Although the U.S.’s EV charging infrastructure is rapidly growing, many drivers have been hesitant to transition to fully electric cars out of concern that they would get stuck with a battery-depleted vehicle. But, a recent study aims to allay those worries by outlining which EVs could be most suitable for consumers’ requirements.
The study examined the driving patterns of 333 gasoline vehicles during a one- to three-year period. It was directed by scholars from the University of Delaware and included researchers from Dalhousie University and Georgia Institute of Technology.
The researchers then contrasted this information with EV performance depending on various car attributes, such as battery size and recharging capability, as well as EV charging stations.
Willett Kempton, lead author and professor of marine science and policy and of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Delaware, explained what they did in a statement.
“We determined how much people drive a year, differentiating every single trip and stop, and then overlaid that with all the possible EVs you could buy,” he said. Our statistics on the range and charging speed will let you know which EVs will work for you if you know how far you need to travel.
According to the study, which was written up in the journal Energies, between 25% and 37% of drivers could satisfy all of their driving requirements with EVs that had smaller batteries and a range of around 143 miles by charging at nearby charging stations, such as those at home and at work.
The concept that we can’t migrate away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles until we have EVs with large batteries and faster charging, in Kempton’s opinion, is refuted by this point. The findings also suggest that many drivers may switch to cheaper EVs, which are around $10,000 less expensive than EVs with large batteries. More sustainable batteries are those that are smaller.
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EV range has been in the news a lot lately, but the truth is that if a lower-range vehicle will do, it will be better for the environment and the customer’s budget. Inside Climate News was briefed by Stephanie Searle of the International Council on Clean Transportation.
Smaller batteries allow for a lower range, which lessens the environmental effect of mining and battery production upstream. More effective EVs with fewer (greenhouse gas) emissions from energy generation is also associated with smaller batteries.
Making a few little adjustments can assist an electric vehicle (EV) to travel farther for people who regularly or over longer distances. To charge the car, they might need to make an additional stop. And for EVs with large batteries, the majority of drivers still did not reach the longer range’s maximum range, alleviating EV range anxiety even further.
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The study does highlight the need for policymakers to introduce more charging stations, particularly along streets in urban areas where many people may not have parking at their residences, even though it does find that many drivers could switch to less expensive EVs with shorter ranges without needing to make additional trips to charging stations.
Kempton stated that we must align the public sector with what the business sector is doing. As a result, when you take your electric vehicle to work, a friend’s house, or the community center, you can find charging stations there to use whenever you need to stop for a bit. Parking on the street must be paid for if your housing demands it.
