[Infographic] How Electric Cars (and the Tesla Model S) Work

With more and more electric cars hitting the mainstream market in the U.S., the way we drive and refuel is changing. First shown to the public in 2006, the Tesla Roadster was the first highway-capable car produced in the U.S. By 2008, 100 cars had been delivered to consumers across the country. Since then, more and more research has been done on how electric cars compare to all other standard vehicles on the road today. It is estimated that electric cars emit one-tenth as much climate pollution (15 tCO2) as a large gasoline fueled SUV (over 160 tCO2). Charging an electric vehicle also costs drivers less than drivers who are required to fill their tanks with gas (on a national average, people who drive electric cars pay the equivalent of $1.41 per gallon of gas in fueling expenses), and cost of maintenance is lower for electric car owners. The following infographic sheds more light on the differences between electric and standard vehicles, illustrates how an electric car is built, and hints at what the electric car industry might look like in the future.