Electric vehicles, commonly known as EVs, are very cheap to run, and comparable in price to purchase – and cheaper to maintain and register – than an ordinary car.
Myth Buster: The battery is going to die just like my mobile phone and cost me tens of thousands of dollars to replace. Unlike consumer electronics, EV battery packs are rated at greater than 1000 cycles. With a cycle equalling a full charge, it generally represents 300 or more kilometres per cycle. This means an EV battery pack is good for at least 300,000 kilometres. With the average Australian driving less than 15,000 kilometres per year, we may be worried about something that might happen in over 20 years’ time.
Benefit: Buy fuel on a Tuesday, Saturday or is it a long weekend? These are challenges of the past when you own an EV and likely pay the same amount every day to charge up. Leaving home with a full tank every morning is one of the many benefits of owning an EV. Electricity is generally a stable price with the average Queenslander paying about 25 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). Owning an EV makes budgeting for your transport costs all the simpler.
Battery operated vehicles (BEVs) as opposed to hybrids, which use fuel, only require recharging using an electric plug.
An EV comes with a charging lead that plugs into a standard 240-volt power point which means you can charge your car at home.
A fully charged EV can travel between 200 and 650 kilometres depending on battery capacity. When charging from home you can fully charge your vehicle for less than $20 (based on 60kWh capacity at 25 cents per kWh).
If you have solar power, you may be able to halve the charging cost (standard fit is five cents per kWh by 6kWh) which can result in a cost 70 per cent less than a tank of fuel.
If you drive long distances there are options to speed up recharging. Purchasing a 15-amp charging cord will cost you roughly $500 and cut recharging time in half. Or, for $1000 to $2000, installing a home charging station will halve the charging time again. If you have three phase power, a home charging station can fully charge your EV in as little as three hours.
There are over 3000 charging stations throughout Australia, some are free, and smart phone apps show their locations.
Most charging stations are universal. Tesla has announced that their new super chargers will be universal in the future.
It is estimated that 80 per cent of charging happens at home.
On the occasion that you need to top up on the road, plan your trip to recharge at a facility where you can get some shopping done, or have a cuppa while you wait. It is as simple as parking, plugging in and logging into your app to unlock the charging station.
Your EV’s battery may require replacing approximately every 15 to 20 years. Most batteries have an eight to 10-year warranty. They come in different sizes, with larger batteries giving you further range.
The cost of replacement is currently between $4000 and $20,000 and is expected to significantly reduce within the next few years due to increased recycling.
There are subsidised battery exchange programs, or you can replace a faulty cell to extend the battery life. End of life batteries are either repurposed as zero emission energy storage or over 90 per cent recycled to make new batteries.
For further information relating to emission reduction in Noosa head to info@zeroemissionsnoosa.com
