Comparison / Contrast Paper

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Yixiang Zhang

Tamara Kuzmenkov

English 101

June 2, 2020

Comparing Gas-Powered Cars and Electric Cars

Electric cars have become increasingly popular in the past century. These cars use

electric motors instead of conventional gasoline engines. Electric cars pollute less and utilize

energy more efficiently than gas-powered vehicles; therefore, modern research is focusing on

improving electric vehicles, such as increasing the storage capacity of the batteries. This essay

seeks to identify the differences and similarities between the two types of cars focusing on their

performance, price, and convenience.

An electric car is a car that is primarily powered by electricity. The conventional gas-

powered cars require diesel or gasoline to power the engines. These cars have gas tanks that store

fuel and the engine converts the gas to the energy that powers the motor. Similarly, electric cars

have batteries, or fuel cells that store and convert electricity to energy used to propel electric

motors (What Are Electric Cars?). Four components present in electric cars distinguish it from

the gas-powered cars (Alternative Fuels Data Center: How Do All-Electric Cars Work?). The

first is the charge port. Since electricity powers an electric car, there has to be a port to connect

to an external power source when charging the battery. The second is an electric traction motor

that propels the vehicle. The third is a traction battery pack. This battery serves the same purpose

as the gas tank; thus, it stocks electric power to propel the motor. The forth is a direct current

converter. This component converts the current to low voltage power that is needed to power the

electric engine.

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Differences between gas-powered cars and electric cars

The initial purchase price of an electric car is much higher than that of a gas-powered car.

Consumers intending to own a vehicle have the option of buying or leasing. The initial cost of a

car depends on an individual's disposable income and savings. Knez et al. noted that "When it

comes to financial features, the most important thing seems to be the total price of the vehicle"

(55). The difference in price between electric and gas engine cars is a significant factor in

influencing consumers' decisions. For instance, the electric BMW i3 model costs approximately

$44,450 with a tax credit of $7,500 (Electric Vehicle Tax Credits). A similar gas-powered BMW

125i released in the same year as the i3 model has a price of approximately $30,000. The electric

car is more expensive.

Electricity is the primary energy source in electric cars, while gasoline or diesel is the

primary source of energy in a gas-powered vehicle. The gas moves from the gas tank into the

combustion chamber, where it combines with air. The resulting mixture burns to release energy

that propels the engine and moves the vehicle. Gas-powered cars can either use gasoline or

diesel. Both sources of energy require combustion, but the difference is, in a diesel engine, the

pistons compress the air first then the valves allow the fuel into the combustion chamber. In a

gasoline engine, the pistons compress the air and fuel together. In an electric car, electricity is the

source of energy. The vehicle has a charging port that connects to an external power source and

charges the traction battery pack. The electric cars can use an inductive coupling charger or a

conductive coupling charger. Tie and Chee mentioned that "the conductive charging method is

most widely used and it has two charging methods, namely on-board and off-board methods"

(93). Most electric vehicle owners charge their batteries at night, but diesel engine car owners

can fuel at any time.

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Also, since the traction battery stores all the power, electric cars can accelerate much

faster than gasoline cars. The car can attain a high speed in a short time when accelerating from a

stationary position. On the other hand, the gasoline engine car needs to burn the gas in the air's

presence for it to move. The car takes longer to attain a high speed; thus, it has a lower

acceleration.

Another difference is that electric cars use energy more efficiently than gas-powered

vehicles. The direct current converter converts the electrical power to energy at a more efficient

rate. Fueleconomy.Gov reports that "Conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 12% to

30% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels". On the other hand, the electric

engine converts about seventy percent of the electric power into energy. Another distinguishing

factor that differentiates the efficiency of energy consumption in electric and gas engine cars is

the braking system. In a gas-powered car, the kinetic energy generated when the car is in motion

is lost during braking. In an electric car, the regenerative braking system stores the energy back

to the battery. One of the ways in which the braking system operates is to "store the regenerative

braking energy as gravitational energy" (Tie & Chee, 92). The conversion of energy and the

braking system in an electric car leads to more efficient energy consumption.

Electric cars have lower maintenance costs than gas-powered cars. The gas-powered

engines have parts such as pistons and combustion chambers that are not present in an electric

engine. Car owners need to lubricate these parts to ensure they are functioning efficiently. The

electric engine has fewer parts; therefore, the maintenance costs are lower than in gas engine

cars. Propfe et al. reported that electric cars require fewer maintenance services because they

have "no motor oil change and less brake wear due to energy recuperation" (892). A gas-

powered engine requires periodic transmission fluid changes; thus, the cars have higher

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maintenance costs. For electric cars, the most important maintenance service is battery change,

which is rarely required. However, both electric and gasoline engine cars require routine

maintenance services such as the change of tires.

Electric cars have fewer emissions than gas-powered cars. Burning gasoline or diesel

produces energy to run vehicles, but it also produces greenhouse gases. "Plug-in electrics are

responsible for about 30% fewer climate-changing greenhouse gases than conventional gasoline-

powered cars" (Pappas, 164). Electric cars do not combust fuel; therefore, they do not have

exhaust pipes. Carbon dioxide forms a more significant percentage of the emissions from

burning fuel. "The substitution of a fuel car by an electric car would decrease carbon dioxide

emissions by less than 6 tons over 15 years" (Prud 'Homme & Martin, 10). The conversion of

electric power to energy does not have any emissions.

Gas-powered cars can travel longer distances than electric cars. The average fuel tank

capacity of a mid-sized vehicle, such as a Toyota Camry, is fifteen gallons. Considering the

average distance travelled with one gallon is twenty-five miles, a full tank on a Toyota Camry

can travel 375 miles. This distance is considerable compared to the Tesla Model 3 that can travel

220 miles after a full charge (Stewart). The gasoline engine is much more convenient because it

covers a more significant distance. Also, a gasoline car is easier to refill than an electric charge,

which takes time. Pearre et al. explained that electrical energy has two drawbacks, "storing it is

more bulky and expensive, and refuelling is slow" (2). A gasoline engine car can thus travel

longer than an electric vehicle, and it is easier to refuel.

Gas-powered and electric cars have several differences, but there are similarities too. The

exterior design of vehicles seeks to reduce air resistance when the vehicle is moving. Both types

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of cars have streamlined shapes that minimize resistance and increase efficiency. Also, the

interior design of the vehicles is similar. Both types of cars have common internal parts such as

pedals, steering wheel and seats.

The primary energy source in an electric car is electric power, while the source of energy

in a gas-powered car is gasoline or diesel. The two types of cars have different engines and

energy storage components. The battery in an electric car has a similar role as the gas tank in a

gas-powered car. The technology used in electric cars is fairly expensive; therefore, the purchase

price of these cars is higher than the gasoline-driven cars. Electric cars have fewer parts; thus, the

maintenance cost is lower than in gas-powered cars. Electric cars are limited in the distance

travelled because electrical energy is challenging to store in bulk.

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Works Cited

All-Electric Vehicles. Fueleconomy.Gov, 2020,

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/evtech.shtml.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: How Do All-Electric Cars Work?. Afdc.Energy.Gov,

https://afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/how-do-all-electric-cars-work.

Electric Vehicle Tax Credits: What You Need To Know. Edmunds.Com, 2019,

https://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/the-ins-and-outs-of-electric-vehicle-tax-

credits.html. Accessed 29 May 2020.

Knez, Matjaz, Borut Jereb, and Matevz Obrecht. "Factors Influencing the Purchasing Decisions

of Low Emission Cars: a Study of Slovenia." Transportation research Part D: Transport

and environment 30 (2014): 53-61.

Pappas, John CK. "A New prescription for electric cars." Energy LJ 35 (2014): 151-198.

Pearre, Nathaniel S., et al. "Electric vehicles: How much range is required for a day’s

driving?." Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 19.6 (2011): 1171-

1184.

Propfe, Bernd, et al. "Cost analysis of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles including maintenance &

repair costs and resale values." World Electric Vehicle Journal 5.4 (2012): 886-895.

Prud'homme, Rémy, and Martin Koning. "Electric vehicles: A tentative economic and

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environmental evaluation." Transport Policy 23 (2012): 1-21.

Stewart, Jack. Tesla Launches $35,000 Model 3 ... Finally - Marketplace. Marketplace, 2019,

https://www.marketplace.org/2019/03/01/tesla-launches-35000-model-3-finally/

Tie, Siang Fui, and Chee Wei Tan. "A review of energy sources and energy management system

in electric vehicles." Renewable and sustainable energy reviews 20 (2013): 82-102.

"What Are Electric Cars?". Union Of Concerned Scientists, 2015,

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-are-electric-cars.