Electric vehicles are receiving a lot of attention right now, owing to the fact that air quality has become such a prominent problem. Conventionally powered vehicles (petrol and diesel) are a major cause of pollution in congested city centres, and one of the primary benefits of electric automobiles is that you'll be helping to minimise air pollution.
Electric cars have been present since the birth of driving at the start of the twentieth century, but they have only recently become a mass-market prospect. The Nissan Leaf (introduced in 2010) was the first major model built from the start to be an electric vehicle, and the market has since grown with variants from BMW, Tesla, and Renault, among others.
There are several factors to consider while debating the advantages of electric vehicles and whether or not an electric vehicle is good for you. We've compiled a list of benefits and drawbacks to consider before making the transition.
Electric vehicles have the following advantages:
Enhance local air quality
Because it is more efficient, fuel expenditures are reduced.
It's a breeze to drive and gets about town quickly.
Service is less expensive (BEVs)
Grants lower the cost of purchases (BEV and PHEV)
Can rapidly refuel (HEVs and PHEVs)
Electric vehicle disadvantages:
More expensive to purchase
Value depreciates faster
The public charging network is patchy (BEVs and PHEVs)
Insurance is often more expensive.
The range is often restricted (BEVs)
Sometimes it is no more economical than a regular automobile (HEVs and PHEVs)
Can take a long time to charge (BEVs) (BEVs)
There was a wide selection of hybrid vehicles to choose from before the current proliferation of inexpensive and practical electric vehicles. Many people don't understand the difference between a hybrid vehicle and an electric one. There are five different kinds of electric vehicles and there is a distinction.
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
- These are electric cars that are powered solely by electricity stored in battery packs.
- If you buy one of these you'll need to charge it at home, in the office or at a charging station.
- You won't have an engine in your vehicle, so if the battery dies, your car will need to be towed to the nearest service center.
- BEVs (battery electric vehicles) range from the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe to the Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X, while BMW only offers one model
Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
HEVs have an electric only range of just four miles because of the size of the battery pack. By fitting a larger set of batteries, the electric-only range can be increased to more than 30 miles, and efficiency can be improved by having the ability to charge the car via a mains supply. Plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) are cars that bridge the gap between a pure electric car and a conventional hybrid in that it contains the best elements of both. Over the past couple of years, these cars have become more and more common with the introduction of models by BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Volkswagen and many more.
Range extender (REX)
The range extender uses a petrol engine and battery pack like a plug-in hybrid. The wheels are constantly driven by electric motors powered by the engine-charged battery pack. The engine only generates power, but the battery pack may be charged from the grid. The first UK range extenders were the Vauxhall Ampera and Chevrolet Volt, which are no longer offered. The BMW i3 and i8 are still available.
Hydrogen fuel cell
To further complicate matters, there is a fifth type of electric vehicle: the hydrogen fuel cell. The sole vehicle available in the United Kingdom is the Toyota Mirai, although Hyundai formerly had a hydrogen-powered ix35. Despite the fact that automobile manufacturers have been developing hydrogen fuel cell models for decades, the technology is still in its infancy. Also limited is the infrastructure, since there are only four hydrogen refuelling stations in the United Kingdom, three of which are located in London. Reducing the cost, enhancing the dependability, and minimising the size of the technology are obstacles to producing a commercial hydrogen fuel cell automobile.
While mass-market hydrogen fuel cell automobiles are still a ways off, the technology is now being used to buses, which, when powered by diesel, are one of the most polluting vehicles in metropolitan areas. By switching to hydrogen, this pollution is avoided entirely, since a hydrogen fuel cell emits only water.
Despite the fact that there are five distinct electrification methods, they are all referred to as AFVs, or Alternative Fuelled Vehicles. Consequently, an AFV is just a vehicle that is electrified, which may be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a range extender, with the occasional hydrogen fuel cell tossed in for good measure.
As of the end of September, such vehicles accounted for 4.6% of all automobiles sold in the United Kingdom, which is equivalent to about 94,000 units. But is an AFV the correct choice for you?