Electric Vehicles (2 of 3)
Posted on 18th March 2024 at 15:04
Electric Vehicles vs Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs)
How do they compare?
When thinking about EVs I believe there is something really important to have clear in your mind. If you are going to directly compare an EV to an ICE then in the game of top trumps the ICE is likely to win on more fronts than the EV, maybe with the exception of 0 – 60 mph times!
Basically, while they both look very similar, and to all intents and purpose do the same job, they are not directly comparable and if comparison is insisted upon then the EV is more than likely going to lose.
So why does the EV not directly compare to an ICE?
Refuelling infrastructure.
There continues to be the challenge around there being enough charging points to meet the growing demand. Coupled with the potential of the charger being inoperative when you arrive, this is a significant concern for some people.
Purchase price.
This continues to be barrier for many people. The price is impacted by various factors - for example, the cost of battery manufacturing has still not come down significantly in the past few years, and this combined with the volume of additional electronics required make the EV more expensive to manufacture.
Refuel time is longer.
You can refuel the average ICE in around 3 minutes and that includes paying for the fuel! Refuelling an EV is a different ball game. There are two types of charging - AC and DC. In simple terms, AC is normal electricity that we have flowing around our houses and DC is a modified version of AC that can provide fast/rapid charging.
Vehicle range.
While the battery range is improving in modern EVs, you are still only seeing maximum range in the 300 miles ballpark whereas an average family ICE could see a range in the region of 600 miles so a significant difference.
Vehicle Size.
While there are smaller EVs available in the marketplace, there are two key challenges with them. Firstly, the price - they are painfully expensive for the size of vehicle you get - and secondly the range - a smaller car can only have a smaller battery purely due to its size. This takes us back to my comment earlier about the need for advancement with battery technology. After all, many of us will remember mobile phone technology of the 1980s was more restricted by the size of the battery than the electronics needed to make the phone work!
Now while all these comparisons are true there is an awful lot of misconceptions that come with them. Look out for a future blog on this very subject!
Summary
In summary, change is coming, like it or not! It’s more about how quickly we adapt to the change that is important and sometimes we have to accept that resistance is futile. Whilst there are negatives, there are also positives – as is often the case, it’s all about how we want to feel about something.
Dave Bownes
Director,
Haynes Oliver Limited
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