By Courtney Han

Your night light, computer, vacuum cleaner and now your car all have something in common—they can be charged using a simple electric outlet. No, we’re not talking about a small toy car. Real, life-size cars can now run on electricity.

Unlike hybrid cars, electric cars do not require gas. They run completely on clean energy, which is very beneficial for the environment. Electric cars do not release any greenhouse gases, which means that they do not contribute to air pollution in any way. According to About’s Environment page, automobiles in the United States alone account for half of greenhouse gases emitted by automobiles around the world.

Electric cars would also heavily reduce the need for gasoline and oil, causing less oil spills. It is also a lot cheaper to refuel an electric car. It costs about two cents per mile to refuel an electric car as opposed to a gasoline car, which costs around 12 cents per mile, Hybrid Cars roughly estimates.

In addition, Fuel Economy states that electric vehicles can convert 59 percent to 62 percent of their electrical “fuel” into power used by the car, while gasoline vehicles can only convert 17 percent to 21 percent. This makes electric cars much more energy efficient.

Since the idea of an electric car is so different from what consumers are used to, many have doubts. Won’t my electric bill skyrocket? What happens if my car runs out of energy and I am nowhere near home? Of course, your electric bill will be higher but you will no longer have to spend money on gasoline. The average American spends about $2,000 a year on gas, The Huffington Post reports.

The one downside to electric cars is the inconvenience of having to find a wall socket to plug your car into. Some electric cars can be plugged into any regular home wall socket, which is 120 watts. However, others require special wall sockets that are installed into your house once you purchase the car. Luckily, battery technology is developing at a fast rate and car companies hope to increase miles per charge, making it a lot easier to go on long road trips with an electric car.

With companies like BMW, Nissan and Ford all coming out with their own version, electric cars will definitely be the future of automobiles. Who knows what’s next—maybe we will be able to plug in airplanes!

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