Electric Vehicle Driving - Frequently Asked Questions
Electric cars

Electric Vehicle Driving - Frequently Asked Questions

10 Questions About Electric Driving Are you thinking of buying an electric car? Do you want to know the range of electric vehicles, how to charge them, and learn about their main advantages? You will find the answers to these questions in our article. 1. What is the Difference Between Electric Vehicles and Internal Combustion Cars? Differences between the two types of vehicles include those related to driving comfort, environmental impact, operating costs, or design differences.

With regard to the design differences between a standard combustion vehicle and an electric vehicle, the latter has fewer moving parts ... This means that electric vehicles do not require as much maintenance, oil or filter changes, resulting in lower vehicle operating costs .

In addition, electric vehicles do not emit so much harmful to the environment exhaust gases ... It is worth noting that high exhaust emissions in some cities have led to a ban on entry of older diesel vehicles (and ultimately all combustion engine vehicles in the future) into the city center, citing poor air quality as the reason.

Electric vehicles also provide drivers high driving comfort due to the absence of noisy engine operation and a spacious interior. Many also point out that the car is very light and manageable. What are the benefits of electric vehicles Are you wondering why buy an electric vehicle? Here are the biggest advantages of this type of car:

  • high travel comfort,
  • quiet engine operation,
  • environmentally friendly - they do not pollute the air to the same extent as internal combustion cars (no emission of harmful exhaust gases),
  • relatively low charging costs,
  • increased safety in the event of an accident.

3. What is the range of electric vehicles?

Electric vehicle assortment varies depending on its model. Currently, the market offers both cars that allow you to travel 150 km without recharging, as well as cars with a power reserve of up to 350 km or more. Of course, other factors also affect the range of the vehicle during use. These include:

  • prevailing weather conditions (e.g. high temperatures),
  • surface type,
  • driver driving technique,
  • the car has air conditioning or heating on,
  • speed.

It should also be noted that EVs are still being improved by manufacturers, and with technological advances in the EV industry, we can expect the vehicle lineup to be larger and closer to internal combustion car models. The current ranges of electric vehicles make it easy for us to navigate the city and commute to work. The desire to travel a longer route is likely to be linked to the need to recharge the vehicle, which is not, however, a problem due to an increasingly extensive network of public charging stations .

4. How do I charge the car with electricity?

To charge the car, we need a charging station and a cable that we plug into an outlet in the car. It is important to note that the charger built into the car must be compatible with the charger with which we will supplement the energy in the car - using the wrong charger can damage the battery ... It is also worth noting that the internal charger is only capable of accepting power indicated by the manufacturer ... Therefore, even if the power of a particular charging station is higher than the power of the built-in charger, the car will still be charged with the power of its internal charger.

Driving an Electric Vehicle - Frequently Asked Questions
Electric vehicle charging

Electric cars can be charged in several ways - there are charging stations for home use and chargers located in public places. Depending on the needs and capabilities, the car can be charged from slow (less than 11 kW), medium-fast (11-22 kW) and fast (more than 50 kW) chargers ... You can even charge your car from a household outlet, but this is the most time consuming and least efficient solution. If you want to charge your car at home and have a home with a garage, you can easily purchase home charging station.and replenish your energy at night. Faster chargers can usually be found in public places - office buildings, hotels, shopping malls, highways and gas stations.

5. Under what conditions should the vehicle be charged?

Electric vehicles and chargers have comprehensive safety measures, thanks to which the car can be charged even in adverse weather conditions ... Therefore, we do not need to worry about the electrical system being damaged when charging the car, for example, in the rain - in such situations, there is also no risk of electric shock.

6. How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle?

How quickly we charge the car depends on:

  • battery capacity,
  • charging method,
  • Automobile model.

It is assumed that charging your car with the free charging station takes about 6 hours ... Medium-fast stations allow you to charge your vehicle for about 3-4 hours ... On the other hand, fast charging stations allow us to quickly replenish stocks - with their help we can charge the car in about half an hour .

As we mentioned earlier, throughout the entire process recharging energy in an electric car the power of its internal charger is also very important. If our car has a 3,6 kW on-board charger and we plug it into a 22 kW station, the car will still charge very slowly with 3,6 kW.

7. How long does the battery take in electric vehicles?

Battery life depends on the car model. For example, in the case of the popular Nissan Leaf the manufacturer guarantees that the loss of battery capacity should not exceed 2% for every 10000 confused. km. In addition, if a situation arises when these losses have increased and amounted to approximately 3,4%, it is possible to replace the battery under warranty. On the other hand, when it comes to other vehicles such as Tesla S , the batteries in this model lose 5% of their capacity only after they have driven more than 80 thousand. km.

However, it's worth noting that battery life is also affected by various external factors - batteries are not serviced at either too low or too high temperatures. Its service life can also be influenced by the driver's driving technique and how he is energized ... It is generally recommended to charge the batteries up to 80% Bonus terms and conditions apply , and not completely - these are the best conditions for the battery in the car. Following this rule can help us extend its lifespan.

Want to know more about electric car batteries ? Read our article Batteries for electric vehicles - types, trends and novelties

8. Where can I find charging stations for electric vehicles?

If you are going on a longer trip, you should definitely plan the stops during which you will refuel. Information on the location of charging stations on a particular route can be found, for example, on the Alternative Fuels Market Watch website (orpa.pl). The site contains a map of publicly accessible charging and refueling points, thanks to which you can find out the exact station location and opening hours .

9. How much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle?

Charging cost is definitely one of the advantages of electric vehicles over internal combustion vehicles. As you know, gasoline prices are changing dynamically, which surprises drivers with further growth. On the other hand, the use of electric vehicles allows at least to some extent economical ... The cost of electricity remains relatively constant. The cost we will incur to replenish the vehicle's energy supply depends on the number of electricity tariffs in a particular location and the capacity of the battery.

10. Are electric vehicles safe?

Before being launched on the market, electric vehicles undergo a series of tests, during which their resistance to external factors is checked - certification and crash tests are carried out. Also, some say that these types of cars safer than petrol or diesel vehicles ... It is emphasized that in the case of internal combustion vehicles, fuel leakage from a collision often leads to a fire. There is no such risk in electric vehicles. Less complex drive structure and fewer components mean that electric vehicles are less likely to fail .

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