The Electric Car is Evolving – at a Fast Pace!
`The Electric Car` is now something that is becoming ever more prominent amongst our society. An Electric Car (or van) is a vehicle which uses energy in the form of electricity, stored within rechargeable batteries (or another related device). Most electric vehicles will use a form of Lithium battery to power it, whether the battery be Lithium-Ion or Lithium Metal Polymer.
Electric vehicles are also designed, created and maintained within different `formats`. These formats include:
- All-Electric Vehicles (otherwise known as EV`s)
- Hybrid Electric Vehicles (also known as HEV`s)
- Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (otherwise referred to as PHEV`s)
In the times we`re living in today, people need not worry about compromising on speed for being kind to the environment. Due to the electric motors within electric vehicles, more torque is created, initiating more power from the outset.
In fact, a recent article on BusinessGreen has stated "Sales data revealed demand for electric cars jumped 366 per cent in the first quarter of the year", proving just how the era of electric cars is ever more poignant and popular than before.
Types of Electric Cars
There are now over 50 different types of electric cars to choose from when it comes to selecting the model that`s right for you. Listed below are some examples of the cars and the speeds they reach:
- Renault Twizy - 50mph
- Volkswagen e-UP - 81mph
- Citroen C-Zero - 81mph
- Renault Fluence ZE - 84mph
- Nissan Leaf - 93mph
- BMW i3 - 93mph
All electric cars have different charging capabilites, some quicker than others. For example, the Renault Twizy takes 3.5 hours to charge however the Renault Fluence ZE only takes 5 minutes (with a battery swap as opposed to charging). The majority of the cars above are dependant on which power outlet you are using at the time.
Fleets and The Electric Car
So, from the initial creation of the electric car, to the more established car marques designing their own versions to now - a company called Autolib, offering a fleet of car-sharing electric vehicles in and around Central London. The fleet which currently stands at 10 vehicles (with an estimated growth of 3,000 within the next five years) consists of cars painted in red which can travel up-to 150 miles per full charge.
The same scheme has already been adopted in France and has in the region of 220,000 drivers using it. This is truly a step forward for London`s carbon footprint and for the evolution of electric vehicles.
You can read more about this here.
The Electric Car and Leasing
If you don`t like the idea of car sharing but do of having your own vehicle (well, leasing your own vehicle) then there are also companies out there that can help you with that. Companies such as `FleetDrive Electric` supply and offer a range of cars from 2 seater`s and sports cars to hybrid family hatchbacks. There really is something to suit everyone`s needs.
When it comes to choosing the right electric car, you can`t forget to get the right level of insurance cover also. For further information visit the Hybrid and Electric Car Insurance page on the Safely Insured website.