- Advertisement -
By Caitlin Howlett, G writer
Bam! I wasn’t expecting the back of my head to hit the headrest, but the zippy, gear-less acceleration takes me by total surprise. I’m in an all-electric sports car, the Tesla, which can go from zero to 100 km/h in less than four seconds. Part of the reason for it's instant speed is because there’s no clutch, so there’s instant ‘torque’, which means that the wheels can spin without losing energy through the mechanics. It goes against the common myth of unpowerful electric vehicles (EVs).
Electric vehicles are, in my opinion, unquestioningly better than combustion engines. They’re emissions-free (when charged by renewable energy), quiet, require few mechanical parts, and I’ve certainly seen that they have instant acceleration and can outperform the petrol-guzzlers! Advances in technology mean that batteries are getting better – modern Lithium-ion batteries store twice as much as earlier models, meaning less charge time and longer ranges. In 2010 over $80 billion was invested in the electric car industry worldwide, showing the overwhelming support for the growing EV industry.
Take the Tesla, for example, for which you can get up to 394 kilometres from a single charge. Due next year from the same makers is the Model S Tesla, the world’s first premium family sedan EV - meaning it's not all about speed or thrills, but this technology is being applied to the practicality of a family car.
At first, like I imagine most people are, I was a little worried about suddenly running out of charge. But there's a detailed display letting you know exactly what's going on. I can't imagine it would be stressful to drive your EV about town, or even on longer journeys; simply plug it into the powerpoint when you got home. If you have solar panels, or use 100 per cent GreenPower, imagine knowing that you’re drive is totally guilt-free!
Upon asking around, one of the key concerns I've found preventing people from considering EVs is having easy access to public charge points. However things are changing with charging stations popping up everywhere. ChargePoint have over 30 plug-in points installed across Australia while another rival company, Better Place, have charging stations in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Albury, with an aim to having the world's largest electric car charge network by the end of 2013. Also, NRMA’s Roadside assistance now offers help to drivers of electric vehicles with a mobile electric car battery charging station – coming direct to you in electric NRMA vehicles.
It’s true that the Tesla is a little (or a lot!) out of price range for most people at $206,188, but there are more affordable options out or due out on the market. Mitsubishi has just launched a five-door hatchback for $48,000, the i-Miev, which has a range of up to 160 km and can charge from empty to 80 per cent capacity within 30 minutes. Nissan is also due to release its all-electric hatchback Leaf in Australia in mid-2012.
With cars responsible for 70 per cent of urban air pollution, rising oil prices, and a looming carbon tax for Australia, there’s an increasing need for a switch. Some experts predict that 25 per cent of new car sales in 2020 will be electric.
As more options become available for everyday people, would you ever consider buying an electric car? Leave a comment below to let us know!
Comments
Electric car are being the one of the affordable car for everyone, and it is an Eco-friendly car which is most affordable car and now days there are many charging stations opened place to place and it is an very convient car for all of us.
Awesome read. I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. He actually bought me lunch because I found it for him! So let me rephrase: thank you for lunch!
I very much appreciated this posting, it could have been my story.
I also started using and adapting Montessori materials in my homw preschool b
ack in the ’70's…(wow I am old!) before I had completed my training.I totally agree
in hoping that the world of Montessori will be opened to many young families!
Electric car lovers... WHAT A JOKE!
(At the moment) Electricity comes from burning massive quantities of black coal!
a fact for or all you ingnoramoes who think its a solution to the internal combustion engine ( Petrol and Diesel burning engines).
Using an electric now releases the toxic fumes at the power stations instead of individual exhaust pipes...
Yeah thats right...tools.
Although if this backward country got its sh*t together and harnessed the sum in.. (oh , i don't know) the otherwise useless desert, an ABSOLUTE MECCA for photon farming instead of the drongo 'outback cattle industy' ; then the electric car would be the solution to the internal combustion engine pollution problems...
Yeah thats right ....damn!
Petrol car lovers? what a joke!
Each 100 petrol car on the road outputs as CO2 in the air per hour as the entire electricity company.
By the way, who outputs the most CO2 at night? the power companies, or all the trees?
I think the trees are the big winner here, chop some down, they are producing global warming!
There is always two sides to the coin, and by the way, most Electric Vehicle owners have solar panels.
What does the petrol-guzzler guys do for the environment? Nothing, I guess.
As pensioners whose travel is restricted to local trips and the very occasional run of 150km, we would dearly love to drive a small electric car which has a reasonable range per charge - eg 150-200 km - as well as a good rate of charge - eg 5-6 hours max. At present we run a very old dual-fuel 4WD and for me an economical postie-bike. We also use public transport on every conceivable occasion.
The current outlay for a new electric vehicle is way beyond our reach, plus the fact that in ten years or so neither of us may still be driving. It seems unlikely that demand and production economies will bring the electric vehicle into our range within that time-span. There must be many other green-minded people in similar circumstances, who are virtually obliged to run old bangers with a high carbon-footprint if they live in an area badly served by public transport, ie 98% of this continent.
i believe the original concept - by VW I believe - was to build a durable, rust-free and reliable car which would ideally be available for rental rather than purchase. It was to be a utilty means of transport, rather than a fashion item or macho-ego-enhancer, as are almost all vehicles today - anyone for a Hummer? Is any government anywhere or any far-seeing entrepreneur - where are you, Dick Smith? - willing and able to provide such a key service, both for social equity and ecological sustainabilty?
I would love one! I only drive round the city & suburbs so I don't need long distance, but buses don't suit what have to do. An electric car is my dream machine.
Emissions free? How much energy comes from renewable sources in Australia? A pitence really.
Like Jeremy Clarkson (Top Gear) said to Boris Johnson (London Mayor) when discussing electric cars: Where does the power in the plug come from Boris? Nucular or coal fired generators I believe was the answer.
If I still feel the need for a car when my little Holden Astra starts to die, I'll definitely consider an electric car! Hopefully, in time they will become more affordable as well. Can you imagine $20,000-$30,000 electric cars? They'd be popular as.
I really love electric cars since all of them are 100 percent emmision-free! This means that unlike traditional gasoline cars, electrical cars do not contribute to climate change. Furthermore, albeit electric vehicles have gotten most of the press, theirs is not the only green technology available. Check this out: Natural Gas-powered vehicles: the other green. Just click the link for the details. Well, having these vehicles will surely shun our environment from further deterioration.