The other side of the electric coin

Following Mic van Zyl’s column “My issue with electric vehicles” in your previous issue, I would like to express my opinion. I’ve been following the development of electric vehicles for the past 10 years with great interest, and I’ve also tested the Jaguar I Pace, BMW i3, and Volkswagen e-Golf. Electric vehicles may not give you the same driving feel as one with an internal combustion engine, but the astonishing power and acceleration more than compensate.

As I understand it, electric vehicles are “greener” than internal combustion engine vehicles (if you consider how the initial electricity is generated, whether through coal, solar, or wind). That’s because the energy transfer from the battery to the eventual movement of the vehicle is highly efficient. According to the Australian Energy Council, you are looking at figures of 85-90%. An internal combustion engine is not even half as efficient.

The Tesla Model S has a 100 kWh battery with a range of just over 500 km. A litre of petrol has the equivalent of 8,9 kWh of energy, and, in comparison, a 3 Series petrol-powered BMW gives you 16 km/ℓ. The BMW, therefore, does not perform significantly better than the Tesla. This is because the BMW uses 278 kWh of fuel energy to cover the same 500 km.

Furthermore, the lithium used in batteries is readily available as you can extract it from salt water, for example. The mining of cobalt and copper is a different matter, but they’re already being mined for other uses, without anyone thinking twice about it. Furthermore, one can only wonder how “green” the mining, refining and transport of oilrelated products really is.

Recharging your electric vehicle does not really put too much pressure on the local power grid. You probably recharge it overnight when there is not much pressure on the network. Another advantage: you can also use solar panels at home to recharge your car battery.

Fuel is used only once, it gives off energy, and releases toxic gases, but electric vehicles are different. The battery has a life expectancy of 10 years, and some manufacturers give theirs an eightyear warranty. After this, the battery is not discarded. You can replace the faulty cells or use it for other purposes.

Mic says when the rotor blades of wind turbines fail, it leads to damage to the environment. Yet, these blades are already being recycled and used as insulation in homes.

Electric vehicles certainly have other advantages: the centre of gravity is lower due to the weight of the batteries, they have more interior space, they accelerate better, give a smoother ride, are quieter, and are almost maintenance-free.

And, oh yes, electric vehicles are also cheaper to manufacture.