In this, the second in a series of articles, exclusive to Automechanika’s auto:resource, I will continue to dispel some of the myths and clear up the FUD around EVs! You may not agree with everything I say, and that’s fine, I may even be wrong – so let’s debate.
Below, I have presented some claims and issues as statements or questions relating to EV charging – and then either agreed or shown them to be untrue. I will also look at some of the genuine issues that need to be solved.
Home charging
The interesting suggestion here is that charging a car over a long period of time particularly at home, is inconvenient. Further there is a suggestion that if there are not enough car chargers available where people live, they will fight over the use of car chargers in the street.
Firstly, I have to admit I had not considered the issue of charger rage! Granted we need more chargers, so more on this later. Charging at home, where it is possible, is a big advantage. Just plug in and then next time you use the car, the ‘tank’ is already full. Overnight charging will be the most common and with some small adjustment is the ideal time as the grid demand is lower. Oh, no need to call in for fuel when you set off early in the morning.
Running out of charge
What happens if you run out of charge in an electric car on a road such as a busy motorway or dual carriageway? They can’t be charged quickly to get them moving again without a breakdown service, unlike a liquid fuel car that can be topped up in a couple of minutes.
Topping up instantly is only possible if you carry the extra weight of a spare can of fuel everywhere. Also, a few minutes or 20 minutes to boost a battery are a moot point if you’ve waited 2 hours for the breakdown service! Of course, even then, it’s not as easy as adding liquid fuel. Boost chargers will be something breakdown services carry in due course to maybe give 5-minute charge. Some companies already offer this service.
A related suggestion was that if EVs breakdown on a busy road they are often considerably harder to push out of the way to safety due to their weight, which can cause safety problems and a higher risk of accidents.
This argument is clutching at straws – if the EV weighs 12% more (see part 1), it’s no big deal. Most drivers would not and should not be pushing a car anyway!
Charging takes too long
While people may boast about faster recharging times these days on electric cars it still takes longer to refuel than a liquid-based fuel car which can be refuelled in as little as 5 minutes.
I can’t argue with that. A little inconvenience to reduce our carbon footprint is surely worth it. A fast charge in 25 minutes would get you well on your way. I accept better journey planning is needed and more chargers are needed too, but this is not a reason for dismissing EVs.
Fast charging reduces battery life
You can charge batteries faster, but charging batteries faster reduces their life expectancy.
Correct, but only by a very small amount. It has been well researched that 90% of charging will be done at home or at work. For this reason, the small battery life sacrifice for an occasional fast charge is not as significant as it first sounds. However, it will require a little more forward planning on long journeys. Perhaps we need to slow down our lives and see a charging break as an opportunity to get a coffee or lunch and take our time! Warning, I may be accused of tree hugging again at this point (see part 1)!
Battery technology is improving all the time too. Much of the issue is about thermal management – in other words keeping the battery at the optimum temperature at all times.
Street parking
How do you charge up your car if you live in a high rise flat or a terrace with no street parking near your house? Even if you have street parking without enough on-street chargers, people will need to run cables from their house which can create accidents for pedestrians, cyclists and other cars.
This is a fair point but there are solutions already, but of course there will be a cost. I would suggest flats will be easier than terraces because charge posts can simply be fitted wherever the cars are currently parked. Recently a company developed and tested a system for running a charger connection under a pavement by simply cutting a small slot and embedding a trunking flush with the path. Lamp posts can also be used. I accept this is all an issue, but it can be solved. In the early days of petrol, I expect similar issues were highlighted about the lack of petrol stations, so people kept cans of petrol at home.
Twitter user @EVMaps has a kerbside charger installed outside his home. The charge post uses the electricity supply from the house. It was installed by Council-approved contractors and paid for by the owner.
Charging numbers
There are about 40 million registered cars in the UK, will there be 40 million car chargers installed by 2030?
There is a clearly a massive job to be done here but remember in 2030 pure ICE sales stop and PHEVs continue to 2035. This just reflects what can be sold, the car parc of ICE cars will take 20 more years or more to disappear completely so we have much more than ten years.
There are plans to roll out lots of new chargers and as demand increases so will supply – just like it did for petrol in the early days. Fitting a car charger on new homes is easy.
Cover charge
I think a key point for me is that if we expect EVs to work exactly like an ICE vehicle then we will be disappointed. ICE car infrastructure has had well over 100 years to develop. It is also important to look at the benefits of EVs compared to occasional inconvenience. For example, the smug feeling of getting into my car that is already warmed up while my neighbour is still scraping the ice off theirs!