The Environment and the Motor Car
We’ve all heard about greenhouse gases and the possible environmental damage that they cause. Greenhouse gases have been increasing ever since the industrial revolution and many people, including the United Nations, believe these are contributing to climate change and the rise in temperatures throughout the world. In 2021 the UN released a report stating that temperatures could rise by 1.5oC by 2040 which would lead to crop failures, biodiversity loss and increased flooding.
One of the main constituents of greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). Along with many other countries, the UK Government is keen to reduce the amount of CO2 we produce and as part of this initiative they have brought in a ban on the sale of any new petrol or diesel car from 2030. A report on the BBC website shows that the top two options for a person to reduce their CO2 emissions are to not have a car (an average saving of 2.04 tonnes of CO2 per year) or to change to an electric vehicle (an average saving of 1.95 tonnes of CO2 per year).
Electric Vehicles (EV)
Electric vehicles, also called battery-electric vehicles, use a battery to drive an electric motor in the vehicle. The battery has to be charged up whenever it runs down. This is done by connecting it to the mains electricity supply, either via a home charger or at a public charging point. Let’s look at some of the concerns surrounding electric vehicles (EV).
Availability and Choice
Most car manufacturers now produce an EV and they come in all shapes and sizes, from the Fiat 500 to the Porsche Taycan. According to zap-map.com, there were 265,000 new battery-electric cars registered in the UK in 2022, an increase of 40% on the previous year. By December 2022 battery-electric cars accounted for 16.6% of new car registrations. The total number of battery-electric cars in the UK is now over 680,000. The availability of second hand EVs is limited, so the resale value of these cars remains high.
Price, Maintenance and Running Costs
EVs can be more expensive than their petrol/diesel equivalent. But an EV requires less maintenance as it has fewer moving parts and doesn’t need oil changes. The battery in an EV car is expected to last for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
The recent rise in electricity prices has had an effect on the cost of running an EV. In September 2022 the RAC stated that for an average sized car, using a ‘rapid charge’ public charging point worked out at around 18p per mile. This was very close to the cost of a petrol car, which was around 19p per mile. However, people who charged their car at home overnight had a cost of around 9p per mile.
Range
Early EVs could only travel a short distance before they needed recharging. Today’s average is over 200 miles. If you are making a long trip, then you will need to plan where you can recharge. There are around 37,000 public charging points in the UK and the government has just pledged £56m to install more. It takes 30-60 minutes to do a ‘rapid’ charge.
Other Points
Aside from CO2, petrol and diesel cars emit other pollutants into the air that can cause health issues such as childhood asthma. Because there is no engine noise, EVs are very quiet compared to petrol/diesel cars. Having an electric motor allows EVs to accelerate quickly.
In conclusion, there are many reasons to consider an EV: concern for the environment, the health damage caused by emissions, the upcoming ban on petrol and diesel cars, the inevitability of it, the savings in running and maintenance costs. Also, many of the arguments against EVs are being addressed eg choice, range, availability of recharging points. But if you’re not ready to go down this route yet, there is always the option of a hybrid vehicle.
Hybrid Vehicles
Hybrid vehicles use a petrol/diesel engine and an electric motor to drive the car. When running on the electric motor, hybrids have the same environmental benefits as an EV. Hybrids come in three main versions: plug-in, self-charging and mild hybrid.
Plug-in Hybrid
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has a battery that can be charged in the same way as an EV. The battery is smaller than that of an EV as the hybrid also has a combustion engine. This means that the hybrid will do around 30 miles on a charge, the rest of the time it will be using petrol/diesel.
The advantage of a PHEV is that if you have a small commute then an overnight charge will enable you to do most of it using the electric battery. But when travelling a longer distance you will be using the combustion engine and therefore don’t have to worry about where to recharge.
Self-charging Hybrid
A self-charging hybrid (HEV) has a battery that is charged as you drive. Whenever you brake or coast, energy is retrieved and sent to the battery. The battery is smaller than that of a PHEV and can be used to drive the car or to assist the combustion engine during acceleration. On any journey you will get a mixture of electric and combustion engine powering your car.
The advantage of a self-charging hybrid is that you do not plug it in to charge. Also, because it has a combustion engine there is never a need for recharge anxiety.
Mild Hybrid
Similar to a self-charging hybrid, a mild hybrid (MHEV) takes the kinetic energy from braking and coasting and stores it in a battery. This battery power is used to assist the combustion engine during acceleration, improving your fuel economy. A MHEV cannot run solely on electric power.
As with an HEV, MHEVs do not plug-in and because it has a combustion engine there are no concerns about charging points.
Should you need any advice on this topic please contact our Energy Champion, Stephen Hollins (stephenh@mypay.uk.com).
For general information on saving energy and reducing you bills visit Energy Saving Trust.