With global warming becoming a severe issue, consumers have become aware of the need to embrace renewable energy programs directly and come to terms with more sustainable transportation options.

“Global warming is bad. If we do not stop killing the environment, we will not be able to live in the Earth anymore,” Jamil Thomas, a senior, said. 

Replacing internal combustion engine cars with electric cars has the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.

On the other hand, there are still many people who just don’t believe electric cars can replace gas cars. Even many automakers are not yet sold on the technology. Nonetheless, nearly every major brand has announced significant future electrification plans.

“Electric cars are not affordable at all, Almost every electric car is over $30,000 and I am a teenager that needs a car to get around and if we only had electric cars on this earth than I would not be able to get to school or work and I think that not being able to afford an electric car would be a very major problem for most people,” Christopher Li, a senior, said.

There is no doubt that electric cars are becoming more popular. Prices are becoming more competitive with traditional gas cars. However, eliminating the gas engine altogether will be difficult, if not impossible.

Gas cars are also becoming more efficient, thanks to new technology and new materials. Therefore, gasoline engines will never be regulated out of existence any time soon.

Neither electric cars nor gas cars are perfect. The decision to buy one or the other comes down to preference.

“I choose a gas car over an electric car because gas cars have more power and more fueling stations. Imagine driving around in an electric car and you come to a steep hill you start lacking the power to get over that hill,” Jeremy Chen, a senior, said. “As I’m driving down the highway in my electric car I don’t want to stop and pull over and plug in my car and have to wait for my car to recharge the batteries.”

Senior Gabe Feliciano has another take on that.

“While I understand that many electric cars are considered too slow and to take too long to charge to be practical, we must take into account the rise of a recent company called Tesla. They have managed to make an electric car that goes more than fast enough to meet your needs and it only takes twenty minutes to charge,” he said.