Electric & Hybrid Cars At Platinum

To put it simply, EV stands for electric vehicle. When you think about EV’s, you are probably thinking of a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), an automobile that runs purely on electricity and uses a rechargeable battery to power an electric motor. Yet there are actually several types of electrified powertrains available on the market today. BEV’s, as mentioned, are fully electric, yet there are also vehicles that combine an electric motor with a conventional internal combustion engine to create a Hybrid : Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and Hydrogen Fuel Cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

When it comes to charging your EV, your options will depend on how developed the charging infrastructure is where you live. Depending on your grid connection at home or the type of public charging station you have access to, electric vehicles give you flexible possibilities for charging. When charging at home, you’ll need to have the option to park off the street. For home charging, many drivers of electric vehicles choose to have a wall-mounted charging point installed at home for faster charging vs. a normal wall socket. Depending on your country of residence, you might be eligible for government grants to help with the costs of installation. Once your home charging station is installed, you can plug your EV in overnight, and wake up to a fully charged battery.

Charging times for EVs depend on a range of factors, such as what kind of connection you have access to and the size of the battery, as well as the outside temperature and a range of external factors. In general, there are two types of charging: normal alternating current (AC) charging and fast direct current (DC) charging. Normal AC charging is typically less energy-intensive and therefore much slower than fast charging. When you charge at home using a conventional plug, or sometimes when you plug into publicly available street charging, you will be using AC. Fast charging can be completed in under an hour and is typically only found at public charging stations.

The cost of charging your EV depends on quite a few variables. For example, where you live, who is the energy provider, where you charge and what kind of EV you have. Nevertheless, you can rest assured that the cost you pay to your electricity provider to recharge your EV is likely to be considerably less than it would be to fill up a conventional automobile with petrol. And don’t forget: many towns and shops offer free charging at reserved EV parking spaces. The base price of electricity is set by the country you live in and the energy provider. Individual European countries have their own tariffs on electricity use and the cost per kWh (kilowatt-hour) can vary slightly depending on the provider.

Just as there is a range of factors that affect an ICE’s fuel efficiency, the total electric driving range will be affected by the size of the battery, your driving style, driving mode selected, the outside temperature, number of electrical features being used (eg, Radio, lights, heating etc), any passengers you are carrying and many other factors. Planning a road trip with an EV? If you are driving a full-electric vehicle, it’s important to plan your route ahead of time, so you can have a nice cup of coffee at a rest stop that has high-speed DC Fast charging stations.

It feels fun! First of all, BEVs are typically equipped with a single-speed reduction gear, so there’s no more shifting. As a result, the ride is smooth and silent and the response is almost instantaneous. Secondly, EVs feel surprisingly fast. Just because you don’t have a 6 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine on board that doesn’t mean that EVs are slow. BEVs deliver instant torque and impressive acceleration. Despite the extra weight a battery brings, BEVs are quick off the line and deliver a smooth and constant acceleration. Although fast and powerful, EVs drive very quietly. There is still noise from the tyres on the road and the wind rushing around the car, but on electric-power alone, they are comparatively quiet. This results in a peaceful and relaxing driving experience. When it all comes down to it, an EV is still an automobile. There is nothing scary or difficult about driving one. If you can drive a conventional car or light commercial vehicle, you can drive an EV.