EV & FCEV Explained (3)

Now that our general knowledge is up to standard, let's see how we use an electric car.

An EV in action (1)

In this post we discuss the practice of electric driving. Such as the differences between a fuel car and an electric car, the components used (such as the electric motor and the battery), the range in practice and according to the WLTP and unique features such as one-pedal driving. In addition, this post further discusses the differences and costs of driving an electric vehicle.

Electric motor: energy and performance

An electric motor has several advantages over a combustion engine. The energy efficiency is much higher than that of a combustion engine, where most of the energy is consumed as heat. Only little energy is lost with an electric motor. This means that a factor of three to four less energy is required.

It operates virtually silently and delivers immediate power. When you press the 'gas pedal' (energy or acceleration pedal) you immediately have the maximum torque and therefore most electric cars accelerate very quickly. A mid-range electric car can therefore accelerate comparable to or even faster than a sports car.

Another advantage is that no gearbox is needed: the electric motor can work well at all common speeds. While driving you have one hand left and your feet also have to do much less work. Your left foot is no longer necessary anyway, because there is no coupling. And your right foot mainly has to focus on the accelerator.

Most electric cars support 'one-pedal driving' - see later in this post. You hardly use the brake pedal anymore. The moment you release the accelerator pedal slightly, the drivetrain regenerates, converting the car's kinetic energy into electrical energy and storing it in the battery. This causes the car to slow down. You can usually adjust the degree of regeneration and therefore the degree of braking and recharging. Driving in urban areas results in frequent acceleration and braking. Because braking produces energy, an EV drives much more efficiently than normal.

Let's sum up:

• An electric motor is a factor of 3 to 4 more energy efficient than a fuel engine.
• The 'accelerator pedal' provides immediate and rapid acceleration.
• No gearbox is needed.
• With One-Pedal-Driving you need the brake pedal less because the car brakes using the electric motor.
• An EV runs very economically, especially in the city, because energy is recovered during braking.

Range: how much do you need?

The range of most electric cars is lower than that of an average petrol car. Still, the question is whether that is a bad thing, because how many kilometres do you need? On average, people drive 35 km per day. An electric car that can drive 350 km would therefore have to be charged at least once every 10 days. And anyone who drives 100 km per day should charge at least every three days.

If there are charging stations available near your home, it is useful to charge every day, because then your car is full every morning when you leave. Do you need more than, for example, 350 km? Yes, on holiday or during other long journeys. But those are usually just exceptions that happen a few times a year. In that case, you will have to use fast chargers along the route or a charging station at a hotel, shopping centre or restaurant.

Not everyone drives the same amount. So, choose a car with a range that suits you. Not too much, but not too little either. Keep a wide margin, because the range can fluctuate depending on different circumstances, such as the weather.

Range: manufacturer's specifications (WLTP)

Every car manufacturer indicates the range of a particular model. This concerns a certain number of kilometres based on the WLTP test, which stands for Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure. This is only an indication, because the value is not based on a practical test. During testing, the car is placed on a roller conveyor and various conditions are tested, such as accelerating and braking and driving fast and slow. However, no distinction is made between summer and winter and systems such as heating and cooling (air conditioning) are turned off. For most of the test, a car drives quite slowly - an average of 33 km/h. The car only travels at a maximum speed of 120 km/h for a short time. The use of different rims is also not taken into account (the standard size is taken as a starting point).

The WLTP value is therefore quite optimistic and anything but realistic. Certainly, for highway use, it is not a good indication of how far you can drive in practice. Suppose a car has a range of 350 km according to the WLTP standard and you have to get from Subang Jaya to George Town (350 km) then you almost certainly not - not at all if you drive 130 km/h. How close a car comes to the specified WLTP range differs per model. It also depends on the driving behaviour of the driver, the speed, weather conditions and driving environment.

Occasions and Chinese cars sometimes use a different value, such as the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). This test dates from 1992 - a time when there were no electric cars yet. These are fairly meaningless and much more optimistic than the WLTP.

Practical tests give a better picture. See also the 'Real Range' indication from EV-Database.

Reach: what influences all?

The range that a car indicates is not a fixed value that is always correct. The energy consumption depends on various factors. Depending on that, you can drive more or less. This also applies to fuel cars, but because the range of electric cars is smaller, the differences stand out more.

• Driving style - hard acceleration costs more energy, anticipating and rolling out is beneficial for energy consumption.
• Regeneration - If you brake on the electric motor, the car wins back energy.
• City or highway - an EV drives much more economically in the city; this is due to regeneration.
• Speed - the harder you drive, the higher your energy consumption becomes. Example: driving 130 km/h on the highway instead of 100 can cost approximately 50% more energy.

• The weather: temperature, rain and wind. The higher the resistance, the more energy driving costs. A headwind and rain can therefore have a major influence. Cold weather is also unfavourable because an EV cannot use residual heat from a combustion engine. In the winter the range is therefore smaller than in the summer.
• Heating and air conditioning - The use of the heating and the air conditioning costs (extra) energy.
• Heat pump - A heat pump is more energy -efficient than traditional electric heating based on filament.
• Aerodynamics - The design of a car is co -determining for the consumption Example: a low car with a sporty design without a grille (such as the Tesla Model 3) has a lower air resistance than a high angular SUV (such as the Volvo XC40).
• Rims and tires - Smaller (dense) rims and tires are more efficient than large (open) rims and wide tires.
• Pre -heat - preheat the car in advance (while hanging on the charger) leads to lower consumption while driving.

Driving with one pedal (One-Pedal-Driving).

Many electric cars support One-Pedal-Driving. In addition, you can drive approximately 90% of the time by using only the 'accelerator pedal'. When you press the pedal, the car accelerates and when you release it a bit, it brakes. If you completely release the pedal, it brakes - usually even to a standstill. In many cases, the brake pedal is no longer necessary, especially if you anticipate changes while driving, such as traffic lights and roundabouts.

The car does not inhibit by using the brake discs, but by storing the wheels of the wheels through the electric motor in the battery. The electric motor therefore becomes a generator (a kind of dynamo). This provides energy and an additional advantage is that the brake discs wear much less.

For those who have never experienced this, it might take some getting used to, but that is very fast. In practice, most people find it very pleasant and afterwards they don't want to go back to the old situation.

Not all cars support (full) One-Pedal-Driving. With some cars, such as the Volkswagen ID series, there is a regeneration in the B position, but in moderation and not to a standstill. A limited number of electric cars, such as the Porsche Taycan, do not support it at all because the car manufacturer did not think this was appropriate (for example, it would not match the sporty character of a car).

Differences

Below a short list with the most important differences between an EV and an ICE (fuel car):

• An EV uses less than a third of the energy of a car with combustion engine.
• Because an electric motor is much smaller than a combustion engine, the engine space can become shorter. More space can be used for the interior. Extra space can also be used for luggage. However, the height of the (rear) seats is often something different, due to the battery in the bottom plate.
• An EV has no gearbox and link therefore no clutch pedal. It is always a vending machine, so two pedals. If One-Pedal-Driving is supported, the brake pedal is almost no longer necessary, and you drive with one pedal.
• An EV has no emissions and therefore leads to a cleaner environment, which is especially noticeable in densely populated cities. If the power production is included, an EV will still emit 2 to 5 times less CO2.
• Loading an EV does not have to take much time if this is combined with a visit to work, shops, restaurants, hotels or loading in the street.
• Fast charging takes longer than refuelling, but the difference is getting smaller and smaller (18 minutes with the Kia EV6).
• An EV has much less moving parts and therefore less wear - less maintenance is needed, so the costs are also lower. Tires often wear a bit harder due to the higher weight of the car and the high torque of the electric motor. Brakes wear less quickly.
• EVs expand an estimated 25% less particulate matter than fuel cars because there is no combustion engine present and because less use is made of the brakes because the electric motor is inhibited (regeneration). As a result, the brake discs wear much less quickly.

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