Charging is easy, you do most of it at home. Photo courtesy of reporter Zach Wallace.

  Electric cars have been becoming more and more popular at San Luis Obispo High School, as well as around the world, but are they going to be the only cars in the future?

With more variety and brands, electric cars really seem like they are taking off throughout the country. And with gas cars no longer being sold new after 2035, people will be forced to make the switch. 

  “I think soon all cars will be electric because it helps the environment,” said freshman Devin Brown.

  Many people are skeptical of electric cars because they think they won’t go far on one charge and that there aren’t sufficient charging networks. These concerns are of the past, as electric cars are improving battery capacity quickly and companies are building out charging networks for their vehicles. The longest lasting electric car, the Lucid Air, can travel 520 miles on one charge! 

  Public charging stations are also being built out; there are about 140,000 stations around the country, and many more are being built quickly. Plus, most charging is done at home so you won’t need to take an extra trip to fill up your car.

  Another myth is that all electric cars are much more expensive than gas cars. With the average new car costing 48,000 dollars, all cars are expensive nowadays, not just electric. There are numerous electric cars starting at under 30,000 dollars, and the U.S. government gives a 7,500 dollar rebate to buyers. After you factor in the money saved on gas, an electric car can become quite affordable. 

  The outlier would be electric pickups, as they are just starting to come out recently and haven’t lowered prices to affordable prices yet. This isn’t exclusive to electric however, as the average full size pickup is 62,000 dollars! 

  “I got a rebate on the car when I bought it. It was half off so the car cost me $16,000 and I’ll make that back on saved gas money by the time I drive it to the ground,” said English and newspaper teacher Scott Nairne.

  So anyway, are electric cars the future? The answer is yes. They are substantially better for the environment and don’t have many downsides anymore. 

  An average car will emit 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. An electric car won’t emit any carbon dioxide once it hits the road.

  So Tigers, consider your impact on the environment from driving, and don’t fall into the common misconceptions about electric cars.

Sources: moneygeek.com, topspeed.com, epa.gov