Many who have driven electric vehicles share a common experience: when the light turns green, the car accelerates silently, as if pulled by an invisible force, while nearby petrol vehicles only just start moving, quickly falling behind. There is no need for deliberate acceleration; the technology itself is so direct. After that initial push, many understand what it means to be unable to go back.
The smoothness of electric vehicles is immediately perceptible without the need for adjustment. There is no engine roar, no gear shifting, and no delay; speed builds up linearly, making short urban trips remarkably effortless. When the noise subsides, the changes in speed become even more pronounced. Returning to a petrol vehicle, the harsh engine sound feels jarring, as if time has rolled back to the last century.
Handling is no longer the same. With the battery positioned on the chassis, the center of gravity is significantly lower, allowing the vehicle to hug the road in corners. Even a family SUV outperforms its petrol counterparts in stability and agility. The feedback from the steering wheel is simple and direct, making its structural advantages apparent even to those without engineering knowledge.
The cost difference is equally stark. In the UK, petrol prices are high, with many family cars costing around sixty pounds to fill up, while in Hong Kong, it can easily exceed a thousand Hong Kong dollars. Electric vehicles can be charged at home, and in the UK, electricity can be as low as 7 pence per kilowatt-hour, with a full battery costing only about five pounds; while Hong Kong may not have such low rates, the everyday costs of using an electric vehicle are still far lower than those of petrol cars. Although the cost of long-distance fast charging is comparable to refueling, for most owners, 90% of their charging occurs at home, resulting in average costs that are significantly lower than those of petrol vehicles. Over time, the reluctance to return to queuing at petrol stations becomes evident.
Convenience fundamentally changes the way we use cars. Simply plugging in the vehicle at home takes ten seconds, and by the next day, it is fully charged, eliminating the need to plan trips to the petrol station. Heating and air conditioning can be used at any time without the need for the engine to idle, alleviating concerns about parking without turning off the ignition and avoiding fines. In summer, running the air conditioning while waiting in Hong Kong no longer feels guilty, and in winter, waiting for children to finish school in the UK is no longer a shivering ordeal.
The environmental burden is a clear dividing line. Electric vehicles produce zero emissions while driving, avoiding the release of exhaust fumes towards pedestrians, thus reducing both air pollution and climate change. After driving an electric vehicle for a while, returning to a petrol car and seeing the exhaust pipe emit white or black smoke feels unnatural.
Many drivers, when renting cars abroad, become acutely aware of the differences. Getting into a petrol vehicle means suddenly having to listen to the engine noise, wait for gear changes, and search for petrol stations; the entire rhythm feels like a return to an earlier generation of technology. This sense of ‘regression’ is not an exaggeration but rather a contrast recorded by the human experience.
Concerns about electric vehicles from the public are largely psychological barriers. With a range generally exceeding 250 miles and fast charging networks expanding yearly, the real obstacle is not technology but the imagination before personal experience. Once crossed, the reasons to look back diminish.
Electric vehicles are not a panacea; sometimes public transport may be a better choice. However, there is no doubt that electric vehicles are quieter, smoother, cheaper, and cleaner than petrol cars. As driving becomes easier, costs become manageable, and the burden on air and climate is alleviated, the combination of noise, emissions, and fuel costs associated with petrol vehicles will naturally be relegated to history. The tide of technology moves forward; once you have experienced it, looking back becomes difficult.
