Traffic is one of the top 3 sources of emissions in Germany, but electric mobility can counteract this. According to a VW calculation, electric power is about three times more efficient than synthetic fuels, because an electric vehicle consumes about 400 watt hours per kilometer over its entire life cycle over 200,000 kilometers – including production.
Nevertheless, only every 40th new car is a pure electric car. Many Germans have their doubts about electric cars and decide to buy a car with an engine powered by fossil fuels. But are these prejudices justified? Learn more about 7 myths about electric cars here.
Electric cars don’t have a nice design
It is well known that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Many prototypes of electric cars have a very futuristic design, while others look very similar to regular combustion vehicles. However, many car manufacturers now also offer their standard models with electric drive. Design is therefore no longer likely to be an exclusion criterion for electric vehicles.
Electric motors are more susceptible to fires
No. Although the news speaks much more often of burning electric motors, statistically this is not the truth. On average, only two electric cars catch fire for every billion kilometres driven. On the other hand, around 90 combustion engines catch fire on the same route. On average, 40 to 45 combustion cars are on fire every day.
Electric cars have too little power
The days of slow city cars are long gone. Meanwhile, there are numerous e-cars that score with several hundred hp and often make it from zero to one hundred in just a few seconds. The range of electric mobility includes numerous SUVs, such as the E-SUV from Jaguar, sedans and even sports cars. The Formula E racing series alone should be a sign to all doubters that electric cars have long since gone beyond the stage of cute toy cars.
Electric motors emit more CO² than combustion engines
In order to be able to accurately determine the pollutant emissions of cars, you have to look at them from the “source” to the “wheel”. The battery production of electric cars, for example, is very energy-intensive, but the total emissions over the life cycle of the car are much lower than for internal combustion engines. In addition to their own CO² emissions, these engines also transport fuel from the source to the vehicle. This is usually delivered to the filling stations via tankers and trucks and ensures high CO² emissions even before use in cars. This is why the electric car is much better in terms of its pollutant balance – especially when it is charged with green electricity.
Electric cars do not have sufficient range
Germans drive about 39 kilometres a day, occupies the Federal Ministry of Transport. Since most current electric car models have a range of around 300 to 500 kilometres per tank load, the range is therefore quite sufficient – even if the range in everyday use may fall short of the manufacturer’s specifications due to air conditioning systems or city traffic. Electric cars can’t compete with the range of combustion engines, but it’s enough for a trip from Hamburg to Berlin.
Filling up with electricity = charging time
Charging your electric car on the normal house network takes up to eight hours to fully charge the empty battery. But the refuelling process differs considerably from petrol and diesel cars, because you don’t need to make an extra detour to a petrol station and don’t have to wait next to the vehicle during the refuelling process. Filling up with e-autos is a side effect: while shopping, in the restaurant, at work, or overnight.
The network of fast and ultrashort charging stations is also constantly being expanded. There, only six to eight minutes of charging time are sufficient for the next 100 kilometers of range.
There are too few electric filling stations
Most electricity filling stations in Germany are located in urban areas and at motorway rest stops and service stations. A total of 17,400 charging points were located in March 2019, about one third more than last summer. They amount to about 99,000 electric cars. Only 5.7 e-cars share one loading point. An EU directive recommends a value of 10 e-cars per loading point. With the rapid progress of the charging infrastructure, drivers do not have to worry about not being able to charge their vehicle.
But even if there is no electricity filling station nearby, electric mobility does not stop there: With little helpers like the go-eCharger, every socket becomes a charging station. The space-saving mobile car charging box with 22kW is compatible with plug type 1 and type 2 and becomes a mobile charger in just a few simple steps. So electric cars can be charged at any socket. Thanks to various adapters for large parts of Europe, the batteries do not remain empty even on holiday.
Install your own charging station at home
The go-eCharger is also suitable for installing your own charging station in your own home. So the electric car can always be conveniently charged overnight. It delivers up to 22 kW (32 A 3-phase) for fast charging. In addition, it has extensive safety functions such as phase recognition, earthing measurement and adapter recognition.
All important parameters such as the regulation of the current intensity or the start of the charging time can be conveniently set in the corresponding app.
Safety note
Should this box be permanently installed or operated at a power output higher than 12 kW, it is recommended to consult an electrician. If CEE sockets or cables are installed or laid, this must be done by a specialist. We also recommend that you involve your network operator in your planning and plans.
Image source: AdobeStock #39293318
