Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular, cheaper and practical to run as the years go by.
EVs have previously been branded as impractical and aspirational due to the lack of infrastructure embedded in the UK. EVs rely on the use of charging points to operate. In contrast to petroleum and Fiedler fuelled cars whereby we have nationwide access to petrol stations, in cities, towns and even motorways.
The impracticality of EVs is becoming a thing of the past as recent announcements suggest from the UK government.
The UK’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy has announced its plans to have installed 300,000 charge points as a minimum by 2030. Their goal is to “ensure these charge points are installed ahead of demand, inspiring confidence in drivers who have not yet made the switch….. but, there could potentially be more than double that number”.
With this in mind, what are the advantages and disadvantages of Electric Vehicles on our roads?
The Advantages of Electric Vehicles (EVs)
Electric vehicles are better for the environment
A variety of Researchers from the universities of Cambridge, Exeter and Nijmegen in The Netherlands conducted research. Found that Electric vehicles produce 31% lower emissions per kilometre than petrol cars. This is a significant difference and will likely be a primary driver in our current climate crisis.
Less noisy, in contrast to petrol and diesel cars.
Electric Vehicles are significantly quieter than other petrol/diesel-fuelled cars. This is because they have a different type of motor as they don’t involve the burning of gasoline.
Electric vehicles have Access to Low Emission Zones (LEZ) and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ)
This enables electric car drivers to access the whole of London. As well as Glasgow when that is implemented in June 2023. In comparison to petrol and hybrid cars where must meet Euro 4 standards to avoid being charged. Diesel cars have to meet euro 6 standards to avoid the penalties put in place by the City of London. If you seek information about the penalty charges in London click here. Electric cars are also exempt from the £15 congestion charge zone (CCZ), until 2025. The exemption from the CCZ is only a privilege for fully EVs and not hybrid vehicles.
Electric cars are simpler and require less maintenance
EVs have lower running costs, due to the fewer amount of parts needed for them to function, in contrast to petrol or diesel engines.
Therefore, reducing the need for regular maintenance and the replacement of parts.
The majority of Electric vehicles are automatic and only use a single gear. This is due to the greater efficiency and broader power band inherent in EV motors.
Negatives of Electric Vehicles
Electric Cars have been branded as too quiet, making them a safety concern.
Electric cars have been branded too quiet by the government which has been considering ways to make them louder. result of safety concerns for those close by. As of 2019, the government has mandated that new electric and hybrid cars must install an acoustic sound system to prevent anyone from getting hit due to their lack of awareness of the car in their surroundings.
Electric vehicles have a high upfront cost
The average cost of an Electic vehicle is around £50,000 with cars ranging from £22,000 to up to £160,000+. In comparison, the average new petrol-fueled car is between £12,000 and £17,000. The difference in the upfront cost might not be accessible to everyone in the UK, as the average UK salary per year is around £28,000.
The price of the electric car will also increase if you wish to install a home electric charging point too.
However, the reduced costs of maintenance/lack of maintenance charges might ease up the overall costs of the car.
Power Infrastructure
The government are investing a significant amount of money to have the power infrastructure installed for EVs. However, as it currently stands the infrastructure is still fairly limited.
Most models of electric vehicles have a 50 – 100 miles run on a single charge, with newer premium models running significantly further with over 250 miles on a single charge. Once again relying on the ability of consumers being able to afford the price of electric cars.
Conclusion
I am so optimistic about the potential electric cars can bring to the planet through the significant reduction in emissions produced and cleaner air around the world.
Electric cars will be a key solution, just not as of yet. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done in ensuring the infrastructure is there.
In regards to the price of EVs, they will gradually decrease over time when more second-hand EVs are introduced onto the market and petrol-fuelled vehicles phase out of the market.
With practical usability, Electric cars can be driven on long journeys, you have to know what your car can do on a single battery and check where the power stations are.
Hybrid cars are probably the best go-to if you plan on driving your cars long distances, as well as their reduced impact on the environment.
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