An old joke and simultaneously the most sensitive topic surrounding electric cars: range anxiety. Yet it's a relic of the past. (Photo: © stockshoppe/123RF.com)
Read aloud:
June 2017
Everyone knows them, but hardly anyone drives them – electric cars. But for those willing to try something new, they offer an exciting mobility alternative to the combustion engine.
Do you have an electric car? Hopefully your cable is long enough! Electric car drivers still have to listen to this old joke, which plays on one of the most sensitive topics: range anxiety. The fear of breaking down in an electric car because it ran out of fuel. The problem: With a canister in hand, drivers of diesel or gasoline cars could walk to the nearest gas station, pump out fuel, and recharge their vehicle. You can't just take an electric car's battery pack to the nearest outlet or—as is usual with a smartphone or tablet—charge it with a power shot via a USB cable. So, anyone who breaks down has a real problem.
Yet range anxiety is a relic of the past, one that was unfounded even back then. Statistics prove this. In 2013, every passenger car drove an average of 14.259 kilometers, and every commercial vehicle up to 3,5 tons 19.008 kilometers, according to a study published by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) in the summer of 2015 (more recent figures are not available). Converted to individual days, a passenger car driver drove an average of just over 39 kilometers, while a commercial vehicle driver managed around 52 kilometers per day. Even if you only count 220 workdays as car use, you end up with daily distances of just 65 and 86,4 kilometers respectively – even back then, far below the ranges of the batteries of available electric vehicles. And that's exactly what the automotive industry has continued to work on. In 2017, all manufacturers increased the range by an average of a third thanks to better, more powerful batteries.
But 2017 will be a turning point not only in terms of range. The model range of purely electric vehicles will expand significantly. This applies not only to the passenger car sector, but also particularly to the commercial vehicle sector. Businesses that have to transport heavy payloads can especially look forward to a significant expansion of their offerings. Following the highly successful Kangoo ZE urban transporter, Renault has announced the Renault Master for the end of the year, and VW Commercial Vehicles plans to bring the electric version of its Crafter to stores this fall. Until now, apart from the Iveco Daily (up to 5,2 tonnes permissible gross vehicle weight) and the Fuso Canter, there was hardly anything available for high payloads. 70 examples of the electric Daily have been sold in Germany, which automatically means market leadership in its class.
There are several reasons why there weren't more, all of which generally apply to all electric cars. For example, availability often failed. Especially in the commercial vehicle segment, many of the first models never made it past the pilot project stage. Primarily used by large-capacity and fleet customers, they, like the Mercedes-Benz Vito E-Cell, served only to gather further insights. The company interested in electromobility never even got ahold of a single unit. And even the small series of the Fuso eCanter announced for 2017 in the fall of 2016 comprises just 150 units – for the whole of Europe. These, too, are only going to selected customers.
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Craft policy
One reason for the rather modest sales of electric vehicles so far is the high purchase price. However, prices are gradually declining. Photo: © nito500/123RF.com Small series production also exists in the passenger car sector and is likely to remain a problem at least in 2017, but this will diminish thanks to the growing model diversity. The Opel Ampera, which was announced with much fanfare regarding its 500-kilometer range, will also only be launched on the German market in three-digit numbers this year.
The second, and crucial, reason for the tepid sales so far has been and remains the price. Even though manufacturers like to emphasize the lower fuel costs – gasoline accounts for a third of total vehicle costs – as a reason for the economic efficiency of electric vehicles, they are still expensive. Take the first electric Iveco Daily, for example. It cost a modest €130.000, while a comparable Daily was priced at €1. Even a small car like a Renault Zoe costs around €24.000, rising to €30.000 if the buyer wants to own the battery. A comparable car with a combustion engine, like the Clio, costs around €15.000 in the standard version.
At least prices are gradually declining. This is partly due to subsidies, and partly due to manufacturers being able to produce more cost-effectively thanks to larger volumes. Combined with falling battery prices, this will make electric vehicles more competitive in the long run compared to combustion engines.
What can't be measured in cents or euros so far: Companies are improving their image with an electric car. Aside from the debate that an electric car is only truly clean if the power comes from renewable sources, their drivers are seen as modern, progressive, and environmentally conscious. And this often leads to a positive start to the conversation and a positive outlook for the future.
To ensure your battery never lets you down, make sure there's a power outlet nearby when looking for a parking space. Photo: Milosh Kojadinovich However, drivers and owners of electric vehicles must also be prepared to embrace this new mobility and say goodbye to beloved habits. The most important rule: No matter where the car is parked, it should always be plugged in immediately to avoid running out of range. And for longer journeys, more precise planning is also required, determining where to tap into power when needed. A problem? No, it's not; it's simply a form of mobility. Anyone who has ever traveled for an extended period in an electric vehicle quickly adapts to the new conditions and can truly travel cleanly, environmentally friendly, and, above all, quickly.
Because electric cars also offer this: driving pleasure! Electric motors have a huge advantage over combustion engines. Gasoline and diesel engines can only deliver their maximum power within a specific rev range. Electric motors are different: they deliver full performance from the first rev to the last. When approaching a red light, only supercars can keep up...
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