Electric vehicles have revolutionized the market, it’s undeniable, but even most people cannot escape the fact that this is the way things are now. Ford also introduced their best-selling F150 truck with an all-electric version, generally purchased by people who do not have much interest in this market. This alone shows how popular they are becoming and how more aware the average person is of how necessary these vehicles are if climate change is to be reduced. Moreover, electric vehicles offer many advantages over traditional gas-powered models, which makes them even more appealing. However, the one issue that remains a sticking point for those undecided on the matter is how they are charged. This post will explain some of the more exciting aspects of electric car charging and how it is less of an issue than ever before.
Exciting Facts About Charging Your Electric Vehicle (EV)
Owners of EVs benefit from the fact that they are easy to “refuel.” They are similar to any electrical device in that they rely on electricity to power them back to their total capacity. It’s getting more common for people to put their electric vehicle (EV) on a home charger that plugs into the wall. These chargers use a DC fast-charging system, using the high-voltage difference between the car’s battery and the charger to deliver power very quickly. Once the vehicle is fully charged, the charger will automatically switch over to a lower-voltage level to protect the battery.
Smart Charging Is Gaining Traction
An intelligent charger can communicate with your car, other intelligent chargers, and the grid, unlike conventional ones. What is the result? A more efficient, sustainable, and cheaper way of topping up your car. EV smart charging is still in its nascent stages and needs to pass several regulatory hurdles to become mainstream, but the benefit behind it is undeniable. Due to these devices communicating with each other, it can result in faster charging times (often the biggest argument against EVs) and an even lower electricity bill from the intelligent way it manages power.
There Are Over 1 Million EV Charging Stations Worldwide
The amount of global EV charging stations is growing at an exponential rate. While it is true that these are primarily in and around major population centers, the fact remains that the ease with which electric vehicle owners charge on the go has become far more straightforward. Furthermore, 30% are considered fast-charging stations, which means that there is still a lot of growth. The countries with the most stations include:
- The Netherlands: They have the most significant density of publicly available charging stations of any country globally.
- China: With the fastest adoption of EVs worldwide, it makes sense that they are also investing heavily in the stations to charge them.
- Norway: As the country with the highest market share of electric vehicles, the country also contains many locations to recharge its cars.
You Can Use Renewables
Most people will rely on changing their EVs directly from the power grid, but others can opt to rely entirely on renewable energy. Along with the popularity of Tesla cars and their battery technology, people have come up with the ingenious idea of creating what is known as a “power wall.” Essentially a wall full of EV, deep cycle batteries that are charged during the day via solar power. Once night rolls around, they will plug in their cars to be recharged via the power wall.
Charging Isn’t Always Slow
With DC fast chargers, also known as Level 3 chargers, you can recharge most cars in the shortest time possible. Most EVs support a maximum of 350 kW- although the current standard seems to be 50-150 kW. Charge times of around 10-20 minutes, depending on the charger and the vehicle could result in about 60-120 miles. This is quite incredible, and although not at the same speed as filling up traditional gasoline cars, the technology is advancing every day, and faster speeds will eventually become standard.
Main Benefits Of Electrical Vehicles
When these vehicles are spoken about, it typically refers to cars and trucks because the technology is not advanced enough to be placed into motorcycles. Nevertheless, these electric vehicles offer a range of advantages over their gasoline-powered counterparts:
They Provide A Lot Of Torque
Due to their direct drive mechanisms, the electric motor’s power is instantaneous and full of torque. This means that an average EV can often keep pace off the line with supercars in some cases. Obviously, they will get overtaken eventually, but the fact remains that their initial speed is phenomenal. Additionally, this is beneficial to truck drivers who regularly carry large amounts, which is part of the reason Ford updated their popular truck to an electric model, as mentioned earlier.
Better For The Environment
Climate change has been the driving force behind their adoption and for a good reason. They don’t directly use fossil fuels, which has a damaging effect on the planet. Some argue that they rely on power stations that burn fossil fuels, which may be true in most cases. Still, the reality is that electrical power plants can generate electricity more effectively than gasoline-powered cars can convert energy into forwarding motion.
They Need Less Maintenance
Conventional cars have numerous moving parts, any of which could go wrong at any time. Most people are not mechanically minded by nature and therefore require expensive car mechanics to help them. EVs are often modular and straightforward to fix, with specific updates even being made over the air that further improve efficiency.
Cheaper To Run
Alongside the fact that they are environmentally friendly, they are also extremely cheap to run. Gas and diesel prices seem to be continuously rising, and filling up is becoming more of a hassle for most ordinary people. On the other hand, EVs only cost the price of electricity. On average, it costs around $9 to achieve a 200-mile range, which considerably outstrips fossil fuel costs.
Electric vehicles are becoming more popular, and over time they will become the main form of transportation for the average driver. With the advancement of charging technology, cars will be able to charge more quickly and more efficiently in the future, further increasing their popularity.
