Category: Engineering Technology

With the old and the new, it is time to go forward. Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise and so are electric vehicle battery technology after a recent government decision that the sale of all new fuel and diesel automobiles would be prohibited by 2030. Since Henry Ford’s Model A was introduced in 1903, this is the most significant event to vehicles. Better for the environment.

Are you:

• Your electric car is charging in your driveway.
• When is the appropriate moment to make the switch?
• Electric vehicles: still a bit of a mystery to you?

In any case, it is worth understanding how EVs function because they will play a significant role in the future of transportation. In addition to saving your money, EVs offer a smoother and more enjoyable driving experience than previous generations of automobiles. In terms of batteries and charging, far too many of us do not truly understand how electric cars function.

This means thinking about how far you can drive before you need to charge. We hope that this information may allay your worries regarding the power of the motor. In no time, you will become an expert.

In any case, it is worth understanding how EVs function because they will play a significant role in the future of transportation. In addition to saving your money, EVs offer a smoother and more enjoyable driving experience than previous generations of automobiles. In terms of batteries and charging, far too many of us do not truly understand how electric cars function.

This means thinking about how far you can drive before you need to charge. We hope that this information may allay your worries regarding the power of the motor. In no time, you will become an expert. Unlike old-fashioned batteries, it does not fit neatly under the hood of a car. Instead, it is tucked down under your feet in the bottom chassis, hidden from view.

The battery is very well secured in this compartment. Whatever the British weather may bring, it is designed to function at precisely the perfect temperature. Charging and discharging cycles govern the battery’s operation. All those cells are charged when the car is plugged in, but the power is discharged on the road.

What Kinds of Batteries do Electric Cars Use? 

Here is the nerdy tech part of the article. It will be jargon-free:

Lithium-ion Batteries

• Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are used in electric cars. Like the ones on your cell phone, they are considerably bigger and stronger.
• No lithium metal in the batteries, just ions are used in the production of the batteries.
• Anodes and cathodes are separated by electrolytes, which carry the ions from one electrode to the other.
• In a nutshell, this movement (approximately) generates electricity.
• High energy density makes Li-ion batteries ideal for acceleration.
• You may charge and discharge them hundreds of times without deterioration.
• In contrast to other types of batteries, EV batteries have a low self-discharge rate.
• It is time for a chemistry class to end. Batteries for electric vehicles are still in their infancy. In the future, battery technology will improve, resulting in cheaper, smaller, lighter, and more lasting batteries.

How can Regenerative Braking help?

In essence, braking is an inefficient process. It causes a loss of energy and momentum, which slows down an automobile. In other words, an automobile needs to consume more energy to regain its previous speed. Braking is, of course, a vital element of driving. We recommend that you continue to do this.

With an electric automobile, all of the motion energy is wasted when the brakes are applied. On the other hand, electric vehicles use a motor to convert much of the kinetic energy and store it in a battery, ready for use when the car accelerates again. This is a great idea! Batteries gain the energy that would otherwise be lost during braking.

Electric Vehicle Battery Capacity Explained

An electric vehicle features a motor instead of an engine. As with the petrol tank, an electric vehicle is powered by an electric motor. The battery capacity of an electric vehicle is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). As an example, consider the following:

• In other words, the Model S can drive over 400 miles on a charge.
• For example, the 50kWh battery in an EV (such as the Corsa-e from Vauxhall) is suitable for 209 miles.
• It may have a 35kWh battery, but it can still go 130 miles on a single charge.
• As a general rule, the larger the kWhs, the further a car can go on a single charge. Remember, you cannot ever entirely charge or drain an EV’s battery. An ingenious way to preserve the battery, keep it functioning smoothly, and extend its life.
• Financially, it makes sense to choose an EV with a suitable battery capacity. Buying a Jaguar i-Pace with a 292-mile range is pointless if you will use it around town. When driving long distances, acquire a car with a larger battery, or accept that you will need to top it up more regularly if you do not.

How Long do Electric Car Batteries Last? 

Batteries for electric vehicles include hundreds of cells that allow them to keep their charge after driving hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Most EV batteries now have a life expectancy of up to 20 years3 – which may even outlast the vehicle itself!

It is a good thing to know. As the technology continues to advance, so too will the battery life of electric vehicles.

How much does it Cost to Replace an EV Battery? 

In the lifespan of your automobile, you are unlikely to need to replace your car’s batteries. Be sure to verify your warranty and make sure it protects you if a battery failure before you buy one.

While prices will continue to decline, as with most new tech products, they will continue to fall as technology advances. A McKinsey research shows that the price of batteries has fallen by 80 percent since 2010. Some anticipate that by 2030, the price of a kWh may be as low as £75. The timing of the UK government’s prohibition on the sale of new petrol automobiles could not be more perfect.

What happens to Electric Car Batteries when they can no Longer Power a Car?

When a battery retires, what happens to it? If you threw it out, you would be wasting the rare resources it contains. It would also be a significant environmental hazard to dump it in a landfill due to soil contamination factors. Alternatively, batteries can be repurposed in one of two ways:

Reusing EV Batteries

It is possible to reuse an electric vehicle (EV) battery once it cannot power a vehicle.

Recycling EV Batteries

Batteries cannot be reused indefinitely, unfortunately. Eventually, they will wear out and need to be replaced. But the rare elements from which they are manufactured might still hold promise for future development. As of yet, there is not a perfect way to recycle them.

Best Electric Car Battery Manufacturers 

The EV battery industry is crowded, as you might imagine, with numerous manufacturers vying for market share. As a result, the vast majority of them are based in Asia. Top 3 selections from our top 3 picks:

• Tesla is perhaps the most well-known of the inventors in this category.
• Battery manufacturer LG Chem also has an important position in the battery market. We have a new deal with Tesla.
• The biggest EV producer in China is currently selling more electric automobiles than fossil fuel vehicles.

Some say that electric cars are the path to the future of transportation, and some argue that the market will diminish in the next couple of years. So, what is an electric car? An electric car is a car running on one or more electric motors that store electricity in their rechargeable batteries. Compared to our traditional vehicles with ICE’s (internal combustion engines), electric cars are much quieter, produce no exhaust emissions, and have near to no emissions overall.

Do Electric Cars Hold Their Value?

Depreciation alludes to the difference between the worth of a vehicle from purchase to sale. Overall, cars depreciate by somewhere between 15% and 35% in the first year. The average new vehicle loses around 60% of its worth after the initial three years. In any case, the vehicle’s depreciation relies upon mileage, condition, and brand of vehicle. Commonly, higher premium vehicles will generally hold their value for longer than standard models.

The sales of electric vehicles have been on a precarious uprise in recent years, with a 180% expansion in sales year on year. Different governments worldwide drive to boycott the sale of diesel and petroleum vehicles by 2030 has expanded the fame of electric vehicles considerably more. But this raises the question, with the rise in the sales of electric cars, do they hold their value?

When electric cars were newly introduced to the vehicle industry, their value depreciated very quickly. There was not enough demand for electric vehicles, and the supply was more than optimal. But as the car batteries have upgraded over the years, and many different brands establish their dominance in the market (such as Tesla), the demand for electric cars has risen drastically hence helping them retain their value for longer.

Premium brands that make electric vehicles hold their value for more. For instance, electric models from Mercedes and Tesla have around 65% – 60% of their worth after the initial three years or 36,000 miles. This is predominantly because owning a premium electric vehicle implies you have the extravagance and high-end quality motors but at the same time are helped by expanding super-low emission zones and fuel costs.

On the other hand, lower-end and more affordable vehicles from any semblance of Nissan, Toyota, and Smart cars are bound to depreciate more rapidly. This is something similar for diesel and petrol variations. These vehicles are more affordable since they utilize cheaper parts, which means they will probably wear more rapidly, which impacts the value of the car over the long run. Due to electric vehicles, most of the car driver’s jobs loos his jobs.

Comparison: Do Electric Cars Depreciate as Fast as Petrol/Diesel Cars?

Top-of-the-line electric vehicles produced by Tesla and Mercedes can hold their value for longer than most other electric vehicles. On average electric vehicles, don’t depreciate any quicker or slower than petroleum or diesel models. Notwithstanding, the depreciation of significant value can change. The general economy and health of the auto business are two important elements while valuing a vehicle. In any case, as the government and vehicle retailers set up incentives to expand electric car deals, you may see that electric cars hold their value for longer.

Usually, assuming you want to reduce expenses in general overall, deciding on an electric vehicle or a hybrid car might be excessively less expensive than purchasing a petrol or diesel vehicle as the running expenses of an electric vehicle are extensively less costly. With most governments encouraging people to buy electric cars, they put on incentives to increase the demand, resulting in less value depreciation over the period, which does not look suitable for petrol or diesel vehicles.

The central aspect of electric cars that really outshines traditional vehicles is that they emit nearly zero emissions, and they are eco-friendly, which benefits our environment. The crucial contrast between traditional ICE vehicles and electric vehicles has to do with the process toward changing the potential stored energy into kinetic (movement) energy. In ICE vehicles, this energy is stored in a chemical structure and is released through a chemical reaction inside the motor, which emits gasses.

On the other hand, electric cars likewise have chemically stored energy; electric vehicles discharge it electrochemically with no burning because of lithium-particle batteries. This implies that there is no fuel being scorched and, this way, no air contamination through CO2 occurring while at the same time driving. They are likewise more productive than fossil vehicles.

Conclusion

By and large, all things considered, electric vehicles will turn out to be more competitive in their costs and insurance in the foreseeable future, which will affect whether electric vehicles can hold their value. With the rise in electric cars, we might see depreciation increment, yet the insurances might be cheaper.