In the past decade there have been discussions on what will replace petroleum fueled vehicles as the new standard of personal vehicle. There are multiple technologies that are testing the current market and each have their benefits and drawbacks. While some of the initial hype surrounding electric vehicles was tapered by the advent of hybrid vehicles, there is still a large amount of interest around the feasibility of a fully electric vehicle that is usable on our current road network.
The concept of an electric vehicle is certainly a noble idea. By switching from the internal combustion engine to a fully electricity powered motor we can reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. However, it must be remembered that electricity is not generated without some form of energy input. The current network of clean energy production would not be able to support a full switch from petroleum to electric vehicles. That being said, there are a few key points that have become stumbling blocks for a wide roll out of these vehicles.
The three major negatives for electric vehicles are the driving range, the recharge time, and the life of the batteries. The first two issues couple due to the nature of driving. An electric car is run off of battery power and as such cannot be refueled by simple putting a nozzle into the tank. The batteries of electric cars get somewhere in the range of 50 to 100 miles on a full charge, and take up to ten hours to recharge via a standard electrical outlet. This obviously does not bode well for longer trips, but is sufficient for errand running and work commuting. The popularity of hybrid vehicles is a response to these issues. Having a petroleum fueled motor that can be turned on when battery power runs out extends the driving range of the car greatly and allows for quick refueling.
The life of the battery is a major sticking point for those that are on the fence about purchasing a hybrid or electric vehicle and is a standard talking point at any battery conference. All batteries have a limited lifespan and after that time they must be replaced. The costs of these batteries are consistently declining and now sit at around $3,500. Benchmarks have put the life of the batteries in the area of 150,000 miles driven, but this number will vary depending on how the vehicle is used.
Is the electric vehicle the future? Potentially, but it will be a few years into the future before we’ll know for sure what technology stands on top of the pile.