Graham Brennan, Dublin
Benefits of electric vehicles
I work for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland researching and promoting the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) so I may be able to answer some of the questions raised by Herbert Messina-Ferrante (The Sunday Times, November 20).
EVs were actually more popular than combustion engine vehicles at the start of the 20th century in the US. They were quiet, clean, easy to drive and maintain. However, with the discovery of oil in Texas, the development of good inter-city roads and the introduction of the Model-T Ford, the EV was soon relegated to the scrap heap.
Electric vehicles have many benefits, for instance, electric motors are very efficient and provide high torque which removes the need for a gearbox. The motor can be used in reverse to put energy back into the battery when going downhill. Batteries are themselves efficient energy storage devices. When you put all these pieces together the EV is a very efficient vehicle.
For example, using manufacturers’ data, EVs are available today with equivalent direct fuel efficiencies of 1.7 l/100 km which compares with 4.5 l/100 km for a similar size diesel vehicle. Depending on electricity and fuel duty prices, EV owners can achieve up to 80 per cent annual energy cost savings.
The development of the lithium battery (which was adapted from the IT sector) and tough new CO2 emission regulations imposed on the motor industry by the EU are the key reasons for the resurrection of the electric vehicle.
Current lithium batteries can store three times the energy of a lead battery and are more resistant to charging cycles. This means ‘normal’ size EVs can now be offered to consumers.
Electric vehicle range of up to 185 km (based on the combined drive cycle standard) from a five-hour overnight charge at home is currently available. This range should be ideal for an island the size of Malta.
With fast charging, a vehicle may be charged to 80 per cent capacity in approximately 20 minutes. However, given the prevalence of on-street parking in Malta, infrastructure may be needed to allow slower overnight charging.
Battery lives of 10 years with 80 per cent of the original range remaining may be possible depending on usage. For instance, continually fast charging an EV will reduce its battery life.
EVs have attained the highest safety rating available under the Euro NCAP independent standard. While an EV may not have the same risk of fire associated with a petrol or diesel car crash, emergency responders may need instruction on dealing with any electrical risks associated with an accident.
While an EV may have a direct efficiency of up to 75 per cent (compared with 25 per cent for a diesel road vehicle), the electricity put into the car must be created and transmitted to the customer.
Ireland has substantial wind and ocean energy resources (as should Malta) so by the addition of more wind energy, the average energy efficiency of the electrical system could rise from its present 45 per cent to 58 per cent, allowing that same EV to have an overall (indirect) efficiency rising from 34 to 44 per cent.
It is therefore possible for Ireland to reduce its import of fossil fuels by 45 per cent as the number of EVs in use rises to over half the total passenger car fleet.
This is the real prize for an island nation which does not have significant oil or gas resources. The corresponding CO2 emissions drop by 75 per cent as the electricity system becomes cleaner.
Government support will be needed in the early stages, but with mass production, the price of the vehicles will fall dramatically in the years ahead.
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Paul Mallia
Dec 6th 2011, 11:44
This is an interesting letter. I wonder if one can get in touch with the writer to establish whether further sources of research (with a view to development) can be undertaken in Malta, especially with reference to charging stations and the supply of batteries. I have noticed that battery research analysts are even available on this island, as visible in the comments attached to this letter. Why don't we get together and form a consortium towards think-tanking this issue as otherwise nothing will ensure its success here on our beautiful island. On the other hand, if one combines EV's with Solar energy and wind energy, I am sure that the cost will be more attractive to the introduction of EV's to Malta. My details are available with this paper and one can make contact with me if he so wishes. I invite all interested parties to make contact in this regard, please. It is useless commenting without having done anything positive. Please make contact and we will move forward.
pierre spiteri
Dec 5th 2011, 13:58
dear Mr edward mallia
i have been researching about electric cars for tha past two years specifically about lifep04 batteries which can be used in electric cars. If you need information about such batteries i ll be more than willing to help you.
James Tyrrell
Dec 4th 2011, 16:25
In order for EVs to ever become a reality for everyday use rather than a little extra car for the rich the price has to come down. What working person can afford to spend £26,000 to £30,000 on a car when they can buy a perfectly good petrol or diesel car for a third of that? Given the fact that you would never be able to recoup the extra money it has cost you an EV will remain a toy for the rich.
G G Debono
Dec 4th 2011, 18:08
James
I guess that prices will come down as soon as the competition heats up.
The only possible obstacle to lower prices might be scarcity of raw material -- rare metals/minerals etc,.
Prices of Digital cameras were once astronomical and they have plummeted to real cheapo levels.....
(Little) Malta is a perfect setting for electric cars BUT the Maltese love the noise of an engine and it will take a lot to wean them off this !
James Tyrrell
Dec 5th 2011, 02:31
@G G Debono. Actually the main obstacle is not scarcity of rare materials but the oil companies. Do you think they will stand by and watch electric cars taking over from petrol and diesel? I also remember when I was a kid watching Tomorrow's World on TV and seeing a car that ran on water. The engineer who created it had developed a device which took ordinary water and split it into its two components, hydrogen and oxygen and then used these as a fuel to run a normal car engine. It even ran on sea water. So what happened to that idea considering the fact that it was operational over 40 years ago?
Mr Duncan Scerri
Dec 5th 2011, 12:25
@James Tyrrell
I suspect you are referring to Stanley Meyer's dune buggy. Some believe he was killed by Big Oil since he was a huge threat to the industry and had refused to be bought out. There are people who are trying to replicated his technology.
G G Debono
Dec 5th 2011, 13:22
……………..James ……..
RE...............main obstacle is ………… oil companies.
Agree – and there are many other obstacles
But the race is definitely on as countries seek to become less dependent on the middle east etc.
Many big companies including BMW, Volvo and (esp) Japanese car makers are hot on the search for the electric holy grail and it is a matter of time. Things will probably start to move faster…the hybrid is developling fast and will be a haflway lead into electric cars...
Re a car that ran on water – James - theres no energy in plain water…it needs energy to split water into O2 and H and this energy (from recombination of H with atmospheric O2) can then be harnessed to run an engine. This is relatively old hat – in 1996 Daimler benz approached malta to set up a base for research into solar splitting of H2O into O2 and H but (as usual) Malta wasn’t interested (Malta is only interested in quick bucks like property development ) – and so we remain backward…
James Tyrrell
Dec 5th 2011, 16:28
Yes Duncan that was probably the one but it's so far back I can't remember. The point is that the technology was there over 40 years ago so one would expect these vehicles to be common place now, and the only reason why they are not is due to the oil companies and their greed. I think at the time the story was that he had either been killed or bought out.
@G G Debono. I think the hybrid is the way to go at present but again cost is a major factor. If they don't come down to normal car prices they will remain a toy for the rich. Solar splitting of H2O into O2 and H is obviously one means of getting the job done but it wouldn't work as an onboard system. I think the one I saw on Tomorrows World used a battery source to start the process and once it was up and running it basically supplied its own energy to keep the process going. That I agree seems to go against the laws of physics but it certainly looked good at the time.
R Bartolo
Dec 5th 2011, 21:07
@James Tyrrell:
No such thing as a car that runs on water, that's nonsense. Yes, what you are suggesting goes against the laws of physics.
There is also generally very little point in using electrical energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. May as well use the electrical energy directly or store it in batteries.
Unless one believes the scammers out there selling the electrolysis kits that only result in net LOSSES i.e. a GREATER consumption of fuel.
James Tyrrell
Dec 6th 2011, 14:28
@R Bartolo. That's the point I'm trying to make, that water powered cars are not available in the showrooms and the question is why? Check out the following video and then run further searches on the internet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BpEFY_csCM&feature=related
Edward Mallia
Dec 4th 2011, 12:52
Many thanks to Graham Brennan for the time and patience of his answers to Herbert Messina. The problem is that Dr. Messina Ferrante is an excellent example of a species common in these islands. Such people are generally cocooned in some sort of cloud which cuts them off from many things happening around them. Then one fine morning they wake up and have a "good idea", electric cars, say. In the space of the next few hours they think up all sorts of "good ideas" about electric cars and are communicating to an unsuspecting and ignorant populace. In this case, the populace -- at least those who had any real interest in electric cars-- were neither unsuspecting nor uninformed.
To more serious matters. Looking at consumption from a slightly different angle, that 4.5l/100km car can be said to consume 0.43kWh/km, while a good EV would use 0.13kWh/km. With current fuel and electricity prices, these would correspond to costs of €6.3/100km and €2.2/100km. And 0.13Wh/km represents close to 120gCO2/km becauseof 'dirty' generation. In my case I get all my EV kWh from PV, not being a great car user.
Remarks about batteries sound too optimistic. Batteries are not very efficient stores of energy when this is looked at from the energy/kg of battery weight stored. A tank of gasoline of 40kg wt. contains vastly more energy than a 40kg 12V 100Ah battery and still much more than 40kg of Li batteries. The efficiency of the electric motor compared to IC engines redress the balance to some extent. My experience with lead-acid batteries does go anywhere near a 10 year life with 80% of the original range remaining. Li will be better, but at present at least do not look THAT much better, quite apart from putting capital cost up.
As for charging infrastructure, I am afraid I have used a cable going down to the car from a first floor balcony these last 10 years, seeing I have no garage.
pierre spiteri
Dec 5th 2011, 14:03
dear sir i have been researching about electric cars for tha past two years. If you may have an electric car which uses lead acid batteries you can easily upgrade to lifep04 batteries. If you need any information pls email me on pspiteri09@live.com