As the general consumer becomes more aware of the impact his / her actions have on the environment, electric vehicles are fast becoming a preferred method of transportation.
And car manufacturers are paying attention to this trend. From Toyota’s Prius to Chevrolet’s Volt, there are close to two dozen different EVs on the market now, each one equipped with an electric motor powered by a battery instead of (or sometimes in addition to) an internal combustion engine that burns gasoline for power. This results in reduced or no greenhouse-gas emissions which, in turn, means a much smaller carbon footprint for the owner.
Now, while electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular by the day, there is still that a lot that is unknown about them. Below are 12 facts about the new technology that consumers are often surprised to discover when they first begin investigating the idea of owning an electric vehicle.
1. Electric vehicles have been around for a (long) time now
The idea of a car being powered by a battery is nothing new — in fact, the first model of this type was invented way back in the 1830s, and the first one to be made commercially available, complete with rechargeable batteries and all, hit the market in 1881.
So what happened? Following the end of World War I, it was believed petrol cars were more reliable, especially with the improvements being made to the internal combustion engine at the time. Couple that with the fact that petrol was more available at the time and highway infrastructures were rapidly expanding, the electric vehicle quickly fell out of favor with the consumer.
2. While they might not necessarily be the solution to our environmental problems, they are a step in the right direction
A misconception often associated with electric vehicles is that they result in no pollution whatsoever. The fact of the matter is that CO2 emissions are created whenever electricity is generated; the amount that is emitted, however, depends on the make and model of the vehicle. For what it’s worth, the pollutants emitted by an EV are significantly less than those compared to a conventional vehicle, especially when you consider the fact that these cars are without any tail pipe pollution.
3. Electric vehicles are not as expensive as you might think
Many people shy away from owning electric vehicles because it’s believed they have a higher than average sticker price. Well, according to Kelley Blue Book, in November 2013 the average price for a new car was $32,769. If you take the average price of a new EV, which falls somewhere between $35,000 and $40,000 and subtract the $7,500 rebate the government gives you for your EV purchase, almost every plug-in car on the market is cheaper than a standard model (and that’s not including the additional rebate incentives some states include as well).
Worth noting: the cost for the battery (the most expensive part of an EV) is on a downward trend: before 2009, a 100-mile range electric battery cost $33,000. Presently, this technology costs about $17,000, and it is projected to drop to $10,000 by the end of 2015.
4. Today’s models have more muscle to them
Tesla Roadster Electric cars are largely responsible for the recent increase in EV performance we’ve been seeing. This is largely due to the fact that the cars have instant acceleration, and there are no gears to change. While most electric cars have their top speed limited, some Tesla models have a top speed of 125 MPH.
Worth noting: the electric Peugeot EX1 recently beat the electric world record lap at the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany by 50 seconds. It was able to finish the twisting, 12-mile track in just over 9 minutes. Gas-powered cars have posted times under 7 minutes, but the Peugeot’s recording goes to show EVs are not too far behind.
5. Not all EVs are small — in fact, they’re starting to get bigger
Believe it or not, the sports utility vehicle, the very symbol of terrible gas mileage, is now being designed as an electric vehicle. Companies are beginning to develop crossover models, built around a smarter, overall platform and significantly reduced in weight. Toyota’s RAV-4, a hybrid model, is the most popular on the market, but it is expected to see increased competition in the next year or so.
6. While there are several different types of electric vehicle, they can all mostly fit under three main categories.
As the technology develops, EV designs will continue to branch off in different directions in an attempt to find the model most popular with the general public. Presently speaking though, there are three different types of electric vehicle on the market:
A “pure” battery electric vehicle : The Nissan Leaf is a good example of this model. It uses its battery back to deliver electricity to the motor that powers the front wheels. It offers, by far, the most simplistic set-up.
A “range-extended” electric vehicle : The Chevrolet Volt is a good example of this model. It uses its battery pack to power the front wheels for about 40 miles or so. Once the pack is used up, a gasoline “range extender” engine switches on, which powers a generator to make more electricity to power the driver motor.
A “plug-in hybrid” : The Toyota Prius is a good example of this model. It has an electric drive motor and a gasoline engine that switches on when maximum power is needed.
7. Sophisticated battery technology
Batteries for electric vehicles have come a long way since they were first introduced, especially when you consider the fact that older models used lead acid batteries. While they were cheaper to use, they didn’t last long, and needed to be replaced pretty quickly.
Modern-day electric vehicles are now using Lithium-ion batteries. While a bit more expensive, they last longer, and companies are now beginning to throw guarantees behind them. Case in point: Nissan is now offering an eight-year or 100,000 mile warranty on their batteries.
8. You can charge them up (almost) anywhere
One of the more convenient things about owning a newer modeled electric vehicle is the fact that you can charge it up at home or at work. All you need is a 240-volt outlet, similar to that which you would use to power an electric stove or clothes dryer. Charging times will vary, but the average EV will take somewhere between 6 to 8 hours to fully power up.
Away from home, there are more than 5,000 public charging stations across the country, so refueling one’s electric vehicle away from home is much easier nowadays. Check out the Alternative Fueling Station Locator to find one near you.
9. With great technology comes great responsibility
Often overlooked is the massive amount of technology that goes into making an electric vehicle perform like all other automobiles on the market. And as any design engineer will tell you, the more technology you add, the greater the amount of the risk there is that something might fail.
Whether you’re designing an electric vehicle or your typical gasoline-powered automobile, as the engineer / designer, you’re not only responsible for the safety of the driver, but all the other drivers on the road. Measures must be taken to ensure the internal circuitry both under the hood as well as within the cabin of the car is not at risk of overpowering, overheating, or any other form of failure that would either distract the driver or otherwise cause the vehicle to misbehave. Fortunately, there are specialists out there like Littelfuse, the global leader in circuit protection, which offer automobile manufacturers all of the circuit protection components necessary to make sure the car not only runs well, but operates safely and efficiently.
To learn about the full range of vehicle circuit protection components the company has to offer, click on Littelfuse’s Circuit Protection Application Matrix below, which simplifies the decision making process when it comes to selecting the proper circuit protection devices for your next application:
10. While the range in EVs was relatively short in the past, they’re getting longer with each new model
One of the problems that comes with owning a vehicle powered by a battery is that the battery needs to last as long as the trip itself. Drivers do not want to be in the middle of nowhere when the battery dies out. As such, this has been one of the greater hurdlers associated with owning an EV. And it’s one of the technologies that automobile manufacturers are really beginning to focus on.
The goal now is to provide a driver with a range of at least 100 miles per charge. Some of the models that can already promise this include Nissan’s Leaf and the BMW Mini E. Tesla Motors offers electric cars with the greatest range, but this distance can only be achieved when driven at moderate speeds.
11. Building an electric vehicle is fast becoming a hobbyist trend
Yup, you read that right — hobbyists are now taking their existing vehicles and converting them into electric cars.
This is no easy task, but with the aid of manuals and conversion kits, it’s certainly do-able. Check out diyelectriccar.com for more information on what goes into converting a car to electric.
12. Electric vehicles are here to stay
It’s estimated that by 2020, 10% of all cars will run on battery power alone, and that 30% of all new cars purchased will either be a hybrid or battery-only version.
To date, Japanese drivers have purchased the most electric cars. The US, China, France, and Norway follow in order to round out the top 5.
Worth noting of this list is the fact that Norway has over 10,000 electric vehicles registered, making it the highest electric vehicle ownership per capita (.3% of their total number of cars).
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