The electric vehicle (EV) talking point regarding range continues to rumble on. In the meantime, car manufacturers have been exploiting battery technology developments almost as they happen to gradually increase the real-world ability of this engine-less cars.
Essentially, in terms of vehicle range you get what you pay for. Electric offerings from mainstream manufacturers have smaller battery packs and thus less range than the prestige heavyweights whose ability now routinely exceeds the 300 mile range. That said, most EV’s today will happily handle most of our everyday motoring needs on a single charge. For longer trips, a stop-off may be required for an extra boost, but the availability of public charging points is slowly but steadily on the increase.
What Is A Battery Pack?
Everyone knows what a battery is. We use them routinely as power sources for gadgets, our smartphones and they have always been a part of the internal combustion engine (ICE). Without one a car is going nowhere.
Varying in size from electric car to electric car, an average automotive battery pack consists of hundreds of individual cells packed into sets to make one large battery, built to maintain safe charging and an optimum operating temperature regardless of the climate outside. From there, high voltage cables transfer the power to one or more electric motors on either the front or back axles or indeed both.
The early days of trying to shoehorn a battery pack into a conventional car are long gone. These days EV’s are built for purpose from the ground up. In the long-range premium market, the battery packs are huge which is why most are placed under the floor inside a car’s chassis. The Tesla Model S is a case in point. Despite being big and loaded with technology, this sleek car can still deliver up to around 400 miles of range, thanks to a battery pack of 95kWh. Ample for a family day out and more.
Compare this to, say, the latest Kia Niro from the popular Korean mainstream car maker, which has a 64.8kWh battery delivering a range of around 285 miles; fine for everyday motoring.
Will It Last?
It’s a well-known fact that with proper maintenance and servicing, an ICE car can go on and on. Mileages exceeding 250,000 are not unknown. True EV’s haven’t been around long enough to judge, but increasingly, car companies are offering pack guarantees of up 150,000 miles or eight years. That’s not to say they won’t go further still with, as ever, with the proper care.
For Optimum Mileage
We learn as we go with new technology and it has become clear that for optimum battery health the everyday ideal is to charge up to 80% which most cars allow for. Battery packs seem to work very well on this basis but from time to time it may be necessary to fully charge the car to go for a longer distance and that’s fine too.
If the car is not going to be used for a while then leaving it charged at eighty percent will mean it will be ready for action when next needed. Installing a dedicated home charging point makes sense too.
The majority of EV’s today make use of regenerative braking, a science that has trickled down from Formula 1 motor racing. Unlike an ICE car, if the throttle is released the car slows down quickly generating electricity which is then added to storage. In other words, the EV requires as it were a new way of driving. Making best use of regenerative braking adds range, like an on-the-road top-up.
Be Gone Range Anxiety
Electric cars are very responsive. With no gears to worry about it’s just a matter of push the pedal and go. It’s tempting therefore to put the foot down and make use of all that available power, especially when the battery pack is slung low in the car and this additional weight makes for improved handling. It does make the car heavier though; EV’s are routinely heavier than their ICE counterparts which is why adopting a driving style that suits the technology is a good idea.
In any event most electric car owners learn very quickly to change their driving habits. These days most parts of the world have draconian rules and regulations on the road discouraging speed, so a more laid back approach to driving will help to optimise range.
The power is there when needed: Indeed some electric vehicles are astonishingly quick in a straight line charge. Even the basic version of Tesla’s Model 3 (arguably the first of the modern-era EV’s), fitted with a single electric motor powering the rear wheels, is good for a 5.8-second 0-60mph time and will do up to 305 miles on its 60kWh battery pack, driving normally. Meanwhile, the very desirable and similarly priced Polestar 2 Long Range from Sweden, with two motors, will still manage up to 300 miles and is a second or so faster to 62mph.
Should I Buy An Electric Car?
So, for most car users, the range anxiety of which so much is made has become a thing of the past. By moderating driving style and planning ahead for charging options when ultra-long distances are required, almost all our everyday driving needs are catered for. That’s why EV’s are proving very popular with our client base here at MHH International. Get in touch to find out how you can import your next car from the UK to global destinations like Mauritius, Jamaica, New Zealand, Trinidad and Kenya.
