With zero CO² and NOx emissions in the driving phase, what is not to like about electric cars? Well, the worry is that with the mainstream EV market seemingly aimed at the family or business motorist, the car-loving enthusiast will soon hear the bell toll for performance-related motoring: Fortunately, this is not so. Just as with our beloved, long-serving internal combustion machines, the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is also packed with the latest technology and many modern features, sporting design and performance characteristics.
Charging Into The Future
For the usual well-known reasons, range anxiety, charging times and so on, the move across to BEV technology has been slow but, as the infrastructure grows and battery technology matures and becomes much more efficient, the pace of change is accelerating. Many drivers are now discovering the joy of driving an electric car. To power up, use an electric charging cable overnight and the morning brings an easy start and, once on the road, immediate engine torque that allows instant, brisk acceleration without the shifting of gears.
It’s worth considering how we use our cars. For the most part going about our daily lives, many of us will probably drive less than one hundred miles every day; often a lot less. This sort of range is well within the ability of the latest BEV’s, without any further charging. In many cases the cars are capable of much more and even then, with the growth of the public charging infrastructure, access to a top-up is never that far away.
How We Charge
All electric vehicles come with a charging cable supplied as standard, usually with a three-pin plug, but they are basic and take six to eight hours overnight to fuel up. This is the slowest method of charging at home or at a work location; it will do in a pinch, but the technology has now developed to provide faster, more efficient charging.
To replace the older style of cable, BEV or hybrid drivers will routinely buy instead a Type 2 charging cable. Thanks to the latest crop of cars having faster-charging capabilities, this is now the most common charging socket required for the majority of charging points plus the growing number of smart home charging hubs that can fuel in three to four hours. Further, fast charging points at public locations are increasing in number, also serving to speed up the process.
The Future Is More Certain
Even faster-charging technology is on the way and the pace of change is growing like a rolling snowball, but the thing to remember is that our cars spend most of their time parked. When they are parked, they can be charging. Connect to a power source and walk away. That is why worrying about range is pointless now that BEV’s are capable of up to 200 miles and in some cases considerably more.
Battery technology has shown that not only are these electric vehicles cheaper to fuel than their ICE forerunners, they are also cheaper to service; that must be a bonus. It has also been shown that the batteries themselves are proving to last, with minimal loss of charging capacity, up to 100,000 miles and well beyond, so step-by-step the barriers are breaking down.
So, if this is the future of motoring, folk who love to drive should not despair; you are not forgotten. Cars like the Porsche Taycan, the Lotus Evija and the Aston Martin Rapide E demonstrate that electric motoring does not have to be mundane. The new Polestar 2 will reach the benchmark 60mph in under five seconds when the law and conditions allow. Even the more affordable mainstream motors can push the right buttons. Visiting the petrol station becomes a thing of the past; get home, connect the car’s electric charging cable to the smart, controllable home hub and be ready for a new day’s driving.
