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Electric mobility is here to stay. It is becoming increasingly apparent that, in the area of private transport, electric car will win the race - especially outside big cities. However, there are still some prejudices and myths surrounding e-cars that prevent many people from adopting electric mobility. Too low range, too long loading times, poor charging infrastructure, too expensive... these are the most popular prejudices.
Today, we are clarifying how much truth there is in these myths and whether the prejudices are justified.
E-car myth #1: “E-cars are not more environmentally friendly than combustion engines”
The myth that e-cars are no more environmentally friendly than combustion vehicles is a controversial statement that must take various factors into account. It is important to note that the environmental impact of vehicles depends on various variables, such as the power source, battery technology, and the way vehicles are used.
On the one hand, the production of Batteries for e-cars the use of raw materials and energy, which may be associated with environmental effects. The mining of raw materials such as lithium and cobalt can have negative consequences if it is not carried out sustainably. In addition, power generation to operate e-cars in regions that are still heavily reliant on fossil fuels can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The proper disposal of batteries is also a challenge and requires an efficient recycling process.
It is undeniable that e-cars start their life cycle with a larger CO2 backpack than combustion engines. However, e-cars can make a positive contribution to the environment, as they do not generate any direct emissions during operation and thus contribute to reducing air pollution and the greenhouse effect. When charged with electricity from renewable energy sources, they can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and further reduce the carbon footprint. In addition, electric motors are more efficient than internal combustion engines, which results in lower energy consumption.
Numerous reputable studies indicate that the environmental balance of electric cars is getting better and better. Over their entire lifetime, newer electric cars already emit only around 30% of the amount of CO2 emitted by vehicles with internal combustion engines.
Significant progress has been made, particularly in the areas of raw material extraction for battery production and recycling and the second-life principle. New technologies are reducing the demand for lithium and cobalt (for lithium-ion batteries) - the two most heavily criticized raw materials. Disused e-car batteries can also be used as energy storage devices even after use in cars, making them part of the solution to storage problems renewable energy and thus be able to make a contribution to the energy revolution. Read here how the electric car as an energy storage device can support the energy revolution:”Electric car as a power spoker”.
E-car myth #2: “The range of e-cars is not suitable for everyday use”
Range fears are an issue - still and particularly in Germany. The very first electric cars had a range of max. 200 km, so this concern was understandable at the beginning - especially as the expansion of the charging infrastructure had only just begun. Today, however, electric cars can also WLTP ranges of 500 km and more - and that with just one battery charge. This means that even long distances, for example for a trip on vacation, are no longer a problem. Also because the charging infrastructure is getting better and denser and you don't have to search long for a charging option anymore.
On average in Germany, every car driver travels 39 km per day. Even with a realistic range of 200 km, you can get by with one battery charge for 5 days. Electric cars are therefore definitely “suitable for everyday use”. You can also read more about range anxiety in one of our other blog articles:”10 reasons why range fears are unfounded“.
Of course, there are applications in which it can also be annoying to regularly have a charging station Having to drive off - especially with regard to Charging time. For example, if you travel a lot for work and have to go from one appointment to the next, it can be annoying to have to stop at a charging station for 15 minutes before you can drive on to the family. So everyone has their individual reason for range anxiety. For most, however, this is unfounded; for others, a few more years of development may be missing so that the e-car is the best solution for them too.
E-car myth #3: “The charging infrastructure is not developed enough — there are too few charging options!”
The charging infrastructure continues to grow. There are currently (as of May 2023) 33,107 registered public charging points in Germany. That is more than 3,000 charging points more than last year and an increase of 10,000 charging points compared to the second quarter of 2021.
While around 6,300 new public charging points were registered in 2020, the number rose annually. In 2021, just under 9,300 new charging stations were added. In 2022, more than 11,500. At the end of 2022, a total of 479,505 charging points were registered across the EU.
In other words, there is already a very large number of public charging stations from which electric vehicles can choose. The expansion is in full swing, so that by 2030 one million public charging points should be available in Germany alone (according to Federal government). In addition to public charging stations, more and more employers are offering their employees the opportunity to charge at the company. And even at home can thanks wallboxes Electric cars are charged.
The fact that there are not enough charging options is therefore a myth that is easy to refute. Of course, headlines that report long traffic jams at charging stations during peak travel periods, such as school holidays, are unsettling. Of course, the charging stations closest to the main travel routes are also the busiest. However, the expansion will also create more charging points that will alleviate these problems. If you use a charging app such as Elvah, you can also see whether the charging point you want to go to is free - and real-time data is used to anticipate whether it will still be available when you arrive. This allows you to switch to another charging point and not be stuck in a “charging jam”.
E-car myth #4: “E-cars are far too expensive for normal consumers”
Let's not kid ourselves: Most electric cars are more expensive to buy than vehicles with combustion engines. It is true that there will be a new, inexpensive entry-level model from some manufacturers “soon”, but this has not yet been observed on the market. Some Chinese car manufacturers offer low prices - but these cars do not (yet) exist on the German market. On average, the purchase prices of electric vehicles are higher than those for combustion vehicles.
This should be counteracted by Funding for electric cars. However, this has recently been restricted and reduced. BAFA funding is currently 4,500 euros up to a net list price of the basic model of 40,000 euros and 3,000 euros with a net list price of over 40,000 euros to 65,000 euros.
If you compare the costs of an internal combustion vehicle over an average maintenance period of 5 years with those of an electric car, e-cars are almost always cheaper. Why In addition to funding, electric car owners also save on wear and repair by eliminating vehicle tax, lower average prices for fuel (electricity) and less expenses for maintenance (e.g. oil changes, which are omitted). In addition, electric mobilists from GHG quota trading profit.
E-car myth #5: “Charging electric cars takes far too long”
Another stereotype that persists is that it takes hours to charge an electric car battery. This means that you cannot travel long distances, such as on vacation, because you have to take breaks lasting hours to charge the battery.
That is not true. What's true: On a domestic wallbox with 11 kW charging capacity, it takes several hours to fully charge an electric car battery. As a rule of thumb, you can expect around 4-8 hours, depending on the charging capacity. If charging at 11 kW or less were the only option, long distances with an e-car would certainly not be practical. Even though you can of course travel a certain distance with a half-full battery. That is why most people charge their electric cars overnight at their home wallbox so that they can set off again the next morning with a full battery.
At 22 kW”Standard charging stations“(AC charging), you get your battery full in around 2-4 hours - it is therefore ideal for charging on shopping or hiking trips.
Fortunately, there are fast charging stations for fast charging on the go (DC charging stations resp HPC charging stations). Here you can charge at a speed of 50 to 350 kW. With fast charging stations (usually 50-240 kW), you can fully charge your car in 30-60 minutes. Charging on the HPC is even faster - in the best case scenario, you can expect 100 km of range increase within 5 minutes. Depending on the battery size, you can fully charge your car in 15-20 minutes.
The charging speed also depends, of course, on the Charging curve and the charging capacity off the electric car. Since the charging power starts at a Battery level (SoC) decreases significantly by 80%, it is usually not worthwhile to wait for the remaining 20%. However, the range is usually sufficient so that you can travel a few kilometers until the next break.
From our own experience, we can say that when traveling long distances, it is worthwhile taking breaks every 1.5-2 hours, also for concentration and safety. For this time, most ranges are sufficient. A 20-minute break is then not only enough to take an organic break, stretch your legs and grab a coffee, but also to get the car up to around 80% battery level and continue driving for another 1.5-2 hours.
In our article, we'll tell you what else you can do in the 20-30 minutes (or how long your charging break should last): “Traveling by e-car: What to do while charging?“
Of course, it's obvious that waiting 20-30 minutes until you continue your journey can also be annoying, for example if you travel a lot for work and have appointments or simply want to go home to your family. We don't want to over-glorify electric mobility or say that an e-car is suitable for everyone in every situation. Nevertheless, we at elvah are convinced that electric cars are the future. Ever increasing ranges and ever faster, more readily available charging options are helping to continue driving faster and making electric mobility even more convenient.
conclusion
Many of the myths mentioned can be refuted for the average. For some others, the current development already shows that they cannot be sustained much longer. Although there is still a lot to do to make electric cars even more environmentally and user-friendly, the more electric mobility is used, the sooner developments can take place in a better and more sustainable future. Some use cases may require a bit more planning. However, we can say from our own experience that the reservations and fears disappear in most cases when using them ourselves.
You are now asking yourself: Is an electric car right for me? You can find a checklist of whether an e-car is right for you here:” Are you an e-car person?“