Top 7 Myths About Environmentally Friendly Cars
One can never believe every word in online or newspaper articles by 100 percent because there are always misconceptions and false information. When it comes to green cars, which include electric, cell-powered, hybrid and solar cars, we discover several myths about them as well. Some of them are just useful for car manufacturers; the others come as a result of common misunderstanding. Nevertheless one should think those facts over if one considers buying a green car.
Myth #1 – Greenest Cars Are Very Expensive
Most people believe that environmentally friendly cars are sold at a high price and are not affordable for people with low income. However there are some electric cars that cost as much as average gasoline vehicles.
Myth #2 ? With a Green Car There Are No High Maintenance Expenses
Even though a green car may seem to be a reliable mechanism made of durable parts, driving and using such a car has some hidden maintenance expenses. Since electric cars run on rechargeable batteries they need to be recharged quite often which might be rather costly considering the price for electricity nowadays. Moreover sooner or later rechargeable batteries will have to be replaced with new ones which are quite expensive as well.
Myth #3 ? Greenest Cars Are The Most Environmentally Friendly
It?s true that green cars help to reduce pollution and produce less exhaust fumes than most conventional gasoline vehicles but as a matter of fact greenest cars are not that green. Even though some hybrid cars run on electric power or hydrogen at low speeds combined with usage of a gasoline engine only at higher speeds, they still use a lot of gas and do pollute the atmosphere. Some specialists believe that buying a small economy car is more environmentally friendly than buying a powerful hybrid car.
Myth #4 ? Greenest Cars Are Widely-Spread
With all the big talk and spirited debates about green cars one may come to a conclusion that these cars are best-selling, widely-distributed and they start ?driving? gasoline cars out of the car market. However the production of green cars makes only 1.8 percent of the whole US car market and it will take quite a long time before they start playing any considerable part in it.
Myth #5 ? All Green Cars Are Absolutely Safe
Driving some types of environmentally friendly cars such as most cell-powered and some hybrid cars with hydrogen engines makes them extremely dangerous on the road. In case of any collision the explosion of hydrogen accompanied by oxygen which is also used in such engines might cover vast areas.
Myth #6 ? Most Green Cars Are Small and Uncomfortable Inside
This statement might be fair only if we talk about such a representative of green cars as a Smart car. However the majority of environmentally friendly cars is as spacious as conventional vehicles and has a rather big storage space.
Myth #7 ? Electric Cars Can Operate Long Hours without Recharging
In fact most electric cars can be driven only 35 miles. After that the batteries need to be recharged. Thus if you travel long distances by car an electric vehicle is not what you need.
Environmentally Friendly Cars
Environmentally friendly cars are supposed to be the vehicles of future? generations. Nevertheless such cars exist now and are becoming more popular in the modern car market than conventional vehicles which work on fossil fuels. The advantages of such cars are not only in their lower harmfulness for the environment and people?s health but also in the lower fuel costs. However their production is rather expensive, so it is a moot point both for the customers and the automobile manufacturers. So they are more expensive to buy but they pay for themselves in a period of about 5 years because they consume less expensive fuels.
Here are the common types of environmentally friendly cars:
- Electric cars;
- Fuel-cell-powered cars (hydrogen and oxygen cars);
- Hybrid cars;
- Solar cars.
Electric cars operate on rechargeable batteries which are the most expensive parts of this type of vehicles. Most electric cars look like conventional vehicles and one usually cannot tell them apart. Electric cars are very quiet and produce no exhaust fumes at all. The interior of the cars is stuffed with wiring harness.
Fuel-cell-powered cars operate on chemical reactions between different fuel cells (like hydrogen and oxygen) which merge to turn into a new matter. As a matter of fact fuel-cell-powered cars are similar to electric cars because they work on electricity which comes as a result of such chemical reactions. They are also as quiet and ecological as electric ones, plus fuel-cell-powered cars almost don?t need any maintenance or repairs because there is almost no friction between the car parts of such vehicles. All in all this kind of environmentally friendly cars is supposed to be very economical and ecological and could be the champion among green cars but for one essential aspect ? hydrogen is a very flammable gas and when it comes with oxygen a car accident can be very destructive.
Hybrid cars are something in between electric cars, fuel-cell-powered cars or gasoline cars. They are very ecological and produce almost no exhaust fumes. Hybrid cars are more widespread than other environmentally friendly cars.
Solar cars operate on the solar energy which they accumulate with the help of built-in solar panels. Solar cars have a very peculiar shape which most likely resembles spaceships from Star Wars. They are more uncommon and are not produced on regular basis. They can be driven at high speeds for a long time powered only by the energy of the sun.
Environmentally friendly cars have become the choice of many people who decided to reduce the influence of burning fossil fuels on the nature.

