The EV revolution is finally upon us. Electric vehicles are more popular than ever before, and in some parts of the world, they have already replaced fossil fuel-powered cars as the norm.
But while most people know that electric cars are a better alternative to gas-guzzling vehicles, few understand how they actually work or why they’re so much better for the environment.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at EVs and see what makes them such an exciting prospect for our future.
Take advantage of public charging points
The problem with electric cars is that they have to be charged, which takes time.
If you drive a Nissan Leaf, for example, the car can go around 73 miles on a full charge (and less if there’s extreme cold).
You could game this by ensuring your journey is only 73 miles or less, but it’s impossible to always know how far you’ll drive.
The answer is public charging points; these are dotted around cities and on motorways all over the world, allowing people to top up their batteries with no hassle.
A Tesla supercharger
Public EV chargers are also very cheap (or even free ) to use, with some providers offering unlimited charging.
Because they’re so convenient, you might be tempted to simply charge your car at home every now and then and top it up during the day at public charger points. But this isn’t very efficient; public chargers put out significantly less energy than a standard wall outlet can provide.
If you want to make the most of your Tesla, install a home charger and connect it directly to the mains supply.
This will ensure that your car is always fully charged when you need it and allow you to take advantage of electricity rates that vary depending on the time of day (for example, if your local energy provider offers cheaper rates at night, you can time your charging accordingly).
Introduce a home battery If you’re considering an electric car for your next purchase, then it’s also worth considering where you will charge it.
The answer is almost certainly at home.
Electric cars are most efficient when they are plugged in overnight, with approximately 80% of the energy stored in their batteries being returned when they are charged.
This means that you’ll often be able to charge your vehicle for free, with the only cost coming from electricity used by any additional devices (such as lights or entertainment systems) that might be running at the same time.
But an electric car is only truly efficient if it has a home battery system. This allows you to charge your car during peak hours (when energy is cheaper) and use the stored power during peak times (when electricity costs more).
This means that you can drive an electric car without spending a single penny (other than the cost of purchase and installation, of course).
Prefer destination chargers
Most people aren’t going to make the effort to install a full home battery system, particularly when public charging points are incredibly convenient.
But these chargers don’t have the same master plan in mind; they simply want to get your money. In fact, many of them reduce their power output when vehicles idle for too long (resulting in a vehicle charging more slowly than it would if it were constantly moving).
As such, you should be wary of public chargers and focus on destination chargers instead.
These allow you to top up your battery at various locations (such as supermarkets or malls) and typically use the grid to manage their power output (which means that vehicles aren’t disadvantaged if they’re left plugged in for a while).
In fact, destination chargers can be even more efficient than home batteries because they use the grid to manage their power output without requiring you to install a separate system.
This ensures that your car is charged as quickly and efficiently as possible.
(Cleaner energy that you’ll be able to drive your car as quickly as possible).
They’re convenient and cost-effective, which means they work out far better for electric car owners.
Conclusion
At Impact electrical, we are experts when it comes to installing EV chargers at your home.
We’ll assess your energy requirements and recommend the best system for you. Get in touch with one of our team at impact electrical today.