will ban or limit the manufacturing of gas-powered vehicles beyond the year 2035. For environmentalists, this is great news, but for mechanics and other automotive professionals, we’re entering uncharted territory.
Car consultant Jason Grzesik believes that the electric vehicle trend still has a ways to go before it is broadly accepted as a true fuel alternative to gas-powered cars on the road today. Even if cars become fully electric by 2035, gas-fueled cars will still be on the road much later than that, so car repairmen will not become obsolete.
Another thing to consider is that while there are tax credits in place to help offset the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle, many areas of the country aren’t equipped with EV charging stations yet, making it more difficult for the driver to plan out their charges to make sure their car’s battery never dies. More and more infrastructure is being developed to address this issue, but it will likely take longer than we might think.
Finally, one must consider their lifestyle and charging habits. Are you the type of person to fall asleep before remembering to charge your phone? If you buy an electric vehicle, you’re going to need to make sure that you’re charging it regularly. If you’re a renter, your apartment or parking area might not be equipped with EV charging stations, so you may have to plan to use public charging stations in your area. These have different levels of charge which can require upwards of 1-2 hours to fully charge, so it might be difficult to incorporate car charging into your work routine.
Ultimately, the decision to purchase an electric vehicle is about lifestyle habits, disposable income, charging accessibility, and views on sustainability. You may want to research hybrid car models if electric cars are appealing to you, but perhaps they are out of your range for now.
