What is the IRA?
An acronym for Inflation Reduction Act, it is a current attempt to slow down economic recession. The thought process behind this decision was that if prices continue to rise, the poverty in the United States will increase, significantly damaging its economy. Simultaneously, Joe Biden is trying to improve the environment by enforcing this act through supply chains for electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This is done so by providing $369 billion to these companies, allowing them to lower their prices and encourage sales.
Pros:
One of the many benefits of buying clean vehicles is that electricity, which is used to power these cars, is a lot cheaper than gasoline. Especially in recent times, due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, access to gasoline, which was mainly provided by Russia, has become difficult, resulting in gas prices skyrocketing. Additionally, these types of cars are even easier to maintain than gas-powered cars. A clean vehicle owner wouldn’t have to undergo the struggles of oil chances and maintenance. This would be another way going green saves money. Another reason would be because electric cars are renowned for being nearly silent while moving, approximately 40 decibels which is around the sound level of a refrigerator softly humming. In contrast, a gas-powered car without a muffler is around 90-100 decibels. Not only that, but the government actually rewards you for purchasing an electric car by lowering the amount of taxes you pay. Recently set by the IRA, it can save you up to $7,500 just for buying a new EV (electric vehicle). Finally, EVs are significantly faster. The Tesla Model S has the capability to go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2 seconds, compared to the slow average of 5 seconds that gas-powered cars are capable of.
Cons:
However, with so many benefits, there are also a few disadvantages such as toxic resources. The lithium-ion batteries used to build EV batteries are highly toxic, and when these materials end up in landfills, it can damage the environment. Also, the batteries have the potential to release toxic fumes which can be harmful to humans and may even cause cancer. Secondly, clean vehicles can’t travel as far. They can’t contain as much “juice” to power them through long distance travel, whereas a gas-powered car can. Adding on to this point, there is a serious lack of public charging ports. Because electric cars are so new, there aren’t nearly as many charging ports as there are gas stations, shortening their range even further.
Conclusion
All in all, it is highly suggested to buy an electric car due to the numerous benefits that outweigh the disadvantages. While reaping the benefits, you can also do your part of helping the community by cleaning up the environment. The fumes that are released from the burning of gas, also known as greenhouse gasses, are slowly chipping away at our ozone layer, heating up our planet and making us more prone to skin cancer. For the sake of the environment, switch things up and go green.
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