By using battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs), people can enjoy their cars for longer periods of time, save money, and have less emissions, according to the latest study.
The study, by the research and policy consultancy, showed that people in Britain, Australia, Germany and France could use the battery-free car, which is often referred to as a “hybrid” vehicle, for up to 90 percent of their trips within a year.
The findings suggest that people can be “supercharged” by using EVs for short periods of trips and not requiring the use of gas or diesel.
It is important to note that the study, which looked at data from more than 100 million trips, was based on journeys that took place between January 1 and December 31, 2020, with the average distance covered being 2.8 kilometres.
The results were published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
A battery-based car is also considered a “zero-emissions” vehicle when it uses no fossil fuels.
But while the technology is “not yet ready” for mass adoption, the researchers believe that it is a good alternative for many drivers.
“We are trying to understand what people’s expectations are, what they think about the environment, and what they like to drive,” said Dr Matthew Pardue, lead author of the study and an Associate Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Cambridge.
A battery in use for more than two years.”
The result is that the battery can be used for longer trips, the price can be lower and the vehicle can be more fuel-efficient.”
A battery in use for more than two years.
Image: Jana Fauci/ShutterstockResearchers say the new findings show the potential of battery-driven vehicles.
“We think this is a great development for the future,” said David Mather, senior scientist at the Climate and Energy Programme at the Centre for Energy and Environment Research at Imperial College London.
“The car is a vehicle with a low emissions footprint and it can be electrified for longer journeys.”
The car’s battery is also lighter than other electric vehicles, and the technology can be combined with fuel cell vehicles to achieve even greater power.
However, the battery’s efficiency drops to almost zero when the car is running on petrol or diesel, meaning the energy required to power it will be higher than what is required to drive the vehicle on a fully electric charge.
“If you drive it for a week on a petrol or a diesel car, the batteries are a bit like driving on an empty highway,” Dr Mather said.
A comparison of the two modes of charging.
Image, Jana Mather/ShippoA comparison is useful because it shows that the efficiency of a battery is much less when it is in use when the vehicle is running in a hybrid mode, he said.
However a battery in a car that has been running in an EV mode will be much less efficient when it runs in a battery-electric mode, the study found.
This means that, for example, an electric car could run on a battery for almost an entire year without needing to recharge, and its battery efficiency would drop to less than half of what is expected for a battery that is used for more frequent journeys.
Dr Mather also said the research showed that battery-operated vehicles are likely to be cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
“This is a very exciting development, because it makes it possible for EVs to be built that are environmentally friendly, not only by reducing emissions, but also by improving fuel economy,” he said
