E-mobility myths and what lies behind them
Electromobility has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Increasingly more people are deciding against conventional combustion engines. This can also be clearly seen in the registration figures. Nevertheless, there are still some persistent rumours surrounding this topic. In this blog post, we explore the most common myths and how much truth there is to them.
E-cars are more expensive than combustion cars
True. Electric cars are more expensive to buy than similar cars with combustion engines. However, because of benefits, lower maintenance costs, and tax advantages, an e-car is often the cheaper option when considered over its entire lifetime.
The range of e-cars is good for only short distances
Not true. Modern e-cars usually have a range of 300 km or more. With this, most daily journeys and the occasional longer journey can be managed without any problems. Only e-cars in the small car class are usually limited in their range. However, these vehicles are used mostly as second or city cars.
By the way: the average Swiss person travels 37 km per day by car.
There are too few charging points
True. There are currently just under 8,600 charging points in Switzerland. This may sound like a lot. But because of the increasing number of e-cars and the longer charging times, many more will be needed. The expansion of public charging stations is progressing steadily. For example, across Europe, IONITY offers a fast-charging station every 120 km. Furthermore, it is possible to have a Wallbox installed and charge the car at home.
For comparison: In Switzerland there are fewer than 3,500 “conventional” petrol stations.
One charge takes several hours
Not true. Using CCS plugs, many e-cars can handle high charging power. This means they need less than 30 minutes to get back to 80% battery capacity. If the charging capacity is low, a full charge can take longer. In this case, it is advisable to charge the vehicle where it will be parked for longer periods anyway. For example, at work or at home.
You never know how much you will pay for charging
True. Charging prices for e-cars are still quite non-transparent. Depending on the provider, you may pay more or less at the charging station. An overview of the tariffs can usually be found only on the website of the provider itself.
Too many e-cars overload the power grid
Not true. E-cars currently do not pose a major challenge to the domestic electricity grid. Even if the number of electric cars increases sharply, this will not bring the power grid to its limits. But if all the e-cars were plugged in at the same time and there were no load management, this would lead to a collapse of the power grid. However, the same also applies to electric hotplates, for example.
Burning e-cars cannot be extinguished
Not true. As is the case with most modern cars, it is usually the relatively easy-to-extinguish interior fittings of e-cars that burn in the event of a fire. However, if the battery of an electric car catches fire, the extinguishing process becomes more complicated. But even then, the battery can still be extinguished. The fire brigade has an extinguishing lance for such scenarios, among others. This allows the extinguishing water to be sprayed directly into the battery and extinguish it.
E-cars are dangerous for pedestrians
Not true. E-cars are surprisingly quiet on the road because of the absence of an internal combustion engine. However, since 1 July 2021, newly registered e-vehicles must emit a warning sound when driving at less than 20 km/h. When driving faster, the rolling noise of the wheels is sufficient for this.
E-cars do not have a better climate footprint
Not true. Over the lifetime of the vehicle, electric cars actually emit less CO₂ than conventional combustion engines. The only prerequisite: most of the charged electricity must come from sustainable production.
It is costly and time-consuming to dispose of the battery
Not true. If the car battery is no longer usable as a vehicle battery, it can be recycled to a high percentage. In this way, the rare earth elements are not lost. In addition, the batteries can also be used as energy storage for the home. This is referred to as a “2nd life” battery.
Hydrogen is the better alternative
Not true. Hydrogen is extremely energy-intensive to produce. The electricity required for this should be generated in a CO2-neutral way for the sake of the environment (this is then referred to as “green hydrogen”). Unlike hydrogen vehicles, electric cars can use the electricity directly to move forward.