• An electric car eliminates air pollutants and runs off a battery charged by a wall socket.electric outlet image by Dawn Williams from Fotolia.com
  
  Electric cars are powered solely by batteries. Electric cars feature numerous advantages over fossil-fuel-powered vehicles ranging from their reduced impact on the environment to smooth, quiet operation. Before deciding on an electric vehicle, review its specifications to ensure it will match your daily driving needs.
  
  

Emissions

• Since electric cars do not use fossil fuels to power the engine, they do not emit pollutants into the air. This makes electric vehicles the most environmentally friendly cars on the market. Hybrid vehicles, which combine electric power and fossil-fuel power, still produce air toxins; however, the emissions produced by hybrid vehicles are less than those produced by standard fossil-fuel cars.
  
  

Quiet

• Because an electric vehicle does not use an internal combustion engine, the noise level is greatly reduced. When the vehicle is running at lower speeds, normally less than 35 mph, its operation is virtually silent. Also, the ride is much smoother because of a lack of a transmission.
  
  

Tax Credit

• As of Dec. 31, 2009, consumers who purchase an all-electric car qualify for a maximum tax credit of $7,500 under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The minimum tax credit awarded for purchasing an electric car is $2,500; however, the actual credit amount is dependent on the battery capacity of the vehicle. To qualify for the credit, a consumer much purchase a vehicle with four or more wheels, have a battery with a minimum of four kilowatt hours and the car must weigh less than 14,000 lbs. Take note, this tax credit will be phased out after a manufacturer has sold at least 200,000 vehicles. After an electric-car manufacturer has met this quota, the credit will be phased out over the following 365 days. Contact the car manufacturer you plan to purchase from to determine if you would still qualify for the electric car tax credit.