Electric car: work, models, prices

The electric vehicle, which is considered to be more environmentally friendly than a heat engine, is gaining popularity in the French car market. It works with an electric motor and a battery that needs to be recharged. If its price is higher than that of a classic car, the electric car is eligible for an environmental bonus.

🚘 How does an electric car work?

When a car runs on fuel (diesel or gasoline), we are talking about heat engine : This fuel creates combustion that produces energy that allows the vehicle to move forward. The operation of an electric vehicle is based on battery и the engine is supplied with electricity.

Instead of refueling at a gas station, you need to charge your electric vehicle using a charging station or a power outlet. This electricity then flows through converterwhich converts alternating current to direct current that can be stored in your vehicle's battery.

Some fast charging stations can convert electricity themselves so that you can directly supply the required constant current to the battery.

Your electric vehicle's battery has a capacity 15 to 100 kilowatt hours (kWh)... This energy is sent to the car's electric motor, where an element called stator creates a magnetic field. This then lets you rotate rotor, which then transmits its motion to the wheels, sometimes directly, but usually through reducer which regulates the torque and rotation speed.

An electric vehicle can also generate electricity on its own. The engine does this when you brake or stop pressing the accelerator. We are talking about regenerative brake... In this way, you generate the electricity stored in the battery.

Therefore, the transmission of an electric vehicle does not include: noclutch nor Transmissionthe electric motor can rotate at a speed of several tens of thousands of revolutions per minute. Although a heat engine must convert the movement of the pistons into rotation, this is not the case with an electric motor.

Therefore, your electric motor does not have a timing belt, engine oil and pistons.

🔍 Electric or hybrid vehicle?

La hybrid car, as the name suggests, is halfway between a diesel locomotive and an electric car. Therefore, it is equipped with at least two MOTORS : thermal and at least one electric motor. It also contains a battery.

There are different types of hybrid vehicles, some of which charge like electric vehicles. Its advantage is that it consumes less than a heat engine (2 L / 100 km for approximately 100% plug-in hybrid vehicle) and produce less CO2.

However, the range of an electric vehicle in a hybrid vehicle is much shorter. It is generally particularly suited for city driving where braking allows electrical energy to be recovered. Finally, a hybrid car no longer always qualifies for a purchase bonus, as it is considered less environmentally friendly than an electric car.

🌍 Electric car: green or not?

The environmental nature of electric vehicles has been the subject of much debate. Indeed, the electric motor consumes electricity and partially recharges itself. Therefore, he does not need gasoline - a rare fossil resource. In addition, electricity-related CO2 production is very low at around ten grams per kilometer.

However, we have to produce this car and, in particular, its battery. However, an electric vehicle battery consists of lithium, cobalt and manganese, rare metals for which the environmental rate is very important. Lithium, in particular, comes primarily from South America.

Extracting this lithium heavily pollutes the soil... Cobalt comes from Africa and mainly from Congo, which provides 60% of world production and could be the equivalent of the oil kingdom ... the electric version.

Aside from soil pollution and health consequences associated with mining these metals, the production and assembly of electric vehicles is not entirely environmentally friendly. They do emit more greenhouse gases than a heat engine, in part because of the battery.

Thus, ADEME has indicated that it is necessary to 120 MJ make an electric car, about 70 MJ for a heat engine. Finally, there is the question of battery recycling.

To this we must also add that in many countries, including France, electricity is still mainly generated by nuclear power plants or even coal, as in the case of China. Consequently, this also leads to CO2 emissions.

Thus, more or less indirectly, the electric vehicle is a source of very significant pollution. It will take an evolution in technology for its battery to stop producing as much as it does today. However, his engine does not emit nitrogen oxides or particles... Longer driving also helps offset the environmental impact of its production in the long term.

In addition, the maintenance of the electric vehicle is less due to the lack of some critical wear parts such as the timing belt. In addition, the electric vehicle requires less braking, which can increase the life of the pads and brake discs. This reduces l'' environmental impactmaintenance your car ... and costs less.

⚡ What is the consumption of an electric car?

Electric vehicle consumption is measured in kilowatt-hours per hundred kilometers. You should be aware that this varies greatly from car to car, weight, engine and battery. The average consumption of an electric vehicle isabout 15 kWh / 100 km.

For example, the Audi e-Tron weighs over 2,5 tonnes and thus consumes over 20 kWh / 100 km. Conversely, a small electric vehicle like the Renault Twizy uses less than 10 kWh / 100 km.

🔋 How to charge an electric car?

There are several ways to charge an electric car:

• Charging station ;
• The Wall Box ;
• Household sockets.

The electric car is partially recharged while driving thanks to regenerative braking, but to obtain full autonomy, it must be charged from the mains. To do this, you have several types of cable that allow you to connect it to classic wall outlet or Wall box specially designed for home charging.

Finally, you have public charging stations for your electric vehicle. There are several tens of thousands of them in France, and they are still striving to become more democratic. You will find it in the city or at service stations on the motorways.

Public car parks often have free charging stations for your electric car, but you will have to pay for parking. Most street terminals work with a card.

How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle?

The charging time for your electric vehicle depends on the vehicle and its battery, as well as the type of charging you choose and its capacity. To fully charge an electric vehicle from a household outlet, you will need more than one night.

With Wallbox count From before 3 15 hours depending on its capacity, your battery and the cable you are using. At a public charging station, this time is reduced by 2 or even 3. Finally, the fast charging station allows you to fully charge the electric vehicle. in less than an hour.

How much does it cost to recharge an electric vehicle?

The cost of recharging an electric vehicle depends on the capacity of the battery. For a 50 kWh battery, calculate around 10 €... It will be more economical for you to charge your EV at home, especially if you have opted for an electricity contract specifically designed for EV owners, as some vendors suggest.

In this case, you will have to charge your electric vehicle. about 2 € for a battery from 15 to 20 kWh, depending on the price of electricity, which fluctuates two to three times a year.

🚗 Which electric car to choose?

Choosing an electric car depends on your usage budget... If you have to hit the road, you have to target a model with a lot of autonomy, which greatly limits your searches.

Among electric vehicles that allow you to travel long distances, Tesla Model 3 and the superchargers installed by the manufacturer will meet your criteria. You can also upgrade to an electric vehicle like Hyundai and Kia, which are equipped with a battery. 64 kWh... Finally, Volkswagen or Volvo XC40 also have range over 400 km.

More than thirty electric vehicle models are available in France. Renault Zoé remains the market leader, ahead of the Peugeot e-208 and Tesla Model 3.

💰 How much does an electric car cost?

Electric vehicle prices have dropped with the democratization of technology and the proliferation of models. Some of them are now only slightly more expensive than their thermal equivalents. And thanks to the environmental bonus, you can now buy a new electric car. from about 17 euros.

Of course, you can also buy a used electric car to pay less for it, but you won't be able to get the same purchase bonus.

To take advantage of the premium when buying an electric vehicle, you must meet the CO2 emission threshold (50 g / km, no problem for a 100% electric vehicle). This car must be new and need to buy or rent for a long term at least 2 years old.

In this case, the amount of the environmental bonus depends on the price of your electric vehicle.

When disposing of your old car and if you meet the conditions, you can also add conversion bonus an environmental bonus that allows you to significantly save on the price of your electric vehicle. This way you can use your new electric car inexpensively!

Now you know everything about an electric car: how it works, how it can be recharged, and even its price. If its maintenance is less than that of a thermal vehicle, you must do it with an authorized technician due to its battery and electric motor. Go through our garage comparator to find a specialist!