Electric cars do not need exhausts, as they do not produce any emissions. This is because they are made with an electric motor, rather than an internal combustion engine (ICE) as with traditional petrol or diesel cars.
In other words, an electric vehicle does not use fuel or produce gas which can pollute the air, and so there is no need for electric vehicles to be built with an exhaust system. Emissions produced by an electric car get released after the engine has finished running.
If an electric vehicle has a tailpipe, it is likely that this was added after the vehicle was built for aesthetic reasons.
Catalytic converter theft has become an increasing concern, particularly for hybrid owners. This is because the catalytic converters in hybrid cars are often less corroded than those on petrol or diesel cars and contain a higher concentration of precious metals which can be stolen and sold.
As pure electric vehicles do not have catalytic converters as part of a traditional exhaust system, the threat of catalytic converter theft is completely neutralised.
Depending on the issue, the cost of an exhaust repair could be over £1,000 to fix, especially if it is related to the catalytic converter. With no exhaust system in place, there is no need to pay for the same costly exhaust repairs traditional ICE cars may require.
Another bonus for electric vehicle owners is the savings that you can make when it comes to Clean Air Zones. Clean Air Zones are designed to improve the quality of the air in some designated UK locations, by charging higher-polluting vehicles to drive through these zones.
As electric vehicles produce zero emissions, they are exempt from these charges.
Likewise, electric vehicles do not need to pay the London Congestion Charge, as long as the owner has registered them with Transport For London (TFL).
Meanwhile, all ICE drivers must pay the Congestion Charge as they are not zero-emissions vehicles.
Since hybrid vehicles are fitted with internal combustion engine, they do have exhausts.
Any time the driver of a hybrid car is using the engine rather than the battery powered motor, the car will be producing emissions, which are expelled through the tailpipe.
One of the key differences between these types of vehicles is that an electric vehicle has far fewer parts than those that make up a conventional petrol or diesel car. Not to mention that electric vehicles are battery-powered, whilst petrol and diesel vehicles rely on an internal combustion engine, as previously mentioned.
It is also worth noting that an electric vehicle will require a different level of expertise when it comes to servicing, something that only specialist mechanics will be able to provide. When choosing between an electric vehicle or a traditional petrol or diesel car, it is a good idea to take all of these factors into account.
There are several reasons to why EVs are better for the environment than ICE vehicles:
As discussed, they do not produce any tailpipe emissions.
Charging can come from renewable sources, unlike fuel.
Whilst there are a lot of similarities between electric vehicles and petrol/diesel cars, it may interest you to learn that electric vehicles do not use gears. This isn’t the only part that electric vehicles do not need to use - this article can tell you everything you need to know.
Electric cars are zero-emissions vehicles because they use an electric motor alongside these lithium-ion batteries instead of an internal combustion engine. Read this guide to learn more about how EVs work.
Clean Air Zones appeared in several UK cities in 2021 and more are planned for 2022. But what are they? And how do you know if you’re affected by the restrictions? Learn more in this guide.