Volkswagen

Their progress is constant, inexorable : if electric vehicles accounted for only 1.4% of the new car market in 2018, this share increased to 6.7% in 2020 and even to 13.3% in 2022 ! It must be said that in five years, the offer exploded among all manufacturers, and some major brands don’t have a battery model. Have you decided to take a step? you will open quiet, easy-to-drive cars (no gears to shift, heavy engine braking) and reducing the cost of use (no fuel, less maintenance and wear and tear of consumables).

The icing on the cake: you won’t have to fear the traffic restrictions that threaten low-emission zones (the famous ZFE), electric cars with the absolute key that is the Crit’Air green macaroon. However, before taking the plunge, it’s important to know what challenges electric cars can still present…

Weight of batteries

High torque, quiet operation, energy efficiency of the engine:electric, This is a fantastic ! The battery is a little smaller. Heavy, bulky and low energy density (0.2 kWh/kg compared to 13.1 for gasoline), it remains a burden for EVs. But research is ongoing develop more efficient batteries. Two technologies are particularly promising. First, solid state lithium-ion batteries that would double the energy density compared to current lithium-ion batteries, i.e. 0.4 kWh/kg. It is clear that with the same capacity, a solid battery will be twice as light! Another promising and additional technology is sodium ion batterywhich does not use lithium and therefore allows reduce production costs by about 20%. Before these big promises become reality, let’s look at another challenge facing the electric car: maintenance.

Interview questions

This is a fact: Electric cars are mechanically simpler than their thermal equivalents. Fewer parts means fewer breakdowns and lower maintenance costs. In the absence of a gearbox, clutch or spark plugs, maintenance is often reduced to annual review. And if interventions on the high-voltage part (battery, inverter, on-board charger, engine) require the skills of a specially trained technician, prices for planned repairs remain lower than for the thermal model. Tesla goes even further: service is not recommended! The car itself signals any malfunctions that require a visit to the workshop. Note that by recuperating energy during braking, EVs use fewer consumables such as rims, pads and, to a lesser extent, tires. Fewer breakdowns and cheaper repairs!

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